Page still needs lots of work ...
Skills
Helpful websites
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Orienteering Australia Introductory Skills and Techniques - Guide 3 written for OA by Garingal member Barbara Hill
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Better Orienteering - Start with their Quick Start guide for an overview of the website as a whole. Skills development series with excellent graphics and good videos. This site is privately created and run by Duncan Bayliss, Wrekin Orienteers, UK, but as a collaborative effort with contributions by many others.
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Orienteering Australia 'Resources' page of links to resources within other organisations
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"The Little Book of Orienteering Techniques" Click here for the free online little gem of a booklet from the OA Resources page.
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Interactive online training (understanding/'seeing' contours rotatable 3-D graphics, quizzes, etc). Click here for the link to all types of beginner up to expert activities created by Alan Segar of Octavian Droobers O Club in the West Midlands UK. Alan enjoys working with maps and finds that creating these activities teaches him new IT skills.
Beginners' Tips
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Comfort is key. Cover from the sun. Shoes that grip well. And bring water! Few events provide water nowadays. Hydration should be 110% the competitor's responsibility
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If today's not going your way, and you want to pull out? No worries... but you MUST check in at the finish anyway!!!
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Orienteering has gone contactless! Regardless the type of event, pre-entry is preferable if not mandatory (use the O-calendar and info/entry software 'Eventor'). Should 'Enter on the Day' (EOD) be offered, bring your credit card.
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Equipment: ONSW's website explains the gear (click here) for both the beginner and regulars, including links to the O-gear shops (normally only physically present at State League and bigger events, but always online). These are small family businesses with excellent service.
Importantly, SportIdent (SI) is used in Australia to digitally monitor your visit to each control. You interact using a SportIdent SI-stick on your finger, depending on the type of stick you have plus how organisers have formatted the digital units at the controls.
A note about SIAC-enabled events: If the organiser states their SI units are 'Air-enabled', then competitors with the 'SIAC' version of the SI-stick do not have to insert the stick into the hole in the unit, instead they can simply wave their stick in the vicinity of the unit (<35cm), thus saving some seconds.
insert photo of SI unit and SI sticks here?
Clothing: Any leisure wear is fine - checkout our photo gallery (link coming). Orienteering shirts and pants are made of lightweight wicking quick dry fabric. Garingal has recently moved to a new distinctive design for its race shirt - see 'GO Clothing' page under 'Member Resources'.
Do you know how to use an Automatic External Defibrillator?: Garingal's AED should be at the Help Desk in the event it is required. Watch this video to see how simple it is to use! Definitely no training required. Web address for our model coming