Upcoming Local Events

Upcoming Major Events

Street Series Season Pass - 50% Discount

A season pass is now available covering all 22 ACT MapRun Street Series events from from 4 April to 19 September. Entry is $55 for adults, free for juniors under 20, irrespective of memberships status. This is a 50% discount compared to entering the events individually. Registration will remain open throughout the series.

Without a season pass you can still enter individual events for $5 each via Eventor.
The first 2 events in April are on new maps: Casey and Pearce-Torrens. 

Register through Eventor.

Metro Series Season Pass - 50% Discount

Entry to the 2022 Metro Series Season Pass is now available through Eventor.

The Metro Series is held on Saturday mornings between May and September at a variety of bushland and parkland venues close to Canberra. The 2022 series will start on Saturday 30 April at Weston Park.

The Season Pass offers excellent value, with a 50% discount compared to individual event entry.
To purchase a season pass you must be a paid member of an orienteering club and you must own your own Sportident stick (can be purchased here). You should also be prepared to volunteer to assist at an event your club is organising.

For details see the information flyer.
Visit Eventor to purchase a pass.

Autumn Classics: Lift Required From Kings Hwy to Assembly Area

A couple visiting Canberra for the Autumn Classics are travelling in a campervan, for which their rental agreement precludes them from travelling on farm-type roads. They plan to park their van just off the Kings Hwy and get a lift to the Assembly areas. Offers of a lift on either or both days would be appreciated. Please email offers to Bob Mouatt at robert.mouatt@netspeed.com.au. 

Map Mates Coordinator Sought

OACT intends to provide the Map Mates program for junior novice orienteers, to be held on Saturday mornings in May and June. The program runs for about 5 weeks involving 45 minutes of coaching each week followed by entry in the Saturday Metro event on that day. Prior to COVID restrictions limiting what programs could be offered, Map Mates provided a starting pathway to develop our junior orienteers. A pathway that has seen some past Map Mates participants progressing through the pathways to represent Australia in international competitions. To enable the program to run, OACT is calling for a volunteer (or volunteers) to co-ordinate the Map Mates program for winter 2022.  

OACT has received inquiries from families looking to have their children participate in a winter 2022 Map Mates program. To make this program happen we do need people to run the program. Guidance will be provided to assist the coordinator. If you are interested please contact the OACT Office (office@act.orienteering.asn.au).   

2022 OACT Annual General Meeting

The 51st Annual General Meeting of Orienteering ACT will be held at 8pm Thursday 28 April, at the Canberra Southern Cross Club, Jamison (Cnr Catchpole & Bowman St, Macquarie). All fully paid 2022 Orienteering ACT members are welcome to attend.

The 2022 meeting agenda is available here, it includes a proxy appointment form. An amendment to the OACT Constitution is proposed, a discussion paper relating to the amendment is available here. The verified minutes from the 2021 AGM are available here.

Members are encouraged to arrive early for dinner and a spot of socialising. OACT won’t be booking tables for dinner but individuals or groups are encouraged to book their own tables. Those not arriving early for dinner are invited to arrive before 7.30pm and share pre-AGM refreshments. 

Newcomers Welcome Person Sought

A Newcomers Welcome Person is sought for the Saturday Metro Series starting on Saturday 30^th April.
Orienteering can be a daunting sport for newcomers. The purpose of this role is to welcome newcomers to our sport and to be a familiar face from week to week to assist newcomers as they learn our sport.  A mark of success will be to see newcomers returning for event after event.

This is a paid position and would suit a friendly outgoing person who can attend most (but not necessarily all) of the Metro Series events. The role is suited to someone who has had least 12 months orienteering experience and who is willing to provide introductory guidance and encouragement to newcomers. You will have the opportunity to take part in all the events if you wish. There is a small amount of equipment to be taken and set up for each event: a table, banner, poster and promotion material. The Newcomers Welcome Person would be asked to provide regular updates to the OACT Board.

If multiple suitable nominations are received, OACT may select more than one person for the role, enabling one person to remain at the Assembly Area while a second person accompanies Newcomers to the Start and shadows them for the first controls. 

Please email expressions of interest to the OACT Office (office@act.orienteering.asn.au) by Friday 8^th April. 

Blue Lightning Appointments

The OACT Board is pleased to announce the appointment for 2022 of the following personnel:

Blue Lightning Junior Training Squad

• Lead Coach - Tara Melhuish
• Managers - Deirdre Sharkey and Mike Radajewski

The Board is very grateful to these people for their willingness to encourage and support the orienteering development of all ACT juniors. 

Orienteering Australia Annual General Meeting

The Orienteering Australia AGM will be held on Monday 11 April 2022, at 8pm.
Attendance is open to all interested members.

ZoomMeeting Link: https://zoom.us/j/93185389616?pwd=ZEFvWFpkSmxHSmtkZXR5SGtmOThuZz09

Agenda:

1. Attendance and apologies
2. Minutes of previous General Meeting
3. Business arising from these minutes (and not covered elsewhere)
4. Reports
5. Elections and appointments
6. Development of a standard membership structure
7. Transitioning OA to a company – progress report
8. Future of the Australian Orienteer and OA communications
9. Reviewing and updating the Orienteering Australia Strategic Plan
10. Updating Orienteering Australia’s Risk Register
11. General Business

Runners Shop Sponsorship

Orienteering ACT thanks The Runners Shop at Phillip for their continued sponsorship and support for orienteering in the ACT, including offering discounts to OACT members. When buying your next pair of running shoes or running apparel please drop in and see Nick and his team at Phillip. If you can’t make it to Phillip check out their product range at; The Runners Shop Canberra.

OACT Shirts & Singlets Available

Orienteering ACT running shirts and singlets are now available for purchase by members. There is no better way to represent your favourite orienteering association at parkruns, fun runs, or while out training.

Stock is limited, so get in quick to reserve your size. Don't forget to renew your OACT membership or join for 2022 before placing your order, non-member orders will be cancelled. Pre-ordered shirts have now arrived and are available for collection.

You can view the styles and sizing, and place your order, via the OACT website.

OA Board Positions

Orienteering Australia (OA) is seeking nominations from members of orienteering states/clubs for positions on the 2022 OA Board. Positions vary from general Directors to appointed governance roles. The engagement also varies from national bodies such as Sports Australia through to developing strategies and plans to support all levels of participation. The new Board takes effect from Monday 11 April 2022, the date of the OA AGM.

OA Board members do not represent their States but rather oversee the sport at a national level, making decisions that are in the best interests nationally.  

If you are interested in nominating, please contact the OACT Office and we will put you in contact with current OA Board members to answer any questions you may have.

International Support for Ukrainian Orienteering

Based on communication with the Ukrainian Orienteering Federation, the International Orienteering Federation has decided to support Ukrainian orienteering in several ways.

The message from the Ukranian federation was, among other things, that it wants to continue participating in international competitions and championships but need financial support for this. Therefore, the IOF has decided to focus its support on:

1. Raising money to make it possible for Ukrainian athletes and coaches to participate in international competitions and trainings. It’s possible for both federations and individuals to donate through Paypal.
2. Administrative support from IOF Office related to planning and participation in international competitions and trainings. This will be done in close collaboration with the member federations.
3. Utilization of the IOF Volunteers Platform to list safe locations for refugees. IOF Global Development Commission will act as intermediary when refugees are seeking safe locations.

In a letter to all IOF’s member federations sent today, IOF President Leno Haldna urged the federations to contribute as generously as possible and spread the information about both the possibility to donate money to Team Ukraine and the use of the volunteer platform.