G'day Rogainers,
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Entries are about to close for the 12/6-hour “Inverary not Contrary” rogaine near Bungonia on 12th October. More info below…
Step-Up Rogaine NSW Champs 24/8hr – 21-22 September – Results and Photos on Website
The “Step-Up” NSW Rogaining Championships in Yengo NP has been run and won with a new lot of trophy recipients being named. With some beautiful watercourses, lots of cliffs and challenging climbs, it had no shortage of challenges to people of all abilities.
Further down the competitiveness scale, we were elated to see a large number of novices to 24-hour rogaining step up to the event, including a number of complete novices to the sport. We hope that this will be the first of many! A particular shout out to the UTS Outdoors club, of which there were 4 teams entered!
Sam Hussein, Amrita Etchepareborda, Jill Thater, and Marcha Govers sprint towards the finish
Thank you to the organising team, particularly Gill Fowler and Vivien de Remy de Courcelles, who spent many weekends visiting the course, hanging and vetting CP locations and organising land access and catering! The work, however, is still not over – if you would like to practice your navigation some more, perhaps in CPs you didn’t visit, consider collecting some of the 67 flags in the coming couple of weeks. Contact Gill at vicepresident@nswrogaining.org if you can help.
The Kiddygaine on the Sunday morning was a roaring success! Thanks to 7yo Justine de Remy de Courcelles for being the inspiration behind it!
David Williams and Ronnie Taib retain their overall and Open Men’s trophy beating ACT hot-shot team David Baldwin and Julie Quinn by 20 points. With a total score of 3060, that’s less than a 1% margin! D&J had the consolation of going home with two trophies anyway (Mixed and Mixed Veterans)!
Lake Macquarie Paddlegaine – 2-3 November – Entries are open here...
It has finally been revealed that the “Surprise” Rogaine will be a 3hr Paddlegaine on and around Lake Macquarie, hosted by Geoff and Margaret Peel and their Novocastrian friends. A paddlegaine was among the popular requested activities on a recent Rogaining survey – so here it is. This should be a fun, novelty event, as social or as competitive as you wish to make it.
Mike Hotchkis Reaches Checkpoint 200!
Recent committee meetings have included discussion about ways to reward repeat offenders at rogaines, such as giving a NSW rogaining headband after they go to their 5th rogaine. But what about those that just keep coming back till they reach their 200th event? This is something we have had to consider as long-time enthusiast Mike Hotchkis has done just that following the completion of the Step-Up Rogaine.
Mike (left) celebrates his 200th rogaine and an overall win in the 8hr event in Yengo with his teammate Glenn Horrocks
Failing to think of something better to mark this occasion, I decided to ask him a few questions about his experiences over the years, and what has kept bringing him back. You can have a read of it in the forum here...
ACT Spring 12/6hr Rogaine, “Inverary not Contrary”, Sat. 12th October
Entries here...
Renowned ACTRA Course Setters Ron Simpson and Jean Douglass are putting together the “Inverary not Contrary” rogaine in Morton NP near Bungonia, making it in easy reach of Sydney and even easier reach of Wollongong. With an 11am start and daylight savings in full swing it will make even the 12-hour a mostly daylight encounter with a bit of darkness. The area is gently undulating with open native forest. Mike and President Trev have declared this their favourite area in the world for rogaining! Also friendly local farmers have allowed access onto their easy-going paddocks and there are some fire trails to appreciate more of the area that past events haven’t included.
Sydney Summer Orienteering Series Season #26! here...
For those who are disappointed to see a reduced number of rogaines in the coming months, there is consolation that next Wednesday the first of 25 Sydney Summer Series events will kick off in Vaucluse Bay, set by our own Vivien, who apparently hasn’t had enough to do setting the NSW Champs!
The SSS is a solo 45-minute “mini-rogaine” held every Wednesday evening in daylight savings, usually near the CBD or stretching up north, where courses include a mix of streets, parks and bushland. For rogainers, it is a perfect opportunity to practice route-planning, high-pressure navigation, keep up your fitness and of course have fun and socialise with friendly faces.
In addition to Vivien, there are several other rogaining regulars who will be setting courses. I will be in the midst of setting the one on December 4th in North Wahroonga, and Gill Fowler’s course the subsequent week will actually be organised under the NSW rogaining banner, and both courses will no doubt reflect our rogaining roots!
If you live outside accessibility of this series, check the Orienteering NSW website for similar events near you – among other places, regular events are held in Newcastle, South and Western Sydney and the Central Coast.
One of the highlight SSS courses from last season, set in the North Shore suburb of Castlecrag
Tristan White
Publicity Officer
NSW Rogaining Association
publicity@nswrogaining.org