A0040409P
Newsletter Number 68, June 2001
PO Box 3,
Central Park,
3145, Victoria.
neil.phillips@bigpond.com, 61-3-95721784 faxIRF Executive
President: Neil Phillips
Secretary/Treasurer: Rod Phillips
Promotions and Development: David Stephens
World Rogaining Championships Manager: Gordon BirchCzech Republic: Tomas Prokes, Jaroslav Vavra
Northern Europe: Iiro Kakko
Canada: Alan Stradeski
United States of America: Eric Smith, Clinton Morse
Australia: David Stephens, Rod Phillips, Gordon Birch, John Berwick, Neil Phillips
Founders Representative: Bob ReddickObserver status
Estonia: Andres Kaar
Sweden: Lars-Ĺke Svenk
New Zealand: Michael Wood
Russia: German Shestakov
China: Jianping ZhangVote for hosting of the 6th World Rogaining Championships
The vote for 6WRC has just been completed with clear support for the USA bid from Arizona.
USA: Stephens, Morse, Prokes, Smith, Reddick, Vavra
Australia: Stradeski, R Phillips
China: Birch, Berwick
Abstained: N Phillips
Neil Phillips assisted in the preparation of each bid and had earlier stated that he would not vote. This role of co-ordinating the preparation of bids, which has been done by the President since 1992, will be assumed by the World Rogaining Championships Manager for 7WRC and onwards.
Congratulations to all Members for the way in which the 6WRC vote was conducted. There was a diversity of opinions, and several Members accompanied their vote with detailed analyses of the situation and why they made their decisions. A strong theme in discussions has been ‘the best interests of the sport’ and how the world championships can be used to further rogaining. To the USA Arizona team, congratulations: we all look forward to being your guests in 2004. To South Australia and China, thank you for your efforts in preparing detailed and competitive bids: these take considerable effort and it is disappointing that every good bid cannot be successful.
Strategic Plan for Rogaining
The International Rogaining Federation developed its strategic plan in 1989 outlining aims and goals for its first few years. In 1994, it produced a more detailed strategic plan for the sport of rogaining in consultation with national, state and provincial rogaining groups. This process involved literally thousands of submissions and suggestions from rogainers worldwide. The 1994 document has proved to be particularly valuable for the sport serving many purposes including being the official guidelines for the World Rogaining Championships, the history of international rogaining, and description of the sport.
Since 1994, some aspects of rogaining have changed. We have much more experience running world rogaining championships, we have expanded to more countries, there has been publication of ‘Rogaining – Cross country navigation’ in 2000, and we need refreshed goals. It was planned to update the Plan for last year but this timetable was revised in the light of IRF constitution, membership and incorporation processes. With the recent finalization of these processes, the strategic plan is being returned to the top of the IRF agenda, and all rogainers will be invited to participate.
Attracting new members to rogaining
In Australia, the Victorian Rogaining Association has been addressing the issue of attendance figures at their rogaines. Measures to attract newcomers have variously included a Beginners Pack, a Masters of Business Administration thesis on sport participation by a committee member, and a focus on attracting junior teams.
This sustained effort is paying off. At their recent 6 hour rogaine, the total of 750 participants included well over a hundred Schools and Scouts entrants as well as several other junior teams. The lesson for us all is clear. Well thought out, sustained recruiting campaigns can pay good dividends.
News from around the world
International Rogaining Weekend – new rogaining record?
On the same weekend as the Victorian event of 750 participants, the New South Wales Rogaining Association hosted an event with similar numbers indicating a minimum of 1447 rogainers participating on this weekend. In discussions, VRA President, Chris Solnordal, and Phil Holman, President of the Australian Rogaining Association, suggested that this may be a record for any rogaining weekend, and they have suggested challenging this record next year. In 2002, 16-17 June looks like the date that NSW and Victoria will try to co-ordinate their events.
Everyone is invited to hold a rogaine on this weekend and contribute to a global attempt to surpass the 2001 record.
Australian Championships
The 22nd Australian Rogaining Championships are scheduled for 4-5th August 2001 in rolling farmland 130 km southeast of Perth, Western Australia.
Details: Alison.Churchill@acequity.com.au or visit wa.rogaine.asn.au/ozchamps
Russian Championships
The first Russian Rogaining Championships are scheduled for 25-26th August 2001 near Perm on the western flanks of the Ural Mountains. This is a week before the full moon but the Russian nights are pretty short at this time of year.
Awards to early rogainers
In our 25th anniversary year, the Victorian Rogaining Association recognized two of their earliest members who were instrumental in development of rogaining in the mid to late 1970s. The Christine Hall Award for girls, and the Neil Phillips Award for the boys section of the VRA Schools Rogaining Championships, recognize two people who were former VRA secretaries, rogaining champions, introduced and trained many others to the sport, and were part of the organizing team for many rogaines.