What’s in this Issue
- View from the Chair
- ONZ Appointments & Vacancies
- Consulation Feedback
- HP Update
- Safety Management – we want your help
View from the Chair – September 2016
So back again after a month off gloating at the TV and watching with amaze the performances of our athletes in Rio at both the Olympic and Paralympics. For such a small country we do punch way above our weight. Late August also saw WOC unfold in Sweden and judging from HP reports, our athletes responded well and we managed to maintain and build upon our Tier 2 positions. I should single out Tim Robertson – who in the Individual Sprint finished 13th reflecting his series of good runs in Europe over the summer and taking his previous two golds at JWOC to a new level.
Whilst Catriona was away volunteering at Rio, I caught up with the Orienteering Oversight Committee(OOC) who are being kept extremely busy in planning how to deliver orienteering at Auckland World Masters Games (AWMG). They also have agreed to take on Oceania which occurs one week before the AWMG which together with the midweek programme of two days orienteering (midway between the two major events) in Rotorua hosted by Bay of Plenty should provide something extra special and memorable. ONZ also has an agreement with IOF and AWMG to facilitate the holding of World Masters Orienteering Championships (WMOC) as part of the AWMG events.
All this is a tall order for the OOC and does not come without the usual tensions and conflicts between participating bodies. One such issue has arisen with our request for public events at WMOC. Our first priority is to deliver on our contract with AWMG under conditions stipulated to us. AWMG negotiated access rights for the events with landowners and therefore we have to abide with their conditions which saw limitations upon vehicle access and timing of events. Whilst we requested additional time for public events, it could not be catered for on the day. A couple of alternatives were offered by AWMG but they were impractical – so at this stage public events will not be possible. Please understand this is not where we want to be but our first priority is to AWMG and to honour our contract.
September sees our NZSS Team compete against the Aus State Secondary Schools Teams in Queensland, including a Sprint at the Gold Coast, for the Southern Cross Challenge. The Australian Championship Carnival also includes a Pinestars v Bushrangers competition at junior and senior level and for the first time, a Regional Junior Team will compete over the week as we seek to further the opportunity to gain experience for our young orienteers. Good luck to all competing and thanks to those managing, coaching and looking after our young people.
David Turner
Chairperson ONZ Council
ONZ Appointments & Vacancies
The following vacancies are currently being advertised on the ONZ website:
- Junior Development Committee member
The deadline for JDC member applications has been extended so we can get a suitable candidate.
Full position descriptions for all these roles are available on the Orienteering NZ website.
Consultation Feedback
Thank you to everyone who has provided feedback on the Selection Policy and International Team Funding Policy and the Secondary Schools Grades.
The International Team Funding Policy has been approved by Council and will be posted on the ONZ website shortly. There are no changes from the consultation document.
The Selection Policy feedback is currently being reviewed by Council, committees and selectors.
The feedback on the Schools Grades has been forwarded to the Junior Development Committee to consider.
High Performance Update
WOC 2016
This was one the largest team that NZL has ever sent to WOC, 10 athletes and a manager with some athletes only sprinting, some only doing forest events, and some both.
- Sprint – 13. Tim Robertson. 29. Laura Robertson, 38. Imogene Scott
- Middle – 48. Tim Robertson, 52. Toby Scott. 24. Lizzie Ingham, 43. Kate Morrison
- Long – 40. Chris Forne, 52. Gene Beveridge. 31. Lizzie Ingham, 50. Imogene Scott
- Relays – Men 18. Women 21.
JWOC 2016
- Sprint – 8. Tommy Hayes, 42. Devon Beckman, 63. Cameron De Lisle. 37. Danielle Goodall, 53. Alice Tilley.
- Middle – 9. Shamus Morrison, 32. Ed Cory-Wright, 41. Tommy Hayes. 53. Alice Tilley
- Long – 28. Shamus Morrison, 30 Tommy Hayes. 38. Alice Tilley
- Relay – Men 8. Women 20.
Are you interested in Safety Management? We want your help.
The Health and Safety at work Act 2015 has been passed into law (4 April 2016). This has created doubt in many of us as to what the ramifications of the Act are.
As part of my role as ONZ Event Liaison I have been tasked with the creation of a Safety Management System (SMS) for ONZ and affiliated clubs to make it as clear as possible what we must do to keep people safe.
This involves setting ONZ Policy, documentation, processes, role responsibilities, hazard identification etc.
For clubs we will provide easy to use check lists, safe operating procedures, templates, safety notices, emergency procedures.
Part of the above process includes consulting with interested people within our sport to contribute to the SMS creation.
If you are interested contributing please contact Russell Higham; events@orienteering.org.nz.
2017 World Masters Games & Oceania Updates
Well done to those that have registered so far for the New Zealand Orienteering Carnival (incorporating the Oceania Championships, Middle Earth Orienteering Odyssey and WMG/WMOC 2017) during April 2017! We’re getting excited as we get closer to the largest orienteering event held event in New Zealand and in some beautiful and varied terrain.
We are sure you’ll want to win bragging rights over your friends and rivals by beating them out in the forest… so please help us make sure they enter too! If you haven’t entered yet get to it now!
We’ve got some superb orienteering for you and we’re looking forward to hosting you all – see you in April!
oceania2017.nz – Enter here
wmoc2017.com – Enter here
Embargoes…
A wee reminder to ALL orienteers the WMG2017 embargoes apply to everyone, regardless of whether you are a masters orienteer or not. Please ensure you respect and abide by these embargoes. Click here to find out about the embargoes.
Our GM’s Rio Volunteer Experience
As many of you may know, I was fortunate enough to be selected to be part of the Rio 2016 Volunteers who helped with the Olympic Games in August.
It was an amazing experience, not only did the Games go off without a hitch … almost – green water in the dive pool was about the only major sporting concern … but Rio itself was great. The city is marvelous, the scenery spectacular and the people – Cariocas – friendly and engaging despite my limited Portuguese.
But … you know the world is a very small place when one of your fellow volunteers says “Oh yes, I have orienteered in New Zealand, and I have hosted New Zealand orienteers when they have come to Sweden”.
Now its time to get back into the NZ spring (or pseudo-winter if you are in Wellington) and look towards 2017 and the hosting of Auckland World Masters Games and World Masters Orienteering Champs. I can attest the success of a major competition requires the combination of many different parts and the volunteers are an essential part. If you have not already done so, I would encourage you to register as a volunteer for the Games so we can make our visiting orienteers experience the best of NZ orienteeering.
Upcoming Events
- Australian Champs 2016
24 Sept – 2 Oct 2016 - Australian MTBO Champs
14-16 Oct 2016 - Alpine O Weekend/ Canterbury & SI Champs
22-24 Oct 2016
For more events check out the Orienteering NZ website
Keeping you more informed
ONZ has updated its e-newsletter database which now allows you to chose which areas are of special interest to you – such as High Performance, Technical, Mapping.
To update your email list Preferences, please Click Here.
We welcome your feedback at any time.
Our mailing address is:
gm@orienteering.org.nz
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