A0040409P

Newsletter Number 76, July 2002

PO Box 3,
Central Park,
3145, Victoria.
61-3-95721784 fax
E-mail: Neil Phillips

IRF Team

President: Neil Phillips
Secretary/Treasurer: Rod Phillips
Promotions and Development: David Stephens
World Rogaining Championships Manager: Gordon Birch

Czech Republic: Tomáš Prokeš, Jaroslav Vavra
Finland: Iiro Kakko
Canada: Alan Stradeski
United States of America: Eric Smith, Clinton Morse, Bob Reddick
Australia: David Stephens, Rod Phillips, Gordon Birch, John Berwick, Neil Phillips
Founders Representative: Bob Reddick

Observer status
Estonia: Andres Kaar
Sweden: Lars-Åke Svenk
New Zealand: Peter Squires, Michael Wood
Russia: German Shestakov
China: Jianping Zhang
6th WRC: Peg Davis

5th World Rogaining Championships

The 5th World Rogaining Championships, at Lesná in the west of the Czech Republic, have ended and participants are heading home with fond memories. The event combined many of the features of regular rogaining championships with some innovations introduced by the Czech organizing team. The critical aspects of the event went extremely well particularly the course, the control placement, and the strong international representation at the rogaine.

The course was set around the small town of Lesná in the west of the Czech Republic and abutting the border with Germany. The bulk of the course was forest with some parts slow in places due to fallen timber but most open and making for smooth progress. A strip of meadow around Lesná was being used for grazing, and by the second morning had long trails of footprints leading across it. The west margin of the course was dotted with history: remnants of the Iron Curtain including towers, barb wire fences and special access roads, and also former towns and buildings now deserted.

There were 392 participants from 20 different countries:
Australia
Austria
Czech Republic
Denmark
England
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Hungary
Ireland
Latvia
Lithuania
New Zealand
Poland
Russia
Slovakia
Switzerland
Ukraine
United States of America

One highlight of 5WRC was most certainly the strong Russian contingent who travelled for nearly three days by train from Perm to reach Lesná, spoke a little English and Czech, but quickly made friends. German Shestakov, pioneer of rogaining in Russia, and Kuchiynski Stanislav, spoke enthusiastically about their plans for the first European Rogaining Championships in mid 2003.

Relationship with the community of Lesná was an important ingredient of success. The mayor of Lesná was present at the start and finish and spoke some words of welcome. Many of the town community accepted the invitation to join rogainers at the end in the presentation ceremony and music that followed on Saturday night. The Lesná soccer ground became the main camping area with 200 or more people camped in the small space of flat ground. Those who availed themselves of this accommodation were able to rekindle old friendships and make many new ones amongst the twenty nations camped together. The local tavern did good business and would not have seen as many patrons from out of town for quite some time.

The Friday-to-Saturday format of the rogaine was different from normal and worked very well. Most people stayed after the rogaine for Saturday night, and without the need to hurry home, a delay with the final results was accommodated with minor frustration. The presentation of prizes was followed by a barbeque whilst a band played music on a pleasant evening. Catering for participants during the rogaine was not something normally offered on previous Czech events, so the limited service was stretched by the time a rush of rogainers arrived at the finish time.

All participants were required to wear a team number identifying them throughout the rogaine. This new innovation was very successful in helping determine who teams were, and to ensure teams stayed together during the event.

The display of maps from earlier rogaines both in the Czech Republic and Russia made for interesting reading and discussions, and a useful meeting point.

Two IRF meetings were held in conjunction with 5WRC. The meeting in Prague included:
• overview of rogaining in Russia and New Zealand
• plans for a review of the Rules of Rogaining to be led by Mike Hotchkis, and to involve wide consultation
• discussion of land access issues and their growing importance for the sport in the medium to long term
• World Rogaining Championships including the need for a date for 6WRC and a long-term approach to awarding future WRC that might differ from the current bidding method.

The annual general meeting was held at Lesná castle and discussions included:
• A review of rogaining in Estonia, Russia, Czech and New Zealand
• Land access
• Future World Rogaining Championships.
A number of issues will be voted on by the full membership over coming months.

Overall: To Tomáš Prokeš, Jaroslav Vavra, Vasek Zakouril, Helena Zakouril and their team of assistants, well done and congratulations on an excellent rogaine. And thank you from all for the warm Czech hospitality.

More details: www.top.cz/wrc0002