Updated 12 May 2022

Victoria, Australia 24 September to 2 October 2022

Two teams of equal ability will be selected to compete for the Southern Cross Trophy against the six Australian states and the Australian Capital Territory in the 2022 Australian Schools Championships.

The championships will be held in rural area Victoria between Melbourne and Bendigo as part of the Australian Championships carnival which runs from 24 September to 2 October 2022.

The specific School’s championship events are:

  Sprint Championship – 26 September

  Individual Long Championship – 27 September

  Relay Championship – 28 September

Each of the two teams will be a maximum of 20 athletes in size; five in each of Senior Boys, Senior Girls, Junior Boys and Junior Girls.  Senior grades have a birth year of 2006 or earlier. Junior grades have a birth year of 2007 or later.

The intention of selection is for the selected teams to travel to Australia for these events. In the event of COVID-19 disruption, NZOF may convert the selected teams to paper (non-travelling) teams only, and this will be communicated to selected athletes as soon as a decision has been made.

Selection Criteria

The team selection will be made in accordance with the Orienteering NZ Policy G1 – Selection Policy and Appendix.  This policy is available on the Orienteering NZ website. The 2021 New Zealand Secondary Schools Teams will be based on performances at the following event:

  Queen’s Birthday Weekend orienteering event hosted by Wellington Orienteering Club near Bulls, Manawatu, Saturday 04 June to Monday 06 June 2022

If you wish to be selected for the NZ Schools Team, you must race in either the Junior Boys/Girls or Senior Boys/Girls ‘A’ grade at the Queen’s Birthday event in Manawatu (this includes the companion sprint event). Junior: born 2007 or later.  Senior: born 2006 or earlier.

Status of athletes selected for JWOC2022 regarding the Southern Cross Challenge

Discussion between ONZ High Performance and the Junior Selection Panel regarding the above has taken place. It has been agreed that those school age athletes who, after a rigorous process of 5 trial races, have been selected for the 2022 Junior World Orienteering Championships have already demonstrated known form regarding selection for the Southern Cross Challenge to be run against Australian State teams in late September. That being the case, those school age athletes, including the named reserves, selected for JWOC are exempt from the Southern Cross selection requirement to run Senior Boys/Girls A at the upcoming Queen’s Birthday events. Preparation for JWOC will be best served by their competing in, at least, M/W20E.

Availability for selection

It will be assumed all orienteers entered in Junior Boys/Girls or Senior Boys/Girls ‘A’ Grades at the Queen’s Birthday event will be available for selection, so no nomination is necessary.

Athletes who are unable to travel or compete over Queen’s Birthday weekend (for example due to COVID, other illness, injury, or for religious reasons) and who still wish to be considered, or whose performances at the Queen’s Birthday event may result in their consideration for selection but who are not available for selection, should advise the Selector’s Junior Panel Convenor, Tessa Ramsden (tessamramsden@gmail.com) by Friday 03 June 2022. 

Costs

Athlete Fee
Individual orienteers are responsible for the pro-rata cost of attending an event. This includes
accommodation, travel, food and other costs associated with the event. The Athlete Fee excludes
airfares and other travel costs to/from New Zealand to the competition/training camp meeting point
location.

ONZ has budgeted a maximum of $10,000 with which to subsidise the costs of one or two officially appointed team coaches and the same number of appointed managers. Should costs exceed this amount, the deficit will be added to the Athlete Fee, divided between all the athletes that these staff are responsible for.

Covid Policy

All attendees will have to sign and return the Athlete ONZ Covid Policy which outlines financial and duty of care obligations should a team member be unable to return to New Zealand due to Covid.

Team Travel

Arrangements for team travel will be made by the appointed manager(s)

Announcement of Team

The Selectors plan to announce the team as soon as possible after the Queen’s Birthday weekend trials and no later than 30 June 2022.