Event Report
The 12th Annual Lake Macquarie offered the choice of
six or twelve hour events and attracted 347 rogainers (139 teams) to
the Watagans, just west of Cooranbong. There was a mass start at
noon on Saturday the 23rd of August with 60% (220 participants in 85
teams) entering the six hour event.
The forecast was for coastal showers and the weather
bureau was 100% correct with the area receiving one shower from
2.00pm Saturday until about 2.00am Sunday morning. Most participants
were well prepared for wet weather and appeared more concerned about
the volunteers at the hash-house and tea and damper stops than their
own comfort.
The short course was won by Arthur Kingsland and
Malcolm Roberts with the very impressive score of 1710 points. While
it was Malcoms’ first rogaine he did admit to previous
orienteering experience.
At 9.29 pm, team 133 consisting of Toby Cogley,
William Landers and Ian Stewart jogged in having collected every
control, only to discover that team 88 (Mike Hotchkis and Shane
Trotter) had preceded them by 48 minutes and also collected all 2160
points. The third team overall, Matt DeBelin and Michael Meryment
were only one thirty point control behind while Andrew and Nicole
Haigh, the first mixed team, collected 2110 points.
Cooranbong SES provided First Aid and emergency
response, while they had to treat one torn muscle and a twisted
ankle; fortunately no-one had to be rescued. Our safety and resupply
team of Harry Goyen, Doug McCubben, Simon Williams and Tracey Colley
did regular patrols of the roads while Peter and Wendy McConaghy
moved from resupply to Hash House to assist the catering team from
the Junior Orienteering Squad.
Dianne Van Netten co-ordinated the catering and was
ably assisted by Kathy and Joshua Roberts, Kim and Jamie Van Netten,
Bob Montgomery and Bruce Prince while Cheryl Todkill and Nettie
Floyd spent many hours preparing food beforehand. The administration
team of Fay Smith, Geoff and Margaret Peel, Greg Rowe, Ian Gilmore,
Merle Goyen, Pat McCubben and Heather and Tony Dynon did a great
job. Ian Gilmore also provided the photographs.
We would like to acknowledge the support and
assistance received from Lake Macquarie Council and also State
Forests and National Parks on whose land the event was conducted.
By Bert
Van Netten (Organiser) & David
Coysh (Administration)
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