News

Victorian Rogaining Association hosted the 35th Australian Rogaining Championship near Malmsbury on 11-12 October 2014.
Kiwi teams were once again prominent in the Australasian Championship. The top three overall were Mixed teams. Victoria won the Interstate Challange through placings in senior and junior categories. Winners of the gender sections were:

  • Greig Hamilton, Georgia Whitla (New Zealand), First Mixed and overall
  • Robert Jarvis, Phil Wood (New Zealand), First Men
  • Christine Brown, Karen Pedley (Tasmania), First Women

The results are available in the ARA Results section....

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The 2014 Annual General Meeting of the Australian Rogaining Association will be held from 2:00pm to 5:00pm, on Friday 10 October at the ARC Hash House. A request has been made to each state/territory association to confirm their delegates' attendance at this meeting. If you would like to contribute to the meeting please contact your state/territory association's President, ARA Representative or other nominated delegate.

The Executive is due for election and nominations are open. If you have an interest in nominating for an executive role please contact the ARA Secretary, Paul Guard.

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A small contingent of 31 Australians competed in the World Championship in South Dakota held 17-18 August 2014 in the Black Hills, west of Rapid City. Four Australian teams won world titles. Julie Quinn and David Baldwin came sixth overall, while Geoff Lawford and Rod Gray won a third Men Super Veterans title.

The top placed teams overall were again from Estonia, Finland and Russia.
Australian medalists were:
  • Rod Gray, Geoff Lawford, 1st Men Super Veterans
  • Richard Robinson, Vivienne Prince (NZ), 1st Mixed Super Veterans
  • Tim Dent, Rob Taylor, Graham Anderson, 1st Men Ultra Veterans
  • Robyn Spriggs, Sharon Crawford (USA), 1st Women Ultra Veterans
  • Julie Quinn, David Baldwin, 3rd in Mixed Open and 2nd in Mixed Veterans
  • Tamsin Barnes, Thorlene Egerton, 2nd Women Veterans
  • Paul Williams, Andre Morkel, 2nd Mens Veterans
  • Derek Morris, Ted van Geldermalsen, 3rd Men Super Veterans
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As many rogainers will be aware current ARA Secretary and Immediate Past President of QRA, Paul Guard, lost his parents Jill and Roger in the MH17 tragedy. You can read his tribute to his parents here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cgVZ_RuGz-pRSaBSlyrbxvYFEIXlCeLrO7h_rBHf00Y/pub

In addition to being Paul’s father, Roger Guard was well known to many rogainers through his ultra-running exploits.

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It is with great sadness that we inform the Australian rogaining community of the passing on Saturday (12th April) afternoon of Geoff Mercer.

Geoff was a passionate rogainer through the 1990’s and early 2000’s.  He served the Australian Rogaining Association as Secretary, and was the organizer and course setter of the 2002 Australian Rogaining Championships.  He was also a life member of ACTRA and President for many years.  Geoff’s was a great source of wise counsel and thoughtful guidance for many people both competing and organizing events.

Over the past decade his growing family and other life priorities meant we didn’t see Geoff regularly at rogaines as we had previously but he had recently returned to the sport he loved. On Saturday he was participating in the ACT Rogaining Championships with his life partner and multiple ARC Champion, Alex Tyson, when he suffered a massive heart attack.

Alex and the four other teams that quickly gathered at the spot worked tirelessly for the five hours it took for the emergency services to reach this very remote location but the damage had been done in that first instant.

Geoff was 51 and in addition to Alex, leaves behind their two daughters aged 16 and 18. The thoughts of the entire Australian rogaining community are with them and the rest of Geoff’s family.

We will remember Geoff as a passionate rogainer who contributed greatly to our sport as an administrator with the ACT and Australian Rogaining Associations.

May he rest in peace.
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