News

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 /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 entry process for WRC2012 Czech Republic is due to commence on 1 December 2011. A multi-stage selective entry process will be followed, similar to arrangements for WRC2010 New Zealand. The event limit is 1000 competitors.

The entry criteria and process is available at: WRC 2012 entry criteria. The list of pre-qualified entrants for Phase 1 of entry (1-14 December) has been published.

The World Rogaining Championship will be held in the Karlovy Vary region on 31 August 2012. Organisers are Czech Association of Rogaining and Mountain Orienteering (CAR). The event website is: www.rogaining.cz/wrc2012...

Phillip Gatt and Sarah Buckerfield from Australian National University won the 2011 University Rogaining Championship near Perth on 13/14 August 2011. They were also first mixed team and fifth placed overall. University teams competed from Tasmania, Queensland, NSW, ACT, South Australia and Western Australia. The event was held in conjunction with the "Schulstaad Waltz" Western Australian Rogaining Championships.

The standard of the university competition was high. The event was tough: it rained quite heavily from dusk to dawn. The subtle features and 5 metre contours meant that the navigation was a suitable challenge. Results and picture ....

The 2011 University Rogaining Championship will be held in conjunction with the Western Australia Rogaining Championships on the 13-14th August. It promises to be a great event, 80 km southeast of Perth in gently rolling, moderately open bushland.

Each year The Nigel Aylott Memorial Sports Foundation (NAMSF) supports university students to enter the event. NAMSF will cover travel expenses for one team for each state and also the entry cost for all full time students over 16 years. NAMSF was set up in memory of Nigel a keen adventure racer and rogainer, to encourage engagement in these outdoor sports.

The University Rogaining Championship is open to all university students. If you are a university student (full-time, part-time, undergraduate, or post-graduate) you can enter the event. To apply for the grant, contact your state/territory association.

Gill Fowler, University Coordinator

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...