G'day [FIRST_NAME] [LAST_NAME],
TWO GREAT EVENTS - WAITING FOR YOUR ENTRY
Entries are now open for the 3hr minigaine and the 6hr metrogaine.
Beach and Bay Minigaine
Here's a map snippet to whet your appetite for when the Rogaining year kicks off in 2 weeks' time with the 3 hour Minigaine.
"The Lennox - a bridge too far"
"The Lennox - a bridge too far" is a 6hr rogaine which will be held around the Glenbrook area on Sunday 24th March 2024.
This is the first time NSW Rogaining has had an interspecies course setting team. Bandit pictured below, has leveraged his considerable course setting knowledge to make sure the course will be perfect for the event.
It's just a pity that NPWS are speciesist and do not allow bandit's kind in the National Park, so Bandit will not be competing any time soon. (P.S. We are also speciesist. - Rule 5(e) Dogs and weapons of any kind, including firearms, are prohibited at the event site.)
The Blue Mountains is one of the most iconic pieces of bushland in the world, so what better way to explore it than with an added navigational challenge? We'll explore the beautiful bush tracks, parks, lookouts and streets of the Lower Blue Mountains. Knapsack Reserve and Darks Common will be key features of this course.
Will you choose to visit Lennox Bridge, the oldest stone arch bridge on mainland Australia? Will you walk the old tramway route through sandstone cuttings to spectacular views over Glenbrook Creek? Will you find yourself down under Lapstone Viaduct or up on Cripple Creek? Can you really see Pondi* from Marges Lookout?
There will be plenty of route options for all ages and fitness levels with the course including Blaxland, East Blaxland, Mount Riverview, Glenbrook, Lapstone, Leonay, Emu Heights and Emu Plains. Entries close on Monday 18 March. .You can enter here.
NSW Rogaining Annual General Meeting
The NSWRA AGM will be held immediately after the Minigaine on Sunday 25th February 2024. All members (i.e. anyone who has attended a rogaine in the last year) are invited to attend. We'll review the past year and what's happening this year as well as confirm the Committee for 2024. All Committee roles are declared vacant and General Members (on the Committee with no specific role) are welcomed.
We don't do fireworks and blindsides, but having a strong group with motivated members is essential for the longevity and continued relevance of our sport. Think about giving it a go.
2024 Calendar
All 2024 events are now firmed up and Course Setters are hard at it poring over maps and planning recces. There are some new areas to explore, along with a few places that you might have visited a long time ago. Here's the calendar to date - lock them into your schedules.
|
Event |
When |
Where |
Being set by |
|
Minigaine |
25/02/2024 |
Newport - Pittwater and Northern Beaches |
Martin Dearnley |
|
Metrogaine |
24/03/2024 |
Lower Blue Mountains |
Stephen, Sally & Bandit McKay |
|
Autumngaine |
11/05/2024 |
Kariong |
Robin & John Cameron |
|
Paddy Pallin |
16/06/2024 |
Rydal |
Vivien de Remy de Courclles |
|
Nightgaine |
27/07/2024 |
Eastwood |
Steve Ryan |
|
Lake Macquarie |
24/08/2024 |
Watagans |
TBA |
|
NSW Championships |
21-22/09/2024 |
Capertee |
Toni Bachvarova and Andrew Smith |
|
Surprise Rogaine |
26/10/2024 |
It's a surprise … well Newcastle area |
Glenn Downey & Steven Roberts |
|
Socialgaine |
24/11/2024 |
The very end of the Lane Cove River |
Ted Woodley |
2024 Australian Championships Update
Australian Championships - same date new location - The Mysterious Traveller Rogaine
The 2024 Australian Rogaining Championship are to be held in Western Australia on the weekend of 7th and 8th September. WA Rogaining has announced that approval to run the event on the course previously advised has not come through. The event is being relocated from 4.5 hours north-east of Perth to approximately 3 hours south. This is the more typical WA rogaining forested country. The timing should be perfect for WA wildflowers. The country will not be as big as we often see in NSW but expect plenty of fine navigation challenges.
This is what the organisers have to say:
Where is the Mysterious Traveller? A mask, an old logging village, a Melburnian forester, and ochre springs. We may need to navigate complex river valleys (150m a.s.l. to 300m a.s.l.). There may be a few pines, but we are mostly in stunning Jarrah - Marri - Blackbutt forest. We leave the open Nannup farmlands of 2016 far behind. We have a very easy trip here - less than 3hrs southish of Perth and less than 1hr Bunbury. For all travellers, far, near, mysterious or not, the Event Bus will take you on a magical tour from the airport to the event via a replenishing town. The Setting and Vetting team look forward to showing you some topographical mysteries!
More here: 2024 Australasian Rogaine Champs
The event features the interstate challenge of which NSW Rogaining is the current joint trophy holder (with ACT). To defend the title, sprightly Rogainers in all classes are encouraged to make the trip and put best feet forward to defend our glorious 2023 victory. Like all championship rogaines all levels of experience and ability are welcome.
For booking flights the event bus is scheduled to leave Perth Airport at 2.30pm on the Friday (tbc) and return 6pm on the Sunday evening. With the time difference need to stay over in Perth on the way back or catch the dreaded late-night red eye. As an alternative Jetstar has just started direct flights with good deals to Busselton/Margaret River airport. That's nearer the Rogaine but would need to hire a car. It is not a daily service but if going to WA make the most of it. Highly recommended is to take a week or two to explore Dunsborough, Margaret River, Augusta, Pemberton, Denmark, Albany, Stirling Ranges and the Porongurup National Park. The new Rogaine location makes that easier. More about rogaining and WA here: Go West for the Australian Rogaining Championships - 7/8 September 2024 - NSW Rogaining
Sydney City Race
Our Orienteering friends have come up with a new event to keep you legs in shape after a big September with the Australian Rogaining Championships and the NSW Championships. The Score course is the easy fit, but why not get out of your comfort zone and have a go at the big money on offer for the long line course.
The inaugural Sydney City Race, sponsored by BridgeClimb Sydney, will be held on Sunday 13th October 2024, the weekend after the Australian orienteering champs carnival in Armidale. With 4 line courses plus a 60min score course, the Sydney City Race will be urban orienteering at its finest and promises some serious WOW factor. Think long distance sprint race, and amazing views. Plus - $1,000 prizemoney to the men's and women's winner on the Long course, which features a control site unlike any other in the world! This will be an event every orienteer, runner, adventure racer and rogainer will want to be a part of. There is also a warm-up Sprint and score event on Cockatoo Island the day before so you can make a weekend of it. Further details, including course and entry information, will be released soon on our website at sydneycityrace.com.au or scan the QR code. Organiser: Sheralee Bailey, sheraleebailey@sydneycityrace.com, Bennelong Northside Orienteers.
The Warwick Marsden Award for 2023
The Warwick Marsden Award celebrates his contributions to the sport. It is awarded to volunteers of any skill level for their exceptional contribution to the sport in NSW. You can read about Warwick and the Award here. We've missed making the award for a couple of years because of Covid and other things getting in the way.
The award for 2023 goes to Richard Sage and Nihal Danis. Many of you know Richard and Nihal .. they've been rogaining and volunteering for over 30 years and are never far away when we need expert help to organise an event, hang and collect flags and most importantly look after the food! (Richard and Nihal have over 230 events between them as competitors - Rogaining's very own "power couple" well done.)
Congratulations Nihal & Richard!
Joint NSWRA - SSS Event, Roseville Chase - 28 February
Each year we join forces with Bigfoot Orienteers to host one of Sydney Summer Series events. These are Score events that have a fixed 45min time limit and are as close to a mini rogaine as you can get. This year, the event is at Echo Point Reserve, at Roseville Chase from 4:30pm and the course is being set by rogainer Rachel Grindlay.
If you haven't tried an SSS event, why not come along and try it out. You can enter online prior to the event or enter in the day. Eventor has a category set up for Rogainers to enter at member price. Maps are even available the night before for you to plan your route. Details about the event and entry is available on Eventor here.
As this is a joint event we are seeking a few Rogainers to volunteer after or before you run to help collect flags (7:30pm), or at the registration desk. If you can help please let Gill know by sending an email to mailto:gillofowler@gmail.com or to the Volunteer Coordinator. Volunteer Coordinator.
National Parks Closures
Bushwalking NSW is hosting a talk by NPWS on Tuesday 20/02/2024 at 7:30PM AEST (via Zoom) that will share how climate change is affecting our parks and making more park closures necessary. More details can be found here. Agenda. It's an on-line meeting and you can register to participate on Zoom. Register here.
Thanks again for all your support during 2023 and looking forward to seeing you all again in 2024 for another special year of Rogaining.
Graham and all the team at the NSW Rogaining Association.
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