Report from Valerie Brammall, Esk Valley Orienteering Club in regard to the Tasmanian Orienteering Championships, St Helens held on 13-14 September.
There was disappointment, delight and determination on display at the running of the Tasmanian Individual Orienteering Championships hosted by the Esk Valley Orienteering Club (EVOC) at
In the 11.5 km Open course neither of the fancied Nankervis brothers was able to complete the course without mishap, leaving the door open for Ian Lawford of the Victorian Eureka Club, followed by resident Tasmanian Champion Jarrah Day of Hobart with Jemery Day only 5 minutes behind his son Jarrah.
Lawford maintained pace and concentration in the challenging conditions despite the steep and rough granite terrain of Mt Pearson.
On the 5.6 km course 4 Darryl Smith of Wellington Ranges (WROC) (Mens 55) was 4 minutes clear of the field, despite infrequent participation through the season. On the same course in the Mens 60 class, the anticipated close finish between Australopers (AL) club mates David Marshall and Bert Elson saw
Also on Course 4, as expected Jenny Bourne from the Eureka Club, a gold medallist at more than one World Masters Orienteering Championship, took out the Womens 50 class ( 67.10). She was closely followed by talented Tasmanians Chris Brown of EVOC, resident champion (72.23), Sue Hancock (WROC, 74.35) and Christine Marshall (
The surprise win of the day came from Ken McLean of Launceston ( Mens 50) who recorded 67.33 on the 7 km Course 3, 14 minutes ahead of Jeff Dunn of Hobart and junior representative Anna Dowling (85.24).
Many of the contestants recorded extended finishing times, with few withdrawals, despite the technical difficulty of the area and the steepness and amount of fallen timber in the terrain, but the courses were a true test of the champions.
With orienteering terrain such as experienced at