Upcoming Local Events

Upcoming Major Events

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.

Focus on Girls and Women Orienteering Training

The fantastic Focus on Girls program will return for four Friday sessions in May. This instruction is female only (minimum age 10 years) and will prepare women and girls for bush navigation.

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.

Upcoming Map Mates Series

The very popular Map Mates coaching program for junior orienteers will be back again for the 2022 Metro Series. The Map Mates coaching program is aimed at junior orienteers who are just starting or are relatively new to the sport. The program uses a variety of games and activities to coach orienteering skills which can be further practiced on the Very Easy and Easy courses.
 
The Program will run on Saturdays 14 May, 21 May, 28 May, and 4 June, held at the same time and location as the corresponding Metro Series events.   
 
Entry to the Map Mates Program is free. Free event entry is also available for Map Mates participants who do a Very Easy or Easy course at the Metro Series event on the same day.

Vale Kevin Paine

Kevin Paine, a regular Canberra orienteer for 45 years, passed away on 6 April. A tribute to Kevin from several who knew him is available here.

The funeral service for Kevin will be held in the Chapel of Norwood Park Crematorium, Sandford Street, Mitchell on Thursday, 14 April, commencing at 3 pm. The service will be livestreamed (contact William Cole Funerals, 6253 3655 for the link).

Orienteering ACT extends its sympathy to Mark, Joanne (both former orienteers) and the rest of Kevin’s family.

Selection Races for the 2022 Australian Schools Orienteering Championship

Detail will be provided in the next month on the nomination and selection process for the team to represent ACT at the 2022 Australian Schools Orienteering Championships, (ASOC). In the meantime interested orienteers are encouraged to plan to attend selection races at:

• 1 May 2022 – Boboyan
• 21 May 2022 – Campbell Park
• 5 June 2022 – Foxlow Flat
• 19 June 2022 – Castle Hill (to be confirmed)
• 26 June 2022 – AIS. This event is the ACT Sprint Championships.

If events are cancelled an extra selection race may be held on 17 July 2022 at Stringybark Hill.

Information on the 2022 Australian Orienteering Championships is available here.

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. 

Beware the Hidden Punches

Your SIAC card (aka. SI Air stick) will continue to record “visits” to a control until you move away from the range of the control.
This applies in both Foot and MTB orienteering.
You can inadvertently FILL your SIAC with punches and it will then not record any more.
It has actually happened at MTBO and whilst unlikely to happen at a Foot event, at the recent ACT Relays, at least one person recorded multiple “punches” at more than one control.
So, if you need to think about you next move, first move away from the control. This is, of course, a good thing to do anyway.

And another thing – check your battery level. Even if your battery goes flat (SIAC doesn’t beep – and hopefully NOT FULL) you can still put your SIAC in the unit to record your visit.

We hope these little tips ensure you have a successful run. Further detailed information on SIAC card punching is available here.

Temporary Closure of OACT Office

The Orienteering ACT office will be closed from 14 April to 25 April.
The office will reopen on 26 April (9am-1:30pm Mon, Tue, Thur).

Office emails will still be checked and the weekly bulletin will continue to be published during this time.

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.

OACT Board Shorts, April 2022

Notes from the most recent Orienteering ACT Board meeting are available here.
Topics discussed at this month's meeting included the 2022 AGM, Easter 2023, Saturday Metro Series, ASOC selections, resumption of the Coach in Residence program, and more.

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.

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) ASAP. 

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).