Australian Rogaining Association

The Australian Rogaining Association (ARA) and the New Zealand Rogaining Association (NZRA) have agreed that from 2013 forward, the Regional Rogaining Championships for WRC qualification purposes for the SE Asia/Oceania region will change from being the Australian Championships to the Australasian Rogaining Championships.

The Australasian Rogaining Championships will be conducted concurrent with either the Australian Rogaining Championships or the New Zealand Rogaining Championships. The first Australasian Rogaining Championships will be held in North Queensland on 22/23 June 2013 with the first Australasian Rogaining Championships in New Zealand anticipated to be held in 2016.

The 2013 University Rogaining Championship will be held in conjunction with the Western Australian Rogaining Championships on the 17-18th August. The event location will be about 90 km south east of Perth.

Each year The Nigel Aylott Memorial Sports Foundation (NAMSF) supports university students to enter the event. NAMSF was set up in memory of Nigel a keen adventure racer and rogainer, to encourage engagement in these outdoor sports. Details of NAMSF subsidies will be available soon.

The University Rogaining Championship is open to all university students (full-time, part-time, undergraduate, or post-graduate).

The 2013 Australian Rogaining Championship, organised by QRA, will be the first in Northern Queensland. The event date is 22/23 June 2013. The location is on the Atherton Tableland, 40km from Cairns and 20km from Mareeba. The course covers 205 square kilometres of mostly state forest with spur gully terrain and open woodland to tall open forest.

While the southern states experience cold, wet weather at this time of year, the tableland is typically mild and dry. Entries are now open. The event website is http://adventuresportnq.info/arc2013...

At the World Rogaining Championship held 31 August-1 September 2012 near Prebuz, Czech Republic, 43 Australians competed in a field of 700. The first three teams were from Estonia, Finland and Russia. Outstanding Australian results were:

• David Baldwin, Julie Quinn: Second Mixed Open and first Mixed Veterans
• Jess Baker, Gill Fowler: Second Women Open
• Tamsin Barnes, Thorlene Egerton: Third Women Veterans
• Rod Gray, Geoff Lawford: First Men Super Veterans
• Derek Morris, Ted van Geldermalsen: Third Men Super Veterans.

• add Ultra-vets (65 and over) as ARC category
• carrying GPS devices for post-event analysis of routes
• mobile phones
• interstate Challenge Trophy pointscore

The 2012 Australian Championship has been won by Paul Williams (WA) and Ben Corry (ACT). Second were the Under 23 team of Sarah Buckerfield and Ben Greenwod, third Jonathan Warswick and Julie Quinn. The first Womens' team was Zara Soden and Suzanne Casanova, fourth overall. ACTRA won the interstate challenge. The Australian National University took out the top three places in the Australian University Rogaining Championship.

SARA organised the 2012 Australian Rogaining Championship in South Australia's Flinders Ranges near Parachilna Gorge on 5/6 May 2012. SARA had previously hosted the Australian Championship in the spectacular Flinders Ranges in 1991 (Wyacca Creek), 1997 (Arkaba Station) and 2004 (Black Hill). Results on the event website http://rogaine.asn.au/arc2012...

The Australian Rogaining Association (ARA) has established an International Development Fund (IDF) to assist with the development of rogaining in other countries. This fund is managed by the ARA’s IDF Fund Committee.

The fund may apply to initiatives such as development of a national rogaining body; procurement of equipment; financial support for a major event’s up-front costs; or subsidised travel to improve communication and collaboration.

Submissions for support under the scheme are made in writing to the ARA Secretary, with applications closing on 30 April and 31 October each year. details here...

The ARA has been allocated six team wildcard entries that are available to assist ARA members to participate in the 2012 World Rogaining Championships (WRC). It is intended that the ARA award these wildcard entries to teams meeting one or more of the following guidelines:

• The team has demonstrated through rogaining competition that they could be expected to perform well within the WRC competition
• The team has just changed age grades and would be competitive in the new grade.
• The team has recent rogaining experience and has demonstrated through competition in other endurance, navigation based competition that they could be expected to perform well within the WRC competition
• The team is comprised of individuals who have demonstrated very strong commitment to and support for rogaining in Australia through administration of the sport and/or organisation of rogaining events and would be expected to continue to do so.

Applications must be submitted by 29 February 2012, details here...