What’s in this Issue:

• View from the Chair
• ONZ Committee Appointments
• 2018 Council Elections – Applications Open
• JWOC Coach Vacancies
• High Performance Update
• Event Liaison Update
• ONZ Policy Updates
• World Masters Games Gear for Sale
• Orienteering Photos

View from the Chair –

With Xmas on the horizon and this being the final newsletter of the year – it is appropriate that I should reflect upon major happenings during 2017.

The year has been dominated by key major domestic events which have included a wonderful series over Easter including Oceania and the World Masters Orienteering Champs (being part of the Auckland World Masters Games) with Middle Earth in Rotorua sandwiched in between. This offered our many international visitors to NZ a memorable experience of our country and also showcased our more than exceptional talent at organising and hosting major competitions. Add to this a great series of events produced by Hawkes Bay over an extended Labour Weekend and I’m sure you’ll appreciate the quality of events which have been served up to us all. So hats off to the various organising committees and volunteers who made all of this possible.

Internationally we have continued to perform admirably and maintained our ranking at both mens and womens elite level. Congratulations are due to Tommy Hayes for his silver medal at the JWOC Sprint and to Tim Robertson for his consistent high finishes in sprint events following his transition from junior to senior status. Malcolm Ingham, ONZ’s Performance Leader, has noted and inferred that with changes to the format of future WOC events, elite athletes may need to be selective over their preferred event and with that will come new training regimes – it will be interesting to follow this progression over the next few years.

Council has been kept busy over the year mainly updating and reviewing policies, overseeing the World Masters, delivering on its Annual Business Plan and generally planning ahead. Key new policies have included the Anti Match Fixing Policy which we have been obliged to have in place but hopefully not call into action and also a new push to review and update the Rules – which is long overdue. Other highlights have included the production of a new Health and Safety template for use by clubs at events being part of an Event Management package. This has been the focus of Russell Higham whose appointment as Event Liaison Personnel has enabled us to address some urgent needs.

Throughout the year, the terms of many of our volunteers on our various committees have ended and we have gone out to request nominations to fill the vacancies. Doubtless as the year draws to an end we will still have several vacancies not just on committees but also Council itself. So whilst I do wish to convey season’s greetings to you all and trust that you enjoy your break and the best which summer has to offer – can I ask that you reflect as to whether you could offer some assistance to ONZ and if the time is right for you to step up and make a difference.

Finally thanks to all those involved with events in the run up to Xmas period including Junior Camp, Under 23 Training Camp, Regional Champs and Southern O Week early in 2018.

David Turner
Chair ONZ Council

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ONZ Committee Appointments

Congratulations to the following members who have agreed to sit on our committees.

• • Junior Selectors – Steve Oram, Tom Reynolds, Mike Beveridge
  • Senior Selectors – Al Cory-Wright, Bill Edwards
  • MTBO Selectors – Pete Swanson, Rob Garden, Michael Wood
  • Technical Committee – Marquita Gelderman, Dwayne Smith, Alan Horne, Russell Higham
  • Mapping Committee – Michael Wood, Michael Croxford

There are still places available on some of these committees, so if you are interested please forward your application to gm@orienteering.org.nz

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2018 Council Elections – Applications Open

3 vacancies for Council Members are now open and will close on 31 January 2018.

For more information on these roles click here

The election will be via Postal Vote in February/March with the announcement made before the 2018 AGM at Easter.

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JWOC Coach Vacancies

ONZ is looking for a pre-JWOC Coach to work with those orienteers wishing to trial for JWOC and those selected to better prepare for the event.

JWOC Coach will travel with the team to Hungary in July continuing with training onsite and during JWOC.

For more information click here

Applications close Wednesday 20 December 2017.

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Upcoming Events

For upcoming events check out the Orienteering NZ website events list

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High Performance Update

This is written from a cold and snowy Norway where I’m visiting a recuperating daughter. While in Halden for the past week it has given me a real insight into what our WOC and JWOC (and even WMOC) athletes are upagainst in the way of preparation for competition. This is obviously off-season in Norway yet despite the weather there is a full week of training opportunities for all levels.

Monday evening: strength training in the local school offered at two separate times.

Tuesday: night orienteering training, sometimes as an event.

Wednesday: hill or track intervals.

Thursday: club night based around the club house in the middle of 20sq. km of forest with a variety of training options followed by hot showers and sauna.

Friday: actually nothing organized!

Saturday: morning training including, gor example, o intervals, line exercises etc.

Sunday: long run, again based from the clubhouse.

To organize all this Halden has a part- time paid coach, and obviously benefits from the easy access to technical terrain. This kind of programme runs through the winter and right up to the main competition season around the middle of May. It’s open to all but primarily aimed at the junior elites and elites who often are doing a lot extra on top.
So perhaps next time you address your training programme it’s perhaps worth remembering what your competition is doing.

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Event Liaison Update

Health and Safety

We have had our Safety Management Plan audited. We have some minor editing to do, then we will send it to the orienteers who have volunteered to give it the once over. Once that is done our Auditor will give the final check before we release it to clubs before the end of the year.

Russell has also presented our Safety Management Plan and system to 2 workshops for NZ Recreation Association, where council staff and interested parties were taken through the process and were keen on ONZ’s take on Events H&S.
Controller Clinic
We will be holding a controllers clinic in Auckland early in 2018. Watch this space for the date.

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ONZ Policy Updates

In 2014 ONZ introduced a new policy manual covering all aspects of orienteering business. These policies were developed in consultation with members. Each policy has a review date. While some of these dates have passed, ONZ is now commencing an ongoing rolling review process of policies to ensure they are accurate, current and represent best practice while achieving the outcomes originally intended.

Because this process is going to be ongoing, ONZ is now providing notice to all clubs if they have any feedback, suggestions or comments on policies being reviewed, to please forward them to the General Manager in a timely manner.

A list of the policies to be reviewed first can be found on the ONZ website.

This list will be regularly updated so please ensure you continue to check out what is being reviewed.

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Equipment for Sale

Following the success of this carnival there is quite a bit of equipment which is now ready for sale to clubs or others. Some of the stuff is free, others are priced to sell!

Such as corflute signs of varying sizes and words, teardrop banners, pigtails, tv stands and map boxes as well as some other miscellaneous event stuff!

If you are interested in equipment, please contact Stephen Reynolds stephen@stratezy.co.nz

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Still Wanted … Orienteering Photos ….

We saw a few photographers at the recent National Championships. We are wanting good looking images that reflects orienteering in NZ to update our website. We know lots of you do take photos of events etc and we’d love to use your photos on our website.

To fit the ONZ website banner we need images which will fit the narrow band size 1366px x 304px. (or better). We can modify crop images if you have some that may work well.

If you have any images you are willing to share please send them to webmaster@orienteering.org.nz

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The Orienteering NZ office will be closed from Thursday 21 December until Tuesday 9 January 2018.

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Keeping you more informed

ONZ has updated its enewsletter 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