Previous news and announcements

This year we have a new access route to Peterdine which has allowed the Long Distance Championships on September 22 to be centred on the SE part of the map that is unfamiliar to most members and probably completely new to people who normally enter shorter courses.

Entries for championship courses are now closed, but entry to non-championship courses will be available on the day.

This will be the second-last event of the OWA bush season, so come along and practice your orienteering skills leading up to the OWA Long Distance Championships.

Frazzle comprises mostly open farmland with several detailed rock areas and many clearings and rock surfaces. Camping is allowed at the assembly area on the Saturday night (toilet will be available).

This event is in a part of the Mt Billy map that has not been used for several years and has open Wandoo forest with granite outcrops. There are some areas of slower running but all the controls are out of the green!

The final MTBO event of the winter is the State Long Distance Championships, with the Arena in Dwellingup, Australia’s Top Tiny Tourism Town 2023. The courses head out to the ‘ghost town’ Marrinup, the former Prisoner of War camp and the old golf course, now the Murray and Districts Carriage Driving Club grounds. There is a mixture of gravel tracks, mostly easy MTB single track, and just a few less obvious tracks, in relatively flat terrain, especially for the shorter courses.

Our next NavDash event will be the WA State Sprint Championships! Check the Course Specifications for more information about Sprint Championships, and which course to enter for your age class. Pre-entry for the Championships is required via Eventor before Sunday, August 4^th. Alternatively, if you don't wish to compete in the Championships, you can enter on the day and race at your own pace.

The WA Middle Distance Championships will be held at Hill Park Dale. Check here for more information about Middle Distance Championships and which course to enter for your age class. Pre-entry for the Championships is required via Eventor before Monday 5^th August.

Congratulations to WA’s Henry McNulty, who was the best performing Australian athlete at the World Orienteering Championships (Sprint) held in Edinburgh, Scotland from 12 – 16 July.

WOC is an annual competition and since 2022 has alternated between Sprint and Forest formats. This year there were 333 athletes from 45 countries. For those who don't know Henry, he is Anthea Feaver's son and a former member of LOST, and has won many state titles.

Mountain Bike Orienteering (MTBO) WA Middle Distance Championships will be held at Langford Park; a former bauxite mine rehabilitated with a walk and MTB trail network. The courses make use of both purpose built trails and gravel roads, some quite overgrown. As this is a middle distance events courses are shorter than usual with an emphasis on route choice and navigation.

Championship entries close on Thursday 18^th July.

The Orienteer of the Year competition continues with the third and final State Orienteering League (SOL) event, revisiting the 2023 Australian Championships map at Avon Valley National Park for Long distance courses. We will be using mostly faster running than last year, in very pretty Wandoo spur/gully country with granite outcrops, and we guarantee that it won’t be 35 degrees! Look out for emu eggs and early wildflowers!

Come and join in the most sociable and fun event of the year, with courses for people of all abilities who like the achievement of handing over to a team member. Compete for the infamous Rutty Rock, and towards the annual  Bengtsson-Offrell interclub trophy.

Our next mountain bike orienteering event is at Karragullen.

Pre-entry is available via Eventor. You will also be able to enter at the event from 9am.

Come along to explore the mostly open eucalypt forest with scattered rock features and watercourses (which may or may not have water in them). Some parts have been burnt in recent time and are quite open, but thicker vegetation areas remain.

After showers in the preceding days, a beautiful morning greeted the 30-odd mountain bike orienteers who came to enjoy the day in and around the Heritage Trail in Glen Forrest. The most keen participants were waiting to start well before 9am, and there were several newcomers eager to try the courses. Additionally, a group of OWA runners also came to enjoy the map in the beautiful weather.

We will soon have the opportunity to revisit one of our favourite orienteering areas, known for its bush and farmland mix and the opportunity to run.  This time, however, we will be visiting the SW section of the map. This will not be the only change, as the setter is Jiri Vales, our Czech coach in residence who will bring fresh eyes to the map.