Page 44 - 2022 - Altiora Vol 74

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44 | SPORTING HIGHLIGHTS
TING HIGHLIGHTS
SPOR
ORIENTEERING MAKES ITS BMGS DEBUT
ORIENTEERING MAKES ITS BMGS DEBUT
In Term 3, through the wonderful efforts of school Ruby Dowdell and Alton Freeman ran the Bush event,
parents Mark and Vanessa Freeman, supported by Mrs again in the A category, with Ruby completing the
Kate Klein, the sport of Orienteering was trialled as a course with no errors, and Alton finishing his race in
co-curricular sport in the Senior School. First place. Aiden Mungai ran the Bush event in the B
category and, after taking lessons from mis-punches
Orienteering is a sport that requires navigational skills
using a map and compass to navigate from point to and navigational errors on Day 1, Aiden also finished
point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain. The aim Day 2 in First place for B category – an amazing
is to navigate between checkpoints or controls marked achievement for a novice Orienteerer!
on a special orienteering map. There is no set route so
the skill and fun come from trying to find the best way
to go. In competitive orienteering, the challenge is to
complete the course in the fastest time.
From it’s first practice session, the sport quickly grew
in popularity, and led to a group of students registering
to compete in the 2022 Schools Orienteering
Championships. With the training sessions and
mentoring of the Freeman family (whose sons Oliver
(Year 12) and Alton (Year 7) are regular participants in
Regional and National competitions), our athletes were
Ruby Dowdell
reeman and Aiden Mungai
Alton F
very confident, venturing out onto unknown territory Alton Freeman and Aiden Mungai Rub y Dowdell
with their maps orientated and brains working Oliver Freeman (Year 12) ran the A category for his age
overtime. group and produced a highly respectable Third place
performance against some elite orienteers.
As a result of these fine performances, our team -
in their inaugural Orienteering team entry - were
announced Champions, winning the Secondary Shield
and contributing to the NSWCIS points to help with an
overall win by the Independent Schools Association.
During the October school holidays, the Australian
Schools Orienteering Championships were
held in Central Victoria as part of the Australian
Championships Carnival. The NSW team included
Oliver (Senior Boys 16+) and Alton (Junior Boys – up
BMGS students certainly made their mark in the to 15) (pictured below).
NSW Schools Orienteering Carnival, competing Oliver placed 34 /50 in the Sprint and 21 in the
th
st
with enthusiasm, despite the cold and wet weather Bush event (13 Australian). Alton placed 22 /55 in
nd
th
experienced over the weekend. the Sprint and 8 in the Bush event (4 Australian).
th
th
The students were entered in two classes: A Class Overall the NSW team were victorious, retaining a
for experienced Orienteers, and B Class for newer trophy last contested in 2019.
Orienteers and those experiencing their first
Orienteering carnival.
Day 1 consisted of two “Sprint” events navigating
around two courses at two different high schools in
very heavy rain! Year 7 students Ruby Dowdell, Aiden
Mungai and Alton Freeman entered the A category for
their age group in the Sprints, with Alton finishing 2
nd
overall after winning the first event but making some
navigational errors in the second.
Casper Larkin (Year 11) entered the A category for
his age group and performed admirably against some
elite and experienced orienteers. Casper finished both
races without errors in very respectable times.
Day 2 was a “Bush” event navigating longer cross-
country courses through Scheyville National Park.