Newsletter Highlights

The President's Report ~ March 2007

Special offer
Calling all university students – you could win a free trip to attend the Australian Rogaining Championships!! See details in this newsletter.

Rogaines, rogaines, rogaines
Congratulations to Sue Clarke, Nihal Danis and Richard Sage!
According to an analysis of our computerised records, which stretch back to 1994, you jointly hold the record for attending the most NSW rogaines since that time. A total of 56 rogaines each. Now there may be some of you out there who keep your own records, including interstate and overseas events, and events from the pre-computer age. What’s your total? I await your emails…

Events
The recent Metrogaine was a great success. A good turn-out of participants, not too hot, great Sydney scenery, well-set course. Details of our next event can be found within – the Autumn 24 hour, in beautiful bush west of the Blue Mountains.
Now’s the time to think about a real challenge for this year (or perhaps just a pleasant holiday?). The Australian Championships are being held in the eastern McDonnell Ranges near Alice Springs, 28-29 July 2007. It’s a double first: first time the championships have been staged by the NT Rogaining Association, and the first time any rogaine has been held in the Red Centre. I understand a special map is being made, and it’s a really special place.
Talking of Australian Championships, next year it’s our turn to be hosts. NSW 2008.

NSWRA committee matters
The AGM was held at the conclusion of the Metrogaine and the reports presented there can be read in this newsletter or on our website. We welcome two new members to the committee this year, Alexa McAuley as Secretary and Ineke Cuiper as Publicity Officer. The full committee for this year is listed within. Please do not hesitate to contact any of us if you have ideas for rogaining, feedback on events, offers of assistance, etc.
Ever wondered how your newsletter and its various inserts gets pulled together? Well, for the past several years, Sue Clarke and Walter Kelemen have held envelope-stuffing parties every couple of months. Thank you, Sue and Walter, for your great effort! Now Sue and Walter have departed for warmer climes. Fortunately, Melvyn and Kathryn Cox have stepped in to take over this task.

Membership records show we have around 900 to 1000 adult members during the last few years, and about 2000 event entries per year on average.

The committee has decided to enter into a lease agreement for the use of the Navlight electronic punching system. This system was used at last year’s Lake Macquarie rogaine and at the World Championships in October. It is also in use in some other states and in New Zealand (actually a product of Kiwi ingenuity). Our principal reason for adopting this system is that we believe it makes the job of volunteers easier. Also our experience has been that participants like it, with the potential to provide instant results listings. We won’t have to add up our own scores anymore at the finish line!

Reminder
We encourage all members to sign up to our email list. This is an important way for rogainers to keep in touch and know what’s going on. Sign up and you can be sure you won’t miss the next event entry deadline. Visit the "Notices Page" to sign up.

Mike Hotchkis
President – NSW Rogaining Association

Relaunch Of The Australian Intervarsity Championships

The Australian Rogaining Association plans to relaunch the Australian University Rogaining Championship in 2007. This event will be held annually in conjunction with the Australian Rogaining Championships. The late Nigel Aylott (former World Rogaining Champion and two times Australian Rogaining Champion) was a strong supporter of intervarsity rogaining. A perpetual trophy will be created and named in Nigel’s honour

The ARA, as part of the application process for certification to Australian University Sport (AUS), must receive pledges of in-principal support from at least five universities from at least two different states. As an incentive for university student groups to not only pledge, but participate in the Championships, the travel costs of one team from each state will be subsidised.

State rogaining associations have each appointed a university liaison officer to publicise the Championships, determine qualification for the state funded team and ultimately select the winners of the travel bursary each year.

The sport of rogaining has its history strongly entwined with intervarsity competitions. In 1963 Max Corry proposed the establishment of an intervarsity competition and in 1964 unofficial contests began between Melbourne, Monash, Adelaide and Newcastle Universities. In 1968 David Hogg drafted the rules for the ‘24 Hour Orienteering Contest’, so that it could become an official intervarsity sport. This initial intervarsity event was held in Victoria on 31 May 1969 in the Blackwood-Daylesford area. It was the first rogaine-style event: a score course, using orienteering markers, with similar rules to today.
 

Official intervarsity competitions were held from 1969 to 2000, but the event lapsed. Representatives from universities have from time to time attempted to restart the ‘Australian University Rogaining Championship’ but lack of funds and co-ordination amongst the state rogaining associations has in the past stymied progress. The current initiative has been made possible as a result of funds provided by the Nigel Aylott Memorial Sports Foundation Inc. This was set up following Nigel’s death in an adventure racing accident in the United States in September 2004.

Full time university students are invited to organise teams now for the 2007 Australian Rogaining Championships near Alice Springs 28-29 July 2007. Event details can be found at:  http://nt.rogaine.asn.au/events/ARC2007/ARC2007.html

Also, keep checking your state rogaining newsletters and the ARA website, www.rogaine.asn.au, for the latest details on the intervarsity competition and travel subsidies.

University students – win a trip to the Northern Territory!!

One lucky team from a NSW university will have their travel expenses paid to attend this year’s Australian Rogaining Championships in the Northern Territory in July.

The Australian Rogaining Championships this year will also be the inaugural Australian Universities Rogaining Champs for 2007.

The Nigel Aylott Memorial Sports Foundation has agreed to pay expenses for one university team from each of the states and territories to attend this event and also for future University Championships. Nigel Aylott was one of Australia’s most accomplished rogainers and endurance athlete par excellence, until his untimely death in 2004.

To qualify for this financial support, your team must consist of full-time students at a NSW university.

Final details of selection criteria are being worked out as this newsletter goes to press.

Even if not selected for this financial support, we encourage student teams from NSW to compete in this event, and bring back a trophy!

Please contact Bob Gilbert for further information,  bgilbert@hunterlink.net.au.

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