A0040409P
Newsletter Number 69, August 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-Åke Svenk
New Zealand: Michael Wood
Russia: German Shestakov
China: Jianping ZhangReport from 5WRC in the Czech Republic
Gordon Birch
This is the first of a series of reports leading up to the 5th World Rogaining Championships in the Czech Republic next year.
I would first like to thank the Czech team for showing me that they are making every effort to ensure that this rogaine is as good or better than previous world championships. They have already recognized that this will mean several changes to the way in which they conduct rogaines. I would also like to thank the mappers who are going to check the maps for accuracy. My thanks go to Jarda for driving me round both to their event and the course: also to Tomas Prokes for proving an excellent diplomat with local officials and the Press, plus accommodation at his unit. With my special thanks going to Vaclav and his lovely wife Helena who despite it being their first wedding anniversary (with best wishes from Australia) managed to find time to pick me up late at night at the airport and put me up in their apartment for two nights.
For those intending to compete, I do have a limited number of brochures which give details about the area that they have selected, and a programme. These will include an entry form and how to pay. Should you require a copy, email me on gordonb@supernova.com.au, and I will forward it. This first brief report will be followed next Newsletter by my impressions of the course and hash house site.
News from around the world
Australian Rogaining Championships
The 22nd Australian Rogaining Championships were held on 4-5th August in rolling farmland 130 km southeast of Perth, Western Australia. Over 600 rogainers entered the championships reflecting the strong rogaining following in Western Australia, and the keen interest in the annual Australian Rogaining Championships. There were 72 controls in a mixture of rolling farm country and limited forest with only 160 metres elevation between highest and lowest points on the course. Three out of the 260 teams completed the course covering approximately 105 km to achieve this milestone. Many other teams performed very well in the fine weather and open terrain, so the competition for high places was fierce in all gender and age sections. A small contingent from Malaysia, and a very competitive contingent from New Zealand, added an international flavour to this event.
Each Australian state rogaining association only holds an Australian Rogaining Championship event every 4-6 years, so for the organizing association this is a major event and one for which they go to extra effort to choose a special course. The Australian Championships are one of the premier rogaines on the international calendar, and well worth making the journey to attend. The event is always well organized, highly competitive, and accompanied by warm hospitality and related tourist and recreational activities. The next Australian Championships are to be held in the Australian Capital Territory near Canberra at the end of April 2002.
Russian Championships
Next Newsletter we hope to have some news from the first Russian Rogaining Championships scheduled for 25-26th August 2001 near Perm.
Swedish Rogaining
The Taby club is planning the largest rogaine in Sweden on 20th October near Stockholm.