SCOTS College in Warwick will be the venue for a sprint orienteering event being organised by the local Bullecourt Boulder Bounders club next Sunday, 7 February.
Club publicity officer Liz Bourne said this discipline of orienteering combined running with precise navigation in a complex urban environment, with competitors having to work their way around the buildings and through the network of paths, gardens and sporting fields.
“A special colour orienteering map of the school has been produced by the club for the event and three courses are being offered, ranging from a technically hard one of 2.7km down to an easy one of 1.2km,” she said.
“Control points will be on features such as a building corner, track junction or hedge and will marked by an orange and white flag.”
Ms Bourne said that Warwick junior orienteer, Simeon Burrill, had set the courses for the event as he had gained a lot of experience in this type of orienteering in recent years at interstate and overseas events. He recently attended a four-day sprint event in Canberra plus a training camp as part of the National Junior Squad to hone his skills in sprint orienteering.
An electronic timing system will be used for the event, with competitors carrying an electronic chip attached to their finger while units at each control site will record the time of their visit. This information is then downloaded at the finish computer to produce a total elapsed time plus the time for each stage between control points, she said.
“Apart from local club members, the event is expected to attract Warwick runners who have been competing in the recent street orienteering events as well as students and boarders from Scots College,” Ms Bourne said.
“We also welcome the participation of any local people who would like to try out orienteering. No special gear is required and compasses may be borrowed at the event.”
The event will start near the tennis court at the College on Oxenham Street, with starts between 4 and 5pm. The entry cost will be $5 and families are welcome to go around together.
For further information, contact 4683 6374 or go to www.oa.asn.au.
