Event report: Bush 1

Jorgensen Park, Kalamunda

The opening event of the 2024 Bush orienteering season was held as a ‘Simple’ event at Jorgensen Park (Kalamunda), under beautiful sunny skies and with temperatures reaching the mid-20s. Originally the event was going to be held at John Forrest NP, but extensive on-going works at the usual tavern assembly area, and heavy undergrowth in the western part of the map saw the event moved at late notice to Jorgensen Park.

Oliver Martin stepped in with limited notice to design the courses while Dan Greig took on the controlling role, combined with assuming the setter’s activities on the weekend (Oliver being away in Brisbane at the national O league sprint event).

Courses were limited to H3, H4, H5, M, E and VE, with all but the E and VE extending off the old golf course into the steeper, rocky and quite challenging bush to the north and southeast. The golf course area is quite complex in its own way, and remains very suitable for moderate and easy navigation entrants, while still challenging to traverse for more experienced runners. A slightly disappointing total of 80 competitors started, including 10 casual entries. Although the H and M courses were short, the steep, scrubby terrain meant that winning times were between about 40 and 50 minutes – with the notable exception of Jiri Vales, one of the two newly arrived Czech Republic coaches who shot around the H3 in 34 minutes, a full 5 minutes ahead of the ever-young Craig Dufty in second place. Honourable mention, too, to Archie Brownlie and Neve Lommers, winners of the H4 and H5 courses, respectively. Winning times on the E and VE were much longer than expected, but this partly reflected the fact that no experienced juniors ran these courses.

Control collection was completed quickly thanks to the two Czech coaches Jiri and Veronika helping out, along with Dave McCauley, Peter and Jenny Komyshan, Dan Greig, Ken Post, Max, Neve and Tucker.

Particular thanks are due to Oliver Martin and Dan Greig for taking on the event with little warning, together with Jenny Komyshan in her first effort as Organiser (overseen by Helen Post), Peter Komyshan for towing the caravan up the hill to Kalamunda and back again, and Melinda Richards plus Jack Dowling for efficiently managing the computing side of the event.

Results are available in Eventor.
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Picture: Jorgenen Park map