In early February, over 5 sessions, Focus on Girls and Women, and Orienteering Training for Boys, offered an intensive series of trainings directed and delivered by a fun and engaging group of coaches, Natalie, Toby and Toni. These sessions raised the bar a notch or 2 bringing together plenty of family fun as well as serious training. This supportive, collaborative and confidence building environment is sure to have orienteers well prepared for the year ahead.

Mountain Bike Orienteering Workshops lead into the first MTBO event of the year, preparing new and returning riders in wheely great way! The terrific line-up of new and returning MTBO entrants at MTBO Coolamon Ridge demonstrates the increasing interest and engagement from our pedalling partners. Huge thanks to Marina Iskhahova and Rainee McNee for bring 2023 MTBO to life!

Then, 5 weeks of TRAKOTACK, targeting Easy level seeking to transition to the Moderate course. Newer orienteers and regular orienteers worked together on this one seeking advancement to reach their goals. As intended, these sessions set in train additional tools for the navigation tool kit for juniors and adults.

The final tranche of season opener training is happening this weekend, 17-19 March at the Cooma Training Camp. Five sessions lead by some of OACTs most experienced coaches will deliver barrel loads of boulders, and bundles of fun. This camp is for all ages and includes night training, day training and desk training! What more can be fitted into 48 hours!! This camp is highly recommended for those juniors intending to trial for a place in the ACT Schools Squad to compete at the 2023 Australian Schools Orienteering Championships (first trial 13 May).
If you haven’t made it to formal training sessions yet – this is your last chance this term.

Training for juniors will kick off in Term 2 with Blue Lightning sessions happening for an hour before Saturday series – watch this space for news and information on Blue Lightning 2023. For enquiries or to join Blue Lightning, send an email to BlueLightningACT@gmail.com.

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TRAKOTACK
Starting THIS WEDNESDAY – 1 Feb. 
Be a confident navigator and learn the skills of the champions!!
This series will grow our newer orienteers into confident navigators by teaching essential skills and providing opportunities.
Extension options for EASY level navigators to progress to MODERATE courses (adults welcome!).
TRAKOTACK training 4.30pm at the Wednesday TWILIGHT events – the first TRAKOTACK is Bruce Ridge, O’Connor.
It’s a great way to get started with orienteering and for our younger navigators it’s a good one for training up for SCORE School Orienteering.
Info Flyer is here.

For those with an eye on 2023 ACT Orienteering Representative Team, these trainings are a must! (First trial early Term 2).

Focus on Girls and Women  SHORT SHARP and SHINY!!
Starting THIS THURSDAY 2 FEB 4pm at Mt Taylor, closely followed by FRIDAY session at East Stromlo.
Five (5) sessions in 9 days! Learn lots, be ready for the 2023 year ahead. 
Catering for all levels from beginner to hard. (Hard from 4.30pm), this training is a great way to meet more wild running navigators
Women and Girls who have previously attended these sessions, get ready to step it up, either technically or physically!
Fresh from the podium at Oceania Championships in Tasmania, supported by Toni Brown, Canberra Cockatoo Natalie Miller will lead these sessions sharing her skills and knowledge from orienteering all around the country.

Orienteering Training for Boys GET YOUR SKATES ON – RUN WILD!!
Starting THIS THURSDAY 2 FEB 4pm at Mt Taylor, closely followed by FRIDAY session at East Stromlo. Hard level, from 4.30pm
Five (5) sessions in 9 days! Learn lots, be ready for the 2023 year ahead. 
Training will cater for all levels. Easy and moderate training will avoid the hill – hard level will have it HARD!!
Also fresh from the podium at Oceania Championships in Tasmania, Canberra Cockatoo and Australian World Mountain Running representative Toby Lang will lead this session bringing a range of skills and knowledge.

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For ACT orienteers keen to improve, we have an exciting series of training opportunities coming your way:

1. TRAKOTACK runs for five weeks starting 1 Feb. This is a series which helps grow our newer orienteers into confident navigators by teaching essential skills and providing opportunities for extension for Easy level navigators to progress to Moderate courses (adults welcome!). TRAKOTACK training will take place at 4.30pm at the Wednesday Twilight Series events. The first TRAKOTACK is at Bruce Ridge, O’Connor. It’s a great way to get started with orienteering and to train up for SC-ORE School Orienteering. For new navigators, as well as putting your spatial brain to work, there will be lots of fun enticements to keep you going. Info Flyer is here.

2. Focus on Girls and Women, five sessions in nine days! Learn lots, be ready for the 2023 year ahead. The first session is 4pm Thurs 2 Feb. Training will cater for all levels from beginner to hard. (Hard level, from 4.30pm). Women and Girls who have previously attended these sessions, get ready to step it up, either technically or physically! And to meet lots of keen orienteering women. Fresh from the podium at Oceania Championships in Tasmania supported by Toni Brown, Canberra Cockatoo Natalie Miller will lead this session sharing her skills and knowledge from orienteering all around the country.

3. Orienteering Training for Boys, five sessions in 9 days! Learn lots, be ready for the 2023 year ahead. The first session is 4pm Thurs 2 Feb. Training will cater for all levels from beginner to hard. (Hard level, from 4.30pm). Also fresh from the podium at Oceania Championships in Tasmania, Canberra Cockatoo and Australian World Mountain Running representative Toby Lang will lead this session bringing skills and knowledge from years and a range of experiences. Toby will be in the field with the hard level training so get your skates on for some top training.

4. Mountain Bike Orienteering Training Weekend, 18-19 Feb . Two days of learning to navigate on wheels at speed. This two day MTBO Training weekend will have DAY 1 with full focus on MTBO beginners and DAY 2 will focus on experienced MTBOers and everyone who would like to improve their MTBO skills further to an advanced level. The thrilling intense program of technical & mental tasks and exercises is under preparation. We will have four coaches on board: Raynie McNee, Emily Stewart-Reed, and Marina & Fedor Iskhakov. Upgrade your MTBO skills and be prepared for a great 2023 ACT MTBO season with the events schedule here.

5. March Training Camp for all ages, 17-19 March. Details to follow – save the date.
   The Training camp will commence Friday evening with a night training session and conclude after the Sunday 19 March ACT League event.
   Training will be targeting moderate and hard level runners, those preparing for the Easter Orienteering Carnival (7-10 April) and juniors interesting in the Australian Schools Orienteering Carnival in late Sept (ASOC Trials to commence 13 May 2023). Coaches Toni Brown, Rob Walter, Marina Iskhakova. Others interested in delivering a coaching session during this camp, please contact Toni Brown OACT Development Officer. This is not a beginner camp.

No time like the present to make 2023 your year for some outdoor wild navigation! Everyone warmly welcomed!

Note: Focus on Girls and Women AND Boys Orienteering Training will take place at the same time, on the same map and in adjacent areas. This will allow families with boys and girls to engage with training at the same time.

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ACT coaches contribute enormously to our orienteering community, whether delivering Sporting Schools Programs in Primary and High Schools, squad coaching with Blue Lightning or with other squads and groups such as Focus on Girls and Women, or MTBO.

Everyone comes to orienteering from a different starting point. Perhaps the love of the bush, maybe dragged along by parents, some might be looking for a non-contact sporting option while others are just sick of the gym. Regardless of the how or why someone chooses to try orienteering, to reap the greatest reward, one must know how. This is where the coach comes in.

As in all sports, many of the skills of orienteering are passed on to offspring. Over dinner time chatter, attending events with mum and dad, and even just having maps about the place. But for the majority, orienteering skills have not been learned this way.

Some have learned through informal post-run ‘chats’ and for others, this might be coupled with formal training. Most importantly the coach provides the individual sport specific skills PLUS motivation, inspiration, self-confidence and enthusiasm.

The coach helps make the right connections. They might link up adults of similar abilities or link up kids with similar interests so that there can be a joy in learning together.

The coach helps map the path for those people wanting to continue with orienteering, for those keen prospective orienteers.

Making orienteering visible in the ACT is one way to share the joy of the sport.

Did you know that OACT has delivered to over 7000 ACT school kids through the Sporting Schools Program since the start of 2019 that’s over 800 hours of time in ACT schools sharing the love and passion of our sport.

As Grant Bluett recently said, discovering and believing that orienteering is a real sport, is empowering for keen athletes of this sport.

To that end real sports need real coaches. They don’t have to be top level orienteers, but they need to love the sport they’re in and be keen to motivate and inspire. They help orienteers can become the best that they can.

If you are interested in contributing the coaching space in any way contact Toni Brown OACT Development Officer.

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The program was a little different to usual beginner training – we stayed well away from the compass and jumped deep into the map.

Some sessions were worked in pairs while others needed some solo exploration.

The Lolly-O proved a great driver and those with a competitive streak were hungry for a Royal Flush in Poker-O.

In fact we got more Royal than we bargained for, firstly with our Friday debrief focused on counting to 96, then to keep us on our toes, we were off to Queens Park for a group BBQ, before the final flush, orienteering with lights against the backdrop of a wild storm.

The group demonstrated the grit required to take on serious bush orienteering and its expected that many of the younger girls will seek out further orienteering opportunities.

Good luck to those participating in SCORE in October and to those girls heading off to Victoria shortly for the Australian Orienteering Championships.

The post Spring Women’s and Girls’ Training Wraps Up appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

The group includes those who have “always wanted to have a go at orienteering”, others that did it “years ago” plus some swept in from SCORE – School Orienteering, and others literally “found in the bush” (they know who they are ).

Some of our strongest junior girl orienteers are using the sessions for Australian Championships preparation, all the while assisting with coaching by providing quality support, technical training and inspiration to our younger girls and introductory women – thanks Justine Hobson and Natalie Miller.

A special thanks also to regular orienteers Jo Hobson (Bushflyers) and Marina Iskahova (Red Roos) who are also assisting with coaching.

Check out the action on the facebook page here.

The series wraps up on Friday and when we hit up a bit of wild night nav as practice for future events including Stringybark Hill and SCORE.

The post Women’s and Girls Intensive – 3 Sessions Down, 3 to Go! appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

Preparation for: 

• Australian Championships in September
• Twilight season starting October
• SCORE – Primary School Orienteering November
• or just keen to catch up with other girls and to start nailing some of those controls!

Structured group training for confident navigation, especially in the bush.
 
Compass use, contours, landscape, and feature identification, as well as understanding the usefulness of fitness and focus and race skills for the more serious athlete. 

For returners, we’ll build on last terms skills.

This is for Everyone – Beginner, intermediate and advanced level

Note: For those wanting to improve their fitness and speed of map reading every session will have a fitness session option.

Register here.

Precise locations to be confirmed.
*See below.

Come and Try Mountain Bike Orienteering

Never tried Mountain Bike Orienteering?
Come train with us on Friday 2 September, 4pm at Bluetts.

This session will teach you how to navigate on wheels and at speed and will have you ready for the MTBO event on Sunday 4 September at West Stromlo.
This session is for girls and boys, kids and adults (kids must be accompanied by an adult).
Bring a bike and your helmet, we will have maps boards for you to trial.

Email marina.iskhakova@gmail.com for more information or simply message “Count me in” so we know who/how many to expect.

The post Orienteering Training for Girls and Women appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

1. Friday 6 May, Kellaway Street, Hackett
2. Friday 13 May, South end Hayley Street, Ainslie
3. Friday 20 May, The National Arboretum
4. Friday 27 May, Review/Wrap-up session, Mt Ainslie Drive, Campbell

Sessions will be modified to meet the different needs and skill levels of participants, and to make sure everyone has fun!

Here is how it will work:

• The beginners’ session will start at 3.45pm and will go for an hour to 4.45pm.
• More experienced arrive from 4.15pm. Session will finish on dusk, around 5.30pm.

For the more experienced, your activities and instructions will be there waiting for you! They will be adjusted week by week. There will be a focus on skills and drills rather than running a course. You can start in your own time or work together with the group instructions.

What to Bring:

• A drink bottle, warm clothes, and smile to share!
• If you are at primary school you will need to bring a responsible adult, willing to share the fun. The responsible adult must stay.
• Cost (For 4 weeks of instruction):
  • $20 Members (individual or family) (+ small booking fee charged by Register Now)
  • $40 Non-member (individual or family) (+ small booking fee charged by Register Now)
  • (Sorry no refunds if you change your mind. No reductions if you come to fewer than 4 sessions. We are all volunteers, and our time is given for the love of it).

If you are already orienteering at regular Orienteering ACT events, these sessions will give you the chance to meet and orienteer with women and girls who also love to run wild!

Register here. 

Any Questions? Email Toni on totoni@iinet.net.au or text on 0411 968 001.

The post Focus On Girls Returns in May appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

This training for girls who are currently orienteering at a Moderate or Hard level, or those who are regularly doing Easy level but intend to progress to Moderate in 2022.

Girls must be high school age (2022), so 12 years or above. Girls must be able to RUN for 3km.
These sessions are NOT for beginners. A beginner/primary school FOG series will be held in early 2022.
It is specifically designed for:

• Girls preparing for higher level orienteering into 2022 and beyond
• For girls’ keen to join the ACT Blue Lightning Squad but need a little more support and introduction to squad techniques first.

Three training activities will be held, and it is hoped that everyone can regroup at the Sprint event at Kingston Foreshore on Sunday 19.

To register for this training text 0411 968 001 or email totoni@iinet.net.au by Wednesday 15 December 8pm.

The post Focus on Girls Training Starts Thursday appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

Map Mates Junior Coaching

In primary school, or even younger, and want to know more about orienteering?

A series of Map Mates junior coaching sessions will be held at each of the first ten Twilight Series events.

Meet at 5:10pm each week at the “Blue Sparks” banner, there will be 15 mins of orienteering skills training to get you ready to head out and attack the course.

No need to sign up, just enter the event (or get a season pass) and turn up ready to be a wild runner!

Twilight Training for Girls

This training is for girls in upper primary school/lower high school (ages 11-14) and will provide girls with the understanding, knowledge, and technical skills to orienteer at the moderate level of difficultly.

It is specifically designed for:

• Girls who are feeling confident when participating in ‘Easy’ level events and are interested in having a go at the ‘Moderate’ level.
• Girls who have recently started moderate level orienteering and would like to further their orienteering skills/techniques for this level of navigation.

Sessions will be held from 4:15pm to 4:50pm at four Twilight Series events. After each session, participants can then complete their selected course at the Twilight Series event. After completing their course participants will be encouraged to regroup to talk through their course with other girls and their parents.

Sessions will be held at each of the following Twilight Series events:

• Wednesday 28 October, Stromlo West
• Wednesday 4 November, Mt Ainslie North
• Wednesday 11 November, The Pinnacle
• Wednesday 18 November, Mt Majura West

To register:

• Attendees are expected to have entered the Twilight Series events by becoming a member of Orienteering ACT and purchasing a Twilight Series season pass.
• Each attendee must also register online for the training instruction. Cost is $10 (+booking fee), covering the four weeks of instruction.
• For more information call 0411 968 001 or email totoni@iinet.net.au.

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