Have your Say!
ONZ is seeking your feedback on the following.
Major Events – Deadline 31 May 2019
A review of the Major Events has been undertaken and ONZ has identified the need to consider alternatives to how events are allocated and managed. It is imperative for the continued growth and development of our sport that we review events and look at the best options for delivering these in the future. More
Applications are invited for the following Vacancies
Applications close Friday 21 June 2019 email to gm@orienteering.org.nz
Southern Cross Team Coach and Support Staff will be sought later.
View from the Chairs
From Jane Harding – out going chair
Hi all, thanks again to PAPO for organising a fantastic Easter orienteering carnival. With over 600 entries this was the biggest Nationals ever and PAPO and the other South Island clubs have shown again how they can pull in resources from across clubs to deliver a major event. As our major events get bigger, collaboration and inter-club resource sharing is going to be more important than ever. Congratulations to all the winners.
At Nationals I was pleased to also award life ONZ life memberships to 4 outstanding orienteers who between them have contributed decades to orienteering in New Zealand. Congratulations to Bunny Rathbone, Val Robinson, Rob Garden and Rob Crawford.
From the Council elections, we have two new Council members joining us – welcome to Pete Swanson and Marquita Gelderman.
The Council has met for the first time at our monthly meeting. At this meeting we elect a Council Chair. I am pleased to announce that Pete Swanson is the Council Chair for the coming year.
The ONZ Major Events Model Discussion paper that has been circulated is intended to encourage discussion and get ideas from clubs and individuals about how ONZ can support clubs to be able to run major events, such as National Championships and National Secondary Schools Champs and International events such as Oceania. At the Club Forum at Nationals in Oamaru we had a lot of good feedback on how ONZ can support the running of Major Events, and we’d really like to get more. We’ve asked for feedback from clubs and individuals by the end of May, so Council can digest all the ideas and develop the model further. I encourage you to look at the discussion paper and provide ideas and comments to Catriona.
https://www.orienteering.org.nz/news/onz-major-events-model-discussion-paper-for-consultation/
Looking ahead to the big international competitions that start next month, we have teams heading away to WMTBO, JWMTBO, WOC and JWOC in Norway and Denmark. And we’ve also got NZ orienteers travelling independently to the European Youth Orienteering Champs in Belarus. Best wishes to all the competitors at these events.
And congratulations to those New Zealanders have already performed well at big events in Europe, Malcolm has all the details here.
Closer to home, Wellington and Red Kiwis are hosting the QB weekend events at the beginning of June. The competition includes the trial for the Southern Cross Challenge team, the Pinestars/Bushrangers and Junior Pinestars/Bushrangers competition, the Schools regional Challenge and further rounds of the National Orienteering League. Hope to see you there.
Cheers and good running,
Jane Harding
Pete Swanson – incoming Chair
Hi everyone – this is my first contribution to Compass Point as Chair of ONZ, and the first thing I’d like to do is acknowledge the work and contribution of Jane Harding who has done so much for orienteering, and in particular in her role as Chair up until now. I am sure I speak on behalf of all NZ orienteers in saying a huge thank you to Jane. Thankfully she remains on Council, so we will continue to benefit from her wisdom, experience, and passion for the sport of orienteering.
In the past week or so the council has met twice, and I have been impressed with the openness and depth of discussion and debate – it is clear to me that everyone there wants what is best for the sport, and there is a rich breadth of experience, skills, and backgrounds that will be good for our collective decision making and contribution.
I am really clear that the Council, being an elected body, is there to represent the views and interests of members; the clubs and individuals that make up the sport of orienteering in NZ. Clubs give approximately 25% of their income to ONZ, and what comes with that is an expectation that the organisation delivers value to the sport.
We need to ensure the voices of clubs and volunteers are heard and influence the direction and culture of the organisation and the way its operations run. I came onto the Council with the intent to see that connection strengthened, and this will certainly be shaping my approach in my role as Chair.
To that end I will be connecting as much as possible with clubs and key volunteers in the coming weeks and months, and I look forward to those discussions; listening and hearing what people have to say, the issues they face, and their thoughts on ONZ.
In the short term I am looking forward to the Queens Birthday events that Wellington and Red Kiwi’s are putting on; I expect some close racing, lots of stories, and the chance to connect with many of you then. I know many of the Council will also be there (although some are busy helping organise), so there is a great chance to connect, say hi, or even get to know the people who are serving your interests in the sport a little more.
All the best
Pete Swanson
2019 AGM & Club Forum Notice
ONZ AGM
The ONZ AGM was on Friday 19 April 2019 at Waitaki Boys High School, Oamaru.
Two new Council members were elected – Marquita Gelderman (NW) and Pete Swanson (OBOP). Retiring members Tom Davies (Waikato) and Alison Comer (AKL) were thanked for their service to ONZ.
ONZ also announced four new Life Members. Life Membership is conferred upon a person in recognition and appreciation of their outstanding service to orienteering.The four new life members are: Rob Crawford (previously CMOC), Rob Garden (NW), Bunny Rathbone (HBOC) and Val Robinson (CMOC).
Bunny Rathbone and Val Robinson
Club Forum
The Club Forum was also held during the Easter weekend. A lot of discussion focused on the Major Events Discussion Paper which is currently out for consultation.
Some key themes raised by those in attendance included:
- a desire for ONZ to provide templates, best practice systems, processed and procedures for event
- long term event schedule which will provide certainty around events
- a need to build capacity within clubs to have the skills to host events
- ONZ to assist with grant funding and sponsorship
- small clubs identified a lack of people to help the club and events as being an issue
- cost of running the National Championships was raised, especially in relation to increased compliance costs
- is it time to reconsider how we organise our National Championships. Could be follow the Australian’s and hold smaller events over multiple weekends.
Click here for more on the Major Events Discussion Paper
View the 2018 Orienteering NZ Annual Report
Event Liaison Update
2019
- Junior Camp – Counties Manukau 15-20 December 2019
- U23 Camp – Counties Manukau 7-13 December 2019
2020
2020 Events confirmed
- 2020 National Orienteering Championships – Wellington
- 2020 National MTBO Championships – OBOP
- 2020 National Schools – Hawkes Bay
2020 Events Yet to be confirmed
We are still looking for a host club:
- 2020 NI Secondary Schools
Missing Trophies
Thanks to everyone who returned the trophies for the 2019 Prize Giving.
We were missing a number of trophies which we would like to find and get to the 2019 winners.
Womens – 14, 21AS, 35, 45 and 75
Mens – 14, 18, 20, 21AS, 40A, 45, 75 and 80
Some of these trophies we think have been missing for some time now so we do ask that you look through your trophy cabinet, on the mantle piece and bookshelf, even perhaps in the wardrobe and under the bed.
High Performance Update
NZ Championships – Oamaru
With Easter falling as late as it possibly can it seems to have been a long wait for the 2019 ONZ Championships but, as all who attended will testify, it was worth the wait. The mix of the public gardens in Oamaru for the sprint, the lovely open forest of Kuriheka for the long, the intricate gold mining of Maerewhenua for the middle, and the fast and rocky Earthquakes for the relay, provided a different challenge on every day. With the added spice of the individual races being trials for both WOC and JWOC in the elite and 20 classes respectively.
National Orienteering League
Following the ONZ Championships 8 of the 11 races in the 2019 National Orienteering League have now been completed. With 8 individual scores to count it means that some athletes will still accumulate points whilst others can only slightly improve their tallies. As a result it is still a little difficult to see how things will ultimately work out, especially so in the Senior competitions where very few have competed in all 8 races. More
Training Camps
The next HP training camp will be in Woodhill Forest over the weekend of 18/19 May. Saturday will consist of training on Whites Line, while Sunday will incorporate the 90 minute Auckland Rogaine on Lake Kereta followed by further training. Devon Beckman, as JWOC coach, will take charge although, of course, the weekend is open to all HP athletes. Those interested should email Devon asap.
Also of interest is advance notice of the 2019 Under 23 Camp. This will take place from 7-13 December and will be based in Counties Manukau. Applications will be called for later in the year.
Queen’s Birthday
A reminder to get entries in for Queen’s Birthday.
Saturday will be a multi-day distance in Waitarere Forest on the newly remapped north-eastern part which has not been used for about 10 years. Sunday will start with a morning sprint at Awatapu College and West End School. In the afternoon the elite and 20 grades, including the Pinestars-Bushrangers Test Match, and the Senior Schools teams will have a sprint relay on the campus of International Pacific University. Other classes will have a second individual sprint. The weekend will close on Monday with a middle distance on a re-mapped Kaikokopu.
In other news ….
2019 National Championships Prize Giving Video
St Cuthbert’s win Gold at World Schools
Congratulations to St Cuthbert’s College who are on top of the orienteering world after winning gold at the International School Sports Federation (ISF) World Schools Championships in Estonia earlier this month. St Cuthbert’s fended off challenges from schools representing 14 other countries to win the W2 (Junior Girls) Middle distance title
Wellington Sportsperson of the Year Awards
Orienteering NZ’s General Manager Catriona McBean has been named a finalist in the Wellington Sportsperson of the Year Trish McKelvey Leadership Awards. The Awards Ceremony will be held in Wellington in mid June.
Oceania 2019 – Entries Now Open
IOF News
New members in five commissions including our own Magnus Bengtsson from Wellington
At the latest meeting the IOF Council approved the following commission members:
- FootO Commission (FOC): Ulrich (Ulu) Aeschlimann (SUI)
- IT Commission (ITC): Edoardo Tona (ITA), Magnus Bengtsson (NZL)
- Regional and Youth Development Commission (RYDC): Cem Gondogu (TUR), Christine Wu (TPE)
- SkiO Commission (SOC): Bernd Kohlschmidt (GER)
- TrailO Commission (TOC): Ari Tertsunen (FIN)
The new members were recommended by the respective Commission Chairpersons and have received the support of their national federations. This should complete the appointment of commission members for the period 2019-2020.
Local Focus: Kids loving cunning running
Check out the Hawke’s Bay Schools Sprint Championship video from The Herald.
We welcome your feedback at any time.
Our mailing address is:
gm@orienteering.org.nz
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