A0040409P

Newsletter Number 95, April 2004

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

IRF Team

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

Czech Republic: Jaroslav Vavra, Miroslav Seidl
Finland: Iiro Kakko
New Zealand: Pete Squires
Canada: Alan Stradeski
United States of America: Eric Smith, Clinton Morse, Bob Reddick
Australia: Rod Phillips, Gordon Birch, John Berwick, Neil Phillips
Founders Representative: Bob Reddick

Observer status
Estonia: Andres Kaar
New Zealand: Michael Wood
Sweden: Lars-Åke Svenk
Russia: German Shestakov, Sergey Yaschenko
China: Jianping Zhang
South Africa: Pieter Mulder
6th WRC: Peg Davis
7th WRC: Andy Mein

10th anniversary: North Queensland

This year is the 10 th anniversary of rogaining in north Queensland , and over the decade, they have organized over 30 rogaines. It is interesting to explore the reasons for success here, as this example is a little different from many of the successful associations established in major cities and it may be a useful model for some future developments. For two reasons, the chance of rogaining in north Queensland being successful may not have looked very bright at the start. The focus of activities and the population base are around the cities of Cairns and Townsville separated by nearly one thousand kilometres from Brisbane and the centre of the Queensland Rogaine Association. North Queensland is also well-known for having the highest rainfall in Australia and some impenetrable and unpleasant forests.

Despite these challenges, the early leaders including Mark Newton, Ian Sinclair, Andrew Campbell, Andy Page, Rod Gray and Darren Osmond persisted, found suitable countryside, chose the best times of the year, modified events for the conditions, and established a new customer base for the sport. The north Queensland model, of a rogaining centre well removed from the main association, has been a great success, and it is a little surprising that we do not have other examples of regional groups loosely affiliated with our existing state/province associations. The model allows tapping into a new geographic group of rogainers and some sharing of resources (newsletter, financial system, administration) when the distances preclude any effective use of the existing client-base of rogainers. Well done on ten years of successful rogaines.

New Zealand Rogaining Championships

The championships were run on 6-7 March 2004 in the Wairamarama Limestone Downs area about 50km south of Auckland . It was a brilliant area with a challenging course. PROVISIONAL results and some impressions from Pete Squires are available on the website, http://www.rogaine.org.nz.

Thanks are due to Mark Copland and his team for organizing the first ever 24hr rogaine to be held in the North Island . Well done, Mark.

Some future events:

• Hawke's Bay " Nevis Ay Die" Rogaine – Saturday 17th April. There are 4, 8, & 12hr options.
• Hopefull Rogaine (near Blenheim) – Saturday, 24th April, 3hr & 6hr events: This will be another Barry Hope special organized for the Marlborough Orienteering Club.
• 36 th T' WALK - Canterbury , 8/9th May (24hrs). This will be organized by the University of Canterbury Tramping Club . Rogaining evolved from a T' WALK (24hr Walk) run by Melbourne University students. T' WALK differs from a Rogaine in that teams follow a fixed route. A "not to be missed" event.
• Other events to look out for are a 4hr Rogaine in Canterbury on Sunday 30th May, the Lactic Turkey Multisport Bikes Piha Rogaine ( Auckland ) on Saturday 12th June, and the 12hr Heights of Winter ( Canterbury ) on Saturday 26th June.