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News
Select a news topic from the list below, then select a news article to read.
 Thank you to our Treasurer, Istvan Kertesz, who has put his running shoes on and with Nikki Halmai's help, conquered the vagaries of GPS-driven course setting on a GPS-referenced map at Chatswood West. Plus, thank you to Carol Jacobson for doing all the mapping side of things for this creative suite.
Notably, any mapper should be cognizant of the GPS situation whenever they put pen to paper to draw a particular feature onto a map. Alas, back when most of our city maps were created, the digitisation of maps to integrate with global position systems as part and parcel of eventing was never envisaged. Plus, the challenges of mapping Sydney sandstone configurations, has led to some 'mapper's licence'. Hence, creating MapRun-compatible courses require lots (and lots and lots) of checking.
Garingal now presents another series of 5 courses at Chatswood West using the smartphone app MapRunF.
- For instructions how to obtain and set up MapRunF click here, and head from there to the courses.
- To go direct to the Chatswood West courses click here.
At the ONSW AGM this long weekend Mike Ridley-Smith (photo on left, a member of GO) stepped down from his role on the ONSW Board for over 4 years as a Director and looking after the Marketing portfolio. A big thank you to Mike for his long service and for offering his expertise learnt in the corporate wold of marketing. Mike was the only representative from Garingal on the Board over this time, which is something we should address because we are the largest club in NSW and could look to greater representation.
Thankfully Jamie Kennedy (photo on right) has stepped up to the plate to take a position as Director on the Board of ONSW. Good on you Jamie! With Jamie also on the Garingal Committee, we look forward to good connections between GO and ONSW.
The new President is Robyn Pallas from Central Coast Orienteers, and the new Secretary is Mary-Jane Mahoney from Uringa: We welcome them aboard. Whilst it is nice to see a better spread of clubs represented at executive level, I do want to note our sincere thanks to the outgoing executives Greg Barbour (President), Rob Spry (Secretary) and Mark Shingler (Finance Director). Their jobs are not easy. With 11 clubs in NSW for most of their period of service, half regional and half in Sydney, it is quite difficult to deliver equitable service. To their credit, the Annual Report (available here) indicates an amazing array of activities that the ONSW has either delivered from the ONSW Office, or facilitated being rolled out across the clubs in NSW. The whole Board deserves a big clap and our thanks for keeping our sport healthy and growing in numbers due to their diligence and professional approach to what in the scheme of things is a very small and relatively unknown sport.
Barbara Junghans
 
 It is with sadness we have learnt of the passing of Christine Darby (née Curtin) - a very caring and creative person, always with a smile.
Christine joined Bennelong Northside Orienteers in 1999 and was a much-loved club member bringing brightness, warmth and camaraderie to all club activities. She was a regular participant in Sydney Summer Series as well as club events, Metro and State Leagues plus Australian Championships. The spirit and warmth that she contributed are fondly remembered. After meeting Stephen (Garingal) their relationship grew through many orienteering adventures. Marriage and the World Rogaining Champs were highlights in 2006. Along with their two beautiful girls, Joanna and Angela, the family joined Garingal and have been regulars at the Saturday Orienteering Series in recent years. Christine could be seen on many Saturdays encouraging, teaching and patiently following one of their girls around their course. Most recently the family also came to the Garingal Christmas Party held on that very hot 40°+ day early February, in order that the girls could meet other Garingal juniors.
Stephen tells how Christine fought a four-year long battle with ovarian cancer with determination, dignity and compassion. He relates how it was hard for even him to know how much she was suffering because she was always thinking of others first, and just wanted to be treated as normal. For as long as she could, Christine volunteered each week with Hornsby Connect, a charity that provides food and support for those in need.
Just last year, Christine was also volunteering to help with the orienteering program at her girl’s school. She was generous with her time and energy and a wonderful, caring role model as well as advocate for orienteering in the community. She will be missed by many.
Stephen is keen that if you have any photos or special memories of Christine, you please send them to Barbara Hill
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
for collation. We would love to preserve some of these memories for her young family.
Our hearts go out to Stephen, Joanna and Angela at this most difficult time for them personally. With limitations on social gatherings, Stephen says a time to meet and remember will be organised at a later date. In the meantime, Stephen suggests that donations to Hornsby Connect would be preferred rather than flowers if people are of that mind [see https://www.hornsbyconnect.org.au/].
Barbara Junghans, Wayne Pepper, Barbara Hill [photo with thanks from Wayne Pepper]
The story below is taken from the ONSW website home page on Sunday 24th May. Congratulations to our own member Jim Forbes who refined his courses for the NOL events at Hill End in March 2019 under the careful eye of Controller Andrew Lumsden.
For the full story on the World-of-O website, go to http://news.worldofo.com/2020/05/21/route-to-o-season-2020-day-68/. Congrats Jim and Andrew!
At the World-of-O website you can draw in your own route choice, or look at the route-map for the top 6 runners that day March last year. Also, you can see the 'density map' with the compilation of all runners routes superimposed to see that the pattern covers every direction possible. Wow! What a leg.
Sadly, Garingal had no option but to postpone our NSW Middle/Long Champs events at Eugowra (now the weekend after Easter next year). It seems so long ago that we technically could have conducted our events because we were not expecting 500 participants. Now today, April 2nd, we would be limited to one person organising at the venue, and only one competitor!!
But you can still leave your house to exercise...
Get creative... At-home O activities are popping up all over the web and social media sites. If you have children, consider getting them to map your house and garden and set courses. Does not matter if it is only a sketch, but for older children you might introduce them to Open Orienteering Mapper software. Or, the free trial of OCAD today offers symbols suited to the home environment (https://ocad.com/blog/2020/03/map-your-home/).
With all events cancelled or postponed for at least another 90 days to the end of June at least, we need to rethink a lot of things. Income for those in the office at ONSW and OA relies on events. Please tell friends who have not renewed because they think they are getting no bang for their buck, to renew anyway if they are in a position to do so? Think of it as a donation to keep Orienteering in NSW ready to roll again when this virus gets subdued.
Take care
Barbara Junghans, President.
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