G'day Rogainers,

NSW Rogaining eNewsletter, 24th October 2020

Click here to view this email in your browser.


Compiled by Tristan White

“Willoughby Joining Us” - Paddy Pallin 6 Hr Rogaine on Saturday 21 November

Our final rogaine for 2020 will be a cracker of an event, with a strange history. This event was originally set as this year’s Metrogaine to be run in March. It is now being run on the date set for the socialgaine and is replacing our annual Paddy Pallin sponsored 6hr event. Who really cares though, it’s the last rogaine in the year, it is in the middle of Sydney and takes in some surprising country. In contrast to some events which have their hash house on some unnamed area of dirt in the bush, this event's hash house will be “Club Willoughby”. We are not providing food for this event but particpants are welcome to use the Club, subject to social distancing constraints, before during and after the event.

To generate some hype and convince you to check out this stunning area, I have recycled some questions I posed to setter, Vivien de Remy de Courcelles, about the event, before it was postponed earlier this year:

TW: When was the area last used in a rogaine?
VdRdC: This area was used for the 2010 Metrogaine set by Richard Green with a HH at Castle Cove Public School. I participated in this event and I am trying to avoid using the same control locations which is not as easy as it might seem. Since then I have moved to the area and have done many orienteering events locally which made me discover many new tracks.

Castlecrag was designed by Walter Burley Griffin (better known for his planning of Canberra), described on Wikipedia as “a model residential suburb that was sympathetic to the Australian natural environment.” We’ll be in the electorate of Gladys Berejiklian, so you can drop by her office to let her know of any pressing issues (more funding for rogaines?). There are at least three coffee roasters that I know of on the map, one brewery, one climbing gym, the Northbridge bath for a swim, a major shopping centre, plenty of playgrounds, a swimming pool and many cafés. There should be something for everyone, even if you get bored of rogaining!

TW: How are you making it accessible and enjoyable for rogainers of all levels and abilities?
VdRdC: I like to have a good spread of points and controls in interesting locations so you can expect one near the Northbridge Baths and several at locations with good views or headlands. I’ll take my 7-year-old daughter course setting to make sure the course is family friendly.

To comply with covid restrictions, the following modifications will be in place:

  • Your team can start anytime during your chosen hour (9:00-10:00am, 9:30-10:30am, 10:00-11:00am, 10:30-11:30am, 11:00am-12:00 midday, chosen during the registration process)
  • There will be no food served at the event
  • There will be no presentations; results will be published on-line shortly after the event. The Paddy Pallin trophies will be distributed to winners post event.

Lake Macquarie Rogaine - Results Available

Over 300 entrants lined up for either the 6 or 12 hr versions of the 29th annual Lake Macquarie rogaine for another venture into the equally loved and feared gullies of the Watagan State Forest. Although the warmer weather and changed start times made it a different experience to what rogaining regulars are used to, it did not stop all entrants from having an enjoyable if challenging day up in this iconic patch of rogaining territory. Thank you to the Novocastrian crew – Bob Gilbert, Bert van Netten, Anita Bickle, the Montgomery crew and Carolyn Rigby who have worked hard to pull off, not just this event, but multiple decades of Lake Macquarie rogaines.

We thank all entrants for their enthusiasm and effort, and in particular acknowledge the overall winners of each event:

  • 12 Hour event - David Williams & Ronnie Taib (maximum available 2,920 points)
  • 6 Hour event - Andrew & Nicole Haigh (1,540 points)


A socially distanced start


Geoff, Margaret and Baxter Peel (widely remembered for organising last year’s Paddlegaine) at the start. You can read their full story on the Facebook page

Also make sure you check out webmaster Chris Stevenson’s account of his family team's encounter with lawyer vine here.

ACT Rogaining Championships - Entries Close Monday (31 Oct -1 November)

The 24hr ACT Rogaining Champs, with an 8hr event being held in conjunction, will be on next weekend at at Yanununbeyan NP, a section of lightly-wooded hilly forest between Queanbeyan and Captain’s Flat.

Although it is not uncommon to get scorching hot weather in Canberra at this time of year, the extended forecast projects temperatures rising to the high teens, making it ideal conditions for walking or running around the bush!

Highly experienced rogaine course setters Ron Simpson and Jean Douglass have planned the course from overseas, with David Baldwin and Julie Quinn doing all the work on the ground, to make it all the more tempting to make the trip down, if we weren’t tempted enough after being robbed of our own State Championships!

MapRunF courses from previous events here.

Regards,
Tristan White
on behalf of the NSW Rogaining Committee
publicity@nswrogaining.org