Australopers Newsletter

Welcome to our September newsletter, I hope you enjoy reading it.

Some exciting news regarding First Aid Training

‍OT has, through a government grant, allocated some funds for first aid training.

We are looking for Australopers members who would like to complete a fully funded first aid course (usually about $220) through St Johns Training in Moonah. 

The more club members we have with first aid training the safer it is for all members at our events.

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The course includes an online component and an in-person component. The in-person component would be on a Saturday with a group of other orienteers.and be about 4 hours.

If you are interested, please contact Geoff Powell for further details.

Australopers Facebook Group

‍For many years we have been using the O-Training group as our means of disseminating information on Facebook. Now Tara Powell has created our own Facebook group and we're all welcome to join. This will be for club-related matters and there's already many interesting posts up there. Here's her spiel and link for joining:

After many years of being extremely jealous of the Esk Valley Orienteering Club private Facebook group, Australopers Orienteering Club Committee have decided it is time we have a dedicated Australopers Facebook group. All Tasmanian Orienteers are welcome to join for all things Southern Tasmanian Orienteering related. We will put up event entry reminders, social events and all things orienteering. Everyone will be welcome to post.

- Tara Powell. Click here to request to join.

The O-Training group will of course remain open for training-related matters. Note that information will continue to be disseminated through existing channels, this is just another avenue.

Thanks Tara!

Setting ‍Courses for our Older Members

Thanks to Janet Bush, this discussion has arisen on our new Facebook Group. With our four courses currently available in our Southern Local events, it is felt that the Medium Courses cater for too broad a range of physical abilities. Some of our older orienteers still want the challenge of difficult navigation, but without the length and steep slopes sometimes on offer on the Medium courses. Hence we have introduced Short Medium courses (has anyone got a better name for them?). These courses will cut some of the steeper and more physically demanding legs from the Medium courses. For an in-depth discussion on this topic, check out this article and / or join the discussion on our Facebook group.

‍See you at the Aus Champs

‍No less than 60 of our members will be representing our club at the Aus Champs in Armidale in a few weeks time. The next best-represented club is Newcastle which will have 43 members - and they don't have nearly as far to travel. 

If you count our juniors who are representing Orienteering Tasmania in the Australian Schools Championships, the number of Australopers at the carnival rises to 67. While the Senior teams are light on quantity (not quality), the Junior teams have a great chance. Go you good things!

‍Meet our Members

‍‍This month we meet Diana Cossar-Burgess and Sebastian Burgess.

‍Diana

When did you start orienteering? 

I started orienteering about 10 years ago, firstly by getting Johann into Twilight events. After Twilights we did the normal progression to Local and State events. Our first major carnival was Oceania 2015, we did a few events before going skiing in Japan…..didn’t plan that well. 

What attracted you to the sport?

We come from a bushwalking background, and I was a runner in my youth,  so orienteering combined both those things. Though I do find it tricky to combine navigation and running at the same time.  

What do you like the most about orienteering?

‍I like being in the bush and I like being active.  I also like challenging myself to understand a map to ground, whilst navigating to a point is rewarding. Orienteering is a great way to get to places you wouldn’t ordinarily get to, including Tassie, the mainland and NZ (yet to try further afield).  I enjoy going to the NZ and Australian champs. Additionally, I like being part of a club and socialising/commiserating with other club members.

What achievements in your orienteering are you most proud of?

I was really pleased to come 3rd in the Australian long distance W65 last year, although I recognise that for a lot of people WA was too far to go to compete😀

I’ve done well in the Hobart Summer Cup and the Hobart descents (last person standing🤣), and in my courses statewide. I’ve had a great year so far in OSTs, except the last two (usual story and flu/colds).

Are there any particular disastrous events you can remember?

Probably too many to list. And, I have been on Mike Calder’s worse noodler list. I think I’ve only once come back to the trailer after an event has closed.

Any advice for beginners?

Focus, focus, focus, and try to ignore others…a task I find almost impossible. It’s taken me a while to realise that I don’t need to do more/harder/longer, I can act my age. This probably slowed down my progress in the past.

What positions have you held, and what tasks have you completed in your association with orienteering?

I’ve managed to avoid holding positions…so far😀, but have been enjoying setting and controlling OST and local courses. I’m feeling excited to have passed my Level 2 controllers course.

‍Bass

‍When did you start orienteering?

I don't remember when I entered my first orienteering course, it might have been at school, or perhaps being roped into a local event by the late Sue and Tony Mount, who were family friends. We made use of orienteering maps in the Bendigo area as part of our uni course there in the early 90's but only occasionally entered events. I began orienteering on a regular basis about 10 years ago. 

What attracted you to the sport?

Maps and compasses have always been an important part of my working and recreational life. My first real job was when I was 14, spotting fires from a fire tower (and later from a plane over SW Tasmania), and then on forest assessment teams, all being reliant on accurate map reading and compass use, well before we had GPS. 

‍Lots of travelling, bushwalking and ski touring have led to always needing to know where I am. I eventually got hooked onto regular orienteering events through Diana and our son, Johann's participation in the Twilights and nearby locals.

What do you most like about orienteering?

I like being active and being in natural areas. I also need the discipline of organised sport to get me out there on a regular basis. Orienteering also enables access into lots of different areas in Tasmania and elsewhere that I wouldn't or couldn't otherwise visit. The social aspects of meeting and getting to know lots of people of different ages and backgrounds is important to me too. 

What achievements in orienteering are you most proud of?

Probably running successful events, including a few OSTs and several locals and helping out with the Twilight series. I've had a few minor successes in the bush, including a first and a couple of other placings in my age group in the NZ nationals and for some reason I won the Tasmanian men's Orienteer of the Year award in 2016. 

Are there any particular disastrous events you can remember?

I have produced a few Class A Livelox exhibits for the Christmas noodling championships, most of which I'm still trying to forget.

Any advice for beginners?

I suggest starting with courses easier than you think you should be on. Gain confidence with early successes and gradually build your skills with lots of practice and coaching. 

What positions have you held and what tasks have you completed in your association with orienteering?

I haven't held any formal roles with orienteering organisations, but have helped out in a few different ways. During the times of Covid I helped out as event controller and organiser for parts of the Twilight series over a couple of seasons. I was recently informed that I have gained my controller's certification, so will feel a bit more confident in running events. 

‍Setters' Corner

‍If the aim of a setter is to make people think hard about how to get to the next control, then Lindsay Pender's courses at Coningham were a great success. Click here to discover how orienteers tackled several of the legs.

‍‍Geilston Gully Event

Last Sunday's postponed event will now be held on November 3.

‍‍Next Meeting

September 12 at 7:30pm at Rosie Rutledge's. All members are welcome.

‍Thanks for getting this far. The next newsletter will be late October / early November as I will be getting back from the Aus Champs.

Mike Calder

Australopers President

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