The first event of 2021 ACT MTB Orienteering Series will kick off on Sunday 28th February 2021, starting at 9am at Majura Pines, parking at MTB Majura park car park, off Majura Rd.

This will be the first formal event in Australia to use the SI-AIR 1.5m range punching system, which is the MTBO world-standard. Come along and experience the atmosphere and speed of a big MTBO event.

Cathy Hogg, a very experienced course setter, has created great courses for all levels!

Starts will be open from 9:00am until 10:30am, with the course closure at 1pm.

• Four courses will be provided: Long (about 12.2km, 60 min winning time); Middle (9.4 km; 50 min winning time), Short (6km, 40min winning time) and Novice (3km; 30min winning time).
• We will have coaches at the start, who will help and explain to beginners what to do and will equip beginners with the key tips.
• Entry fee is $15 and we encourage you to pre-enter. Entries close on Thursday 11:59pm here.
• Limited Entry on a day still will be available.
• Map Board Hire and SI-Air Hire will be available ($5/each).

Enjoy navigation at higher speed!
Your ACT MTBO Team

The post World-Standard 1.5m SI-Air Range Arrives for ACT MTBO Series #1 appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

Saturday 27 March, ACT Sprint Champs, ADFA

Saturday’s event will see orienteering return to the Australian Defence Force Academy campus for the first time in more than 10 years for the 2021 ACT Sprint Distance Championships.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to run on this rarely used map, originally mapped for Easter 2010 and now updated by Bob Allison for this event.

Further details are in the information flyer.
Enter via Eventor. Entries close 17 March.
There will be no enter on the day.

Sunday 28 March, ACT Relays, Mt Majura West

Sunday’s event offers exciting relay action on an updated map of a favourite bush area, Mt Majura West.

Unlike previous years, the event will be a true relay comprising four legs. Each leg will be approximately 2.5km of moderate standard navigation. Teams can be of one to four members, each running one to four legs.

Individual Easy and Very Easy courses will also be available.

Further details are in the information flyer.
Everyone must do an individual entry via Eventor by 21 March.
In addition:

• One CONTACT from each team must email the Organiser, Ann Scown, at scown@light.net.au, with the names of team members and running order.
• If you are running all four legs please email the organiser.
• If you wish to run in a team but are unable to find team members, the Organiser will randomly create teams. Please advise the Organiser how many legs you wish to run.

There will be no enter on the day.

The post Entries Now Open for 2021 Autumn Classics appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

The next ACT MTBO event is this Sunday 28 February, at beautiful Majura Pines, event entry closes this Thursday.

The post Riders Learn New Skills at MTBO Training Weekend appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

SC-ORE is a participation-focused, team-based activity with some competitive energy. It is held in the safety of School grounds. Gather your friends, go online and register now, to make up a fabulous SC-ORE team. Students from all Primary Schools and home-schooled students are welcome.

Teams consist of four students (two girls and two boys) in Years 3 to Years 6 (preferably from the same school). Students in classes below Year 3 may enter if they are regular orienteers.

SC-ORE is held before school on Thursdays in Term 1. The Autumn 2021 Series starts on 4 March and continues for four weeks:

• 4 March: Charles Weston Primary School, Coombs
• 11 March: St Jude’s Primary School and Canberra Montessori School, Holder
• 18 Match: Weston Park, Yarralumla
• 25 March: Weston Park, Yarralumla

Students will need to be on-site by 7:45 am for an 8.00 am start each week. Events finish in time for students to get to school on time.

Visit the SC-ORE page for more information or go straight here to enter.
Entries close 26 February.

The post SC-ORE Autumn Entries Open appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

And, if someone has a car with a tow-bar and is willing and able to bring the Orienteering trailer (already packed) to the events, that would be a big help.

Contact Susanne for more info (schools@act.orienteering.asn.au).

• Thursday 4th of March – Charles Weston Primary School (Coombs)
• Thursday 11th of March – St Jude’s Primary School and Canberra Montessori School (Holder)
• Thursday 18th of March – Weston Park (Yarralumla)
• Thursday 25th of March – Weston Park (Yarralumla)

The post Volunteers Needed for Autumn SC-ORE appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

Let’s look forward to not only travelling hopefully but also plenty of arrivals in 2021!

It is my pleasure to welcome our new members to the club. At this stage of the year we are updating members’ details. Please check that we have the correct contacts for you.

We do hope that you’ll continue to be a part of the Bushies family in 2021. It is now time to renew your membership for this year, if you haven’t done so already. The easiest way to do this is via Eventor. If you need assistance, please contact the OACT office (office@act.orienteering.asn.au).

Summer Swarm

Summer has almost run away with us, so it’s going to be an early Autumn Swarm to start off the new orienteering year! For those of you who are newer club members, a swarm is an informal social gathering of Bushflyers…

The next Bushies Swarm will be straight after the Wednesday twilight event at Aranda Snowgums on 3rd March.
This is a Bushflyers’ event, and the final twilight event of the season. We will provide pizzas and fruit but please feel free to bring your own snacks/picnic tea if you prefer. You will need to bring your own drinks and a chair. Keep an eye out for the Bushies flag. Everyone is welcome, especially our new club members – we’d love to see you there! Some of you will be aware that we were considering having our next Swarm after a Sunday sprint; although this is a school night, it seemed useful to use one of our own events as a suitable opportunity to gather together.

This year we have decided not to make our annual awards; however, it would be great to acknowledge some of the successes over the past year – in spite of the difficulties we have remained quite active in orienteering here in the ACT. Let’s share our stories.

Please RSVP to Valerie at vnwb@internode.on.net by Saturday 27th February if you plan to attend this swarm.

(NOTE: I shall have a range of new and used club uniform items for sale/give away, plus a mix of Schools clothing which will be ideal for training – free to a good home! Please see the note below.)

The Bushflyers Story

This year OACT turns 50! Stay tuned for details of how this will be acknowledged and celebrated.

The Bushflyers club is not much younger, however. A potted history of the club, and the news archive dating from 2013 is available here.

Some of you may not be aware that OACT has undergone an important structural (constitutional) change in the past few months, in line with governance changes happening at the national level of Orienteering Australia. These do not impact local members directly; however, as of December, we no longer have two levels of responsibility within Orienteering ACT. While there is still a Board, elected as in previous years, there is no longer an OACT Council (which met three times a year). To replace the Council, which was originally seen as a forum for the voice of the clubs, a number of small committees are being formed, with representatives from all clubs.

In particular, I would like to acknowledge that Matt Stocks is the Bushflyers representative on the new Event Planning and Management Sub-Committee. Currently, Matt provides an invaluable service to Bushflyers in his management of the event roster, co-opting organisers, course planners and day helpers all of the Bushies events.

Unlike some of other other ACT clubs, Bushflyers do not have an AGM and elected officials; instead we function more informally with the help of interested members. I took over the role of Club Convenor some years ago (following Dennis Trewin’s move to Victoria), and have been well supported by so many of you who have offered to help.

Of course, there are also a number of Bushflyers filling a range of roles across OACT:

• Currently Bushflyers have several members on the OACT Board: Peter Miller (Treasurer); Jane Barnett; David Stocks and Valerie Barker. Please feel free to contact any of these Board members if you have any queries. (Check the ‘Board Shorts’ section on the News page of the OACT website for a summary of the minutes of the most recent Board meeting).
• Paul de Jongh is our wonderful Go To person in the OACT Office; Jesse Piiroinen has been the face at the computer over the summer twilight events; Susanne Harryson (OACT Development Officer) manages the very successful SC-ORE program and you will often see Tom de Jongh taking photographs at events.
• The Board has also just announced that Tom de Jongh and Jane Barnett have been reappointed as the ASOC (Tasmania) managers for 2021.

If you would like to become more involved in Bushflyers or OACT organisation, please let me or Matt Stocks know; any contribution is welcome.

Summer events; thank you!
2021 – Your club needs you!

We have been fortunate to have been able to continue both the Twilight and Summer Sprint series over the summer, even as other events, such as the Xmas Five-Days, were being cancelled around us.

A big Thank You goes to everyone who has assisted with the Bushie-organised ACT Twilight orienteering events. For those who put their hand up on top of their rostered duties, the events could not have run so smoothly without you. In particular, we would like to thank: the Stocks family (28 October at Stromlo West – complete with a storm just as controls were being collected in the dark); Ari and Jesse Piiroinen (25 November at Stromlo Forest Park); and Alan Sargeant and Jo Hobson (3 February at Black Mountain).

We have two more Twilight events to come (17th February, Arachnicopia South; 3rd March, Aranda Snowgums). Our first event for the Classic program is the AL#3 event at Foxlow on 2nd May.

This is a call to all members for assistance with our Orienteering ACT 2021 Main Program events. Organisers, setters, controllers (for ACT League events) and on-the-day helpers all required! Matt Stocks has already sent out a request but the roster still has a small number of gaps on it. Every hour that you are able to volunteer ensures a more successful and enjoyable event for everyone.
If you have not already indicated your availability or you would like further information, please contact Matt Stocks (matt.stocks18@gmail.com).

If you don’t have experience in a particular role, offering your assistance is a great opportunity to learn new skills and support our sport. I challenge you to give it a go! Don’t sit on the sidelines; we’ll support you along the way. Just let us know if you need a bit of extra guidance. And don’t forget – all helpers will have the chance to run on the day!

Bushies Uniforms – New Order

As we look forward to a more regular orienteering program this year, I would like to place a new order for running tops and jackets. While I still have some stock available, I am in short supply of popular sizes. Over the past few years we have redesigned our Bushies O-top, and also introduced a Club jacket. Both look great and we have received quite a few compliments. If you would like to place an order, read on!

• Please email your order (sizes(s) and quantities) to Valerie Barker (vnwb@internode.on.net) by SUNDAY 28th FEBRUARY. This should mean that we have our new O-tops by April, (possibly even for Easter), and certainly before the OACT Saturday Metro Series starts. I will order a few extra, in case of sizing problems, but in general, it is not easy to exchange tops.
• Sizing – this is always the tricky part, unfortunately. You might like to go to the Siven (Bryzoz) website, especially if you have never had a Siven (or Trimtex) shirt before. If you have a Trimtex shirt, the sizing will be similar. In general, you are recommended to err on the side of ordering a size larger than you might usually choose.

As a rough guide (for women), I wear Trimtex Women’s Small, I have a Siven XS, my usual clothing size is 8 (to 10) and I’m 160cm tall.

In the meantime, please remember that I have a small number of both the old-style (Trimtex) and new (Bryzos) Bushflyers orienteering tops and jackets at hand, if you would like to purchase them directly from me. They are as follows:

• O-top new-style (as above) Cost $55:
  • Women – 4 x Medium; 3 x Large;
  • Men – 2 x Small; 3 x Medium; 1 x Large; 1 x X-Large
  • Children – 1 x 140cm; 2 x 130cm
• Jackets (as above) Cost $65:
  • Men – 1 x Small; 1 x Large; 2 x X-Large
  • Women – 3 x Med, 2 x Large
• O-tops older style (Trimtex):
  • Women’s XS (x 3);
  • Men’s XL (x 1);
  • Children’s (1 x 150cm; 3 x 140cm)
    Cost only $25 (less for children). Many of us are still currently wearing these.
• Several second-hand adult’s tops:
  • Trimtex: (1 x Small; 1 x Med; 1 x Large)
  • Very old-style (1 x 2XS; 1 x XL)
• I also have two of our ‘aprés-O’ tops (a white t-shirt style), both Women’s 12. Cost $15
• One pair of three-quarter O-pants in Club colours, but no logo, Medium. $40

We also run an informal Children’s O-shirt Library. Current stock is: 4 x 150cm (used). The new shirts, listed above, are also available for loan if preferred.

If you have had shirts on loan from the Library that your child no longer fits or needs, please return these to me as soon as possible. (Please just find me at the next few events). If you have a Library shirt on loan – and you would like to keep it for the rest of the season, or for your next child – please also let us know, including the size of the top.

If you have any Bushflyers children’s O-tops that you would like to pass on to other children to use, as a donation through the Library, these would also be much appreciated.

Upcoming Events

• The Australian Easter Carnival, 2 – 5 April, based around Orange and Molong, NSW comprises a range of events, including the traditional Easter Three-Days series and the Family Prologue/Sprint. This is followed by the NSW Middle and Long-Distance Championships at Eugowra the following weekend (10 – 11 April), and some sprint and middle-distance events mid-week as well.
  
  The Easter events are traditionally significant selection events for our younger orienteers who have goals of JWOC, and World University Champs (COVID-19 restrictions permitting), and both weekends also offer challenging and exciting orienteering to competitors all ages. If you are competing, at whatever level, we wish you well. The Bushflyers banner will be flying at all events over both the Easter and following weekends – if you are there, please join us!
  
  We plan to have a Swarm over the Easter weekend, probably on the Saturday or Sunday evening – this will be an informal meal together at a central location in either Orange or Molong, to suit the accommodation plans of the majority of us. I will give further details later, when I have an idea of how many Bushflyers are entered in the Easter events and where you are all staying.
  
• The Saturday Metro season starts on 2nd May.

Congratulations to 2020 OACT Award Recipients:

• Mike Cassell’s Award – Paul de Jongh
• President’s Award for Service to Orienteering – Matt Stocks, Patrick Miller, Susanne Harryson

Did you know…

Bushflyers has a Facebook page. “Like” our page and keep up to date with what’s happening in our club.

OACT Annual General Meeting – Advance Notice

The OACT AGM will be held in mid April, 2021.

I wish you a happy and successful 2021,

Valerie Barker (Club Convenor)
vnwb@internode.on.net
6251 5459 / 0410 151 554

For Bushflyers Orienteering – where no-one gets left on the bench!

The post The Buzz – Bushflyers News February 2021 appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

Why not “tick” the box on your Eventor profile and receive hardcopy of The Australian Orienteer. The “take anywhere to read” magazine with all the latest news from the OZ Orienteering world and elsewhere.

Here’s how to do it………

• Login to Eventor
• Select “My Pages”
• Select “Information”
• Tick the box – I wish to receive the Australian Orienteer as a hardcopy.

If you previously registered to receive the hardcopy magazine in 2020 then this box has already been ticked for you.

While you are logged on, please take the opportunity to update your contact and competitor details if necessary. This information is used to identify you when you register for an event and it is important to keep it up to date.

All members are able to receive a hardcopy of the magazine.

You must be registered by midnight Thursday 11 February in order to receive the March edition of the magazine.

The March 2021 edition is ISSUE No 200 and we look back over the years to the creation of the magazine in 1979. As well, Ross Barr looks at the progression of control descriptions in Park-Street O; Debbie Dodd tells how MapLink helped to keep Victorians sane; a claim reinforced by Bruce Paterson in RadiO CorOna; Brodie Nankervis shows how young mappers have come to the fore in Sporting Schools; there’s nutrition advice from the NSW Institute of Sport; Duncan Currie’s “JEFF” cartoon expands to a full page; and there’s the usual O-Spy, Spot the Difference, MTBO and Top Events sections.

The post Opt-In for Australian Orienteer Hardcopy appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

The following courses will be on offer:

• Moderate 1 (4.4 km, 17 controls)
• Moderate 2 (3.1 km, 14 controls)
• Easy (1.8 km, 14 controls)
• Very Easy (1.6 km, 20 controls)

All the event details are available here.

With six rounds remaining in the series Martin Dent leads Shannon Jones by just seven points, with Ryan Stocks, David Stocks, and Eoin Rothery completing the top five. The full standings after nine rounds are here.

Season passes for the remainder of the series are available on Eventor, or you can enter the individual event here. Don’t forget that entries for each Twilight Series event close at 5pm Tuesday.

Membership renewals for 2021 are also due. If you are an existing OACT member you can renew your membership via Eventor. If you have never been an OACT member, but would like to join for 2021, please follow these instructions to join and register through Eventor. For more information see the OACT membership page or email the OACT Office.

The post Twilight Series Resumes This Wednesday appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

The season pass cost is only $50 for adults, $35 for juniors, equivalent to 50% the cost of entry to each individual event. You must renew your membership for 2021 before you can purchase a season pass.
If you have not yet renewed your membership, then the prices of both the season pass and individual events will reflect non-member pricing.

Don’t forget that registration for both the season pass and individual events will close at 5pm on the day before each event.

We still need event organisers for many of the events – if you can help out please contact tate.needham@gmail.com.

The post 2021 Sprint Series Starts This Sunday appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

Regrettably, it has been decided that the Training Blitz that was to take place starting tomorrow night has been postponed.

It is planned that a similar training weekend will be held in late Jan/early Feb.

Don’t miss out on the final 24 hours of quality training for 2020.

This instruction will prepare juniors (target age under 20ys) – for bush, park, sprint and MTBO orienteering.

Sessions will be modified to meet the different needs and skill levels. Friday night session will have greater focus on advanced level, while Bruce Ridge session will be more focused on developing orienteers. Haig Park session will cover all skill levels. Primary school aged orienteers must have a parent/guardian remain present for the activity period.

• Registration is now open here.
• Cost $5 per person or $10 per family (covers 2 or more from 1 family), + booking fees.
• Contacts: Ken (ken@taxrambling.com) re Admin stuff, Toni re foot O training (totoni@iinet.net.au) Marina re MTBO training marina.iskhakova@gmail.com.
• Further details are available in the information flyer.

If you are now doing orienteering at regular Orienteering ACT events, these sessions will give you the chance to meet, socialise and orienteer with lots of young people who also love to run wild!

The post Junior Training Blitz – Postponed appeared first on Orienteering ACT.