ACT ROGAINING ASSOCIATION
BULLETIN‍

Twilight in the Christmas Trees

A good group of rogainers enjoyed a late afternoon ramble around the lake, zoo, arboretum and into the Black Mountain Nature Park. The faster teams got all over Black Mountain with Tom Banks and Brad Vallette the fastest of the lot, getting around the course in 2:36. I hope they paused to admire the Christmas tree decorations at control 100 in the Arboretum. The family category was one of the largest with 18 families taking part. Check out the results and the photos from the day. Thanks to our event cooridnator from afar, Benita Sommerville, local coordinator Julie Quinn, setters/vetters Jeannie Douglass and Ron Simpson, and helpers on the day, Pat Miethke and David Baldwin.

The Wollondilly Tango in Tarlo

Some wise rogainer once said “Cancel – it won’t rain; go ahead it will”.

Thanks to all the people who could move their plans along one week and brave “The Bridge”.  The Bridge being the low-level crossing over the Wollondilly River – and the only way in and out of the rogaine site.  The locals gave it a 50/50 chance of flooding AFTER the teams had arrived!!  The organisers (a little stressed at this point) tangoed for the lucky 50% and everyone did manage to leave as planned.  The very generous landowner allowed us to use his enormous shed, which kept the caterers and admin teams out of the rain and mud. 

The Tarlo River was impressively in flood (seen from checkpoint 100).  Fortunately, there were no controls on the other side!! The small creeks (normally dry) were flooding and a few teams managed to find the only deep holes in the creeks getting just a bit wet.  However, lots of folks enjoyed the slightly drizzly conditions keeping the temperature down.

There were reports of enormous flannel flowers, wombats, orchids, goodenias and one lucky team spotted an owlet nightjar.  Congratulations to the winning teams Lee Rice and Craig Cowen (6 hour) and Ronnie Taib and David Williams (12 hour) and all the other teams who had just as much fun!  See results here. 

And photos from the course are here.

Thanks to all the volunteer setters, vetters, collectors, Hartley Life Care and the landowners.  Best not to Tango with Tarlo in a La Nina year.  However, next time there will be a new bridge at least 4 metres higher.

Presidents‍ Report

2020 Hindsight was supposed to epitomise putting past things into sharp and accurate perspective, but the 2021 lens has gone one better in framing a forgettable year. Until recently it was hard to remember a time when a rogaine had to be cancelled - we're a hardy bunch after all - but fire, flood and pestilence have tested the toughest resolve again this year, seeing off even the metrogaine. Just when we thought it was safe to go back into the forest, the rains came again, first bogging a number of vehicles at Rob Roy in July, then threatening to wash out yet another car park/bridge/hash house. Loss of the SES Navshield was ACTRA's gain this year though, as Tarlo forest authorities are now only allowing one event a year on their patch - and what an event the postponed tango was, thanks to veteran course-setters Ron Simpson and Jean Douglass, who also stepped up to make sure the even-more-postponed twilight in the trees event could take place this month. Thanks in that regard also to Benita Sommerville for pulling the organiser strings from as far away as East Timor! Your ACTRA committee members are a talented bunch😊

Lots of photos are accessible from the website for the events we have been able to hold, so be sure to relive all the good bits of 2021 there.

As we all set our sights on rogaining in 2022 it is timely to recall a few basics - please bring your own indemnity form and first aid kit to all events, as well as enough warm/dry clothing to change into (even if not to carry on course); try to car pool where you can, leave all gates as you find them (especially the closed ones) and please leave the dog at home - our events rely on the permission of private and public landholders, whose conditions around vehicle and animal access must be respected if we are to be allowed back in future years.

Also remember you can keep (?) in shape over the summer by revisiting the local Virtualgaine courses that are still available via the smartphone MapRun app, so you'll be fighting fit and raring to go rogaining again in the new year.

All the best until then,

Stephen Goggs

World Rogaine Champs 2022 - preferred entries opening very soon

The 2022 World Rogaining Champs will be in the Czech Republic set by one of their eminent rogainers on 26-27 August. From Jan Tojnar's description of the area in the north east of the country on the Polish border it sounds like superb rogaining. Pre-qualified entrants will have a chance to preferentially enter in the second half of December 2021. Regular entries will be also open through to April 2022 in recognition of uncertainties about travel restrictions. If you are thinking of travel to Europe for their summer see if you can fit this event into your schedule.

Another Twilight 3 hour to start 2022

The first event of the year will be the annual 3 hour twilight event held in the Ainslie/Majura reserve on 19 February 2022 so keep an eye on when entries open to secure your spot! Volunteers are currently being sought including vetters, a first aider and on the day helpers. Please contact the Brad, the event coordinator, if you are interested in helping out.‍

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