2002 Australian Championships
NAASTY but CLEAR 2002 Australian Championships, Mt Clear in Namadgi, ACT - 27-28 April 2002
ACT wins interstate trophy, and, more importantly, hosts a first class event.
Wow, good things were done! Especially by Geoff, but what a huge effort from his team, as well.
Here’s some comments from satisfied participants:
We have been rogaining since 1973 and this would have to be one of the best set, best organised events we have ever been in. Our performance wasn't very good, but that didn't affect our appreciation and enjoyment. We love the location - have done a bit of bushwalking in the area so knew it would be good (although we did find a few more thick bits than we expected). As for the Jerangle catering complete with home-made cakes...! We particularly endorse your control scoring philosophy - nothing about rogaining annoys us more than a range of scores from 10 to 100 because there is no way that a 100 pointer is worth 10 times the effort of a 10 pointer. Your belief that scores should be based on relative difficulty and distance from adjacent controls is absolutely correct. To base scores on distance from hash house means that people who reach the outermost controls get a double benefit - high scoring controls PLUS all the other controls collected along the way. Your event was much fairer.
Robyn & Peter Tuft
A huge thank you to Geoff and all his team. A great event. Great terrain and vegetation (my favourite type of country, granite & eucalypt), well planned and set course, some tricky navigation, excellent weather, very good map, a central hash house, a reasonable number of roads, very kind warnings of the small amount of thicker scrub, a very convenient map size and excellent print quality. Certainly Oz champs quality. Well done again, a very tough act to follow.
Dick Walker
It was fairly tough and very few places where there was easy running. I think it would have been possible to finish, but this would have been a very good effort (World Champs standard). We made a few silly mistakes including walking past a couple of checkpoints, and thinking we could see a major creek bend at dawn and as a result spending 30mins searching on a broad spur when in fact the bend was 300m further along. Was also wasted a bit of time at 86 where the contours were wrong, but this was primarily our fault rather than the maps. We managed a consistently strong pace at night time though and spiked every CP at night except one. I thought it was a very good championships course, though probably a little tough for an ordinary event. I also liked your detailed notes in terms of maximising fairness of not getting caught in patches of thick bush.
Nigel Aylott
Thank you for organising a fantastic event. The administrative side of things was excellent, making registering, state membership, camping and the purchase of a t-shirt dead easy. If only the hiking would have been that easy! We (team 171) headed off on a northerly course, intending to collect all checkpoints in the north western quarter. My partner, however, succumbed to injured ankles and heels after a more-or-less continuous 8 hours of uphill madness. (By the way, it was his first event). We found it hilarious to see that we were among the few who visited controls 46 and 59. The moonrise, from the hillside west of 59 was glorious, and we both agreed that the wombats up there had some pretty prime real-estate. Both on the course, and back at the hash house, we heard many teams complain that 87 was misplaced. We couldn't agree - we found it without problem - on our way back to the road. As much as reaching the road after a tiring climb was a relief to my partner, we still had an hour and a half of downhill roadwalking to do. Happily, our meagre 520 points ranked amongst teams who spent over 23 hours on the field. Either that, or they also retired and then completed a second loop in the morning. If I could do it again, I'd do it differently, but I guess everyone says that, and sadly, no-one will have the chance. Thus is the nature of the event. All in all, the experience was fantastic, and a fantastic return to a sport in which I haven't competed for 8 years. I look forward to many more.
Chris Rehberg
A word from a convert! My first rogaine was very enjoyable, if a little brisk on the temperature side. Do you have an answer to frozen 'camel' tubes? Previous experience in recreational bushwalking and some involvment in Emergency Services training - participation in Navigational Shield in NSW past few years. I must say that you look after your competitors much better - you feed them! Congratulations on a well run event.
Gordon
Just a brief word of appreciation. Max and I very much appreciated the work that had gone into organising the Rogaining Championships at the weekend. I am not sure what it was like behind the scenes but from our point of view everything went extremely well. Registration, Meals, Controls, Results, Camp site (toilets, water), the tents to shelter in for meals had it been wet, drums for warmth, etc. Basically a lot of attention to detail and a great result for the articipants.Thank-you.
David.
Thanks Geoff for the best rogaine I've competed in. Things I particularly liked:
• no dodgy control placings
• control values that accurately reflected their worth!!!!! (so hard to do, but you got it right)
• challenging terrain
• perfect time of year (the cold was a bonus)
• efficient, courteous and accurate admin
• excellent informative course notes that didn't give too much away
• couple of terrific viewpoints
• tents for eating, control card counting, and map preparation are essential and much appreciated by those who aren't part of the four wheel drive/picnic table brigade.
• Same goes for the chairs provided around the fires at night.
Absolutely nothing to complain of, except sore feet. A memorable and exciting rogaine - expected nothing less of an ACT sponsored event. We rock! Thanks again. Please pass on my congratulations to other organisers and helpers.
Keith Conley
Thanks for a great Rogaine on the weekend. Markus and I found the course challenging and very physical. I have competed in a few Rogaines in WA, but this would have to be the hardest I have done.
Merrick Lalor
Just wanted to say the rogaine should have been called the absolutely beautiful rogaine. What a magnificent area! My partner and I had a fabulous time. It was really well run, efficient ,lovely food, and amazing countryside. Thankyou., Judy Le Breton
Just to say thanks for the event at the weekend. Our team had a great time.
Peter Boyland
Great event. Great weather. Great organisation. Pity about our results! Thank you very much for organising.
Graham H.Millar
Read MoreACT wins interstate trophy, and, more importantly, hosts a first class event.
Wow, good things were done! Especially by Geoff, but what a huge effort from his team, as well.
Here’s some comments from satisfied participants:
We have been rogaining since 1973 and this would have to be one of the best set, best organised events we have ever been in. Our performance wasn't very good, but that didn't affect our appreciation and enjoyment. We love the location - have done a bit of bushwalking in the area so knew it would be good (although we did find a few more thick bits than we expected). As for the Jerangle catering complete with home-made cakes...! We particularly endorse your control scoring philosophy - nothing about rogaining annoys us more than a range of scores from 10 to 100 because there is no way that a 100 pointer is worth 10 times the effort of a 10 pointer. Your belief that scores should be based on relative difficulty and distance from adjacent controls is absolutely correct. To base scores on distance from hash house means that people who reach the outermost controls get a double benefit - high scoring controls PLUS all the other controls collected along the way. Your event was much fairer.
Robyn & Peter Tuft
A huge thank you to Geoff and all his team. A great event. Great terrain and vegetation (my favourite type of country, granite & eucalypt), well planned and set course, some tricky navigation, excellent weather, very good map, a central hash house, a reasonable number of roads, very kind warnings of the small amount of thicker scrub, a very convenient map size and excellent print quality. Certainly Oz champs quality. Well done again, a very tough act to follow.
Dick Walker
It was fairly tough and very few places where there was easy running. I think it would have been possible to finish, but this would have been a very good effort (World Champs standard). We made a few silly mistakes including walking past a couple of checkpoints, and thinking we could see a major creek bend at dawn and as a result spending 30mins searching on a broad spur when in fact the bend was 300m further along. Was also wasted a bit of time at 86 where the contours were wrong, but this was primarily our fault rather than the maps. We managed a consistently strong pace at night time though and spiked every CP at night except one. I thought it was a very good championships course, though probably a little tough for an ordinary event. I also liked your detailed notes in terms of maximising fairness of not getting caught in patches of thick bush.
Nigel Aylott
Thank you for organising a fantastic event. The administrative side of things was excellent, making registering, state membership, camping and the purchase of a t-shirt dead easy. If only the hiking would have been that easy! We (team 171) headed off on a northerly course, intending to collect all checkpoints in the north western quarter. My partner, however, succumbed to injured ankles and heels after a more-or-less continuous 8 hours of uphill madness. (By the way, it was his first event). We found it hilarious to see that we were among the few who visited controls 46 and 59. The moonrise, from the hillside west of 59 was glorious, and we both agreed that the wombats up there had some pretty prime real-estate. Both on the course, and back at the hash house, we heard many teams complain that 87 was misplaced. We couldn't agree - we found it without problem - on our way back to the road. As much as reaching the road after a tiring climb was a relief to my partner, we still had an hour and a half of downhill roadwalking to do. Happily, our meagre 520 points ranked amongst teams who spent over 23 hours on the field. Either that, or they also retired and then completed a second loop in the morning. If I could do it again, I'd do it differently, but I guess everyone says that, and sadly, no-one will have the chance. Thus is the nature of the event. All in all, the experience was fantastic, and a fantastic return to a sport in which I haven't competed for 8 years. I look forward to many more.
Chris Rehberg
A word from a convert! My first rogaine was very enjoyable, if a little brisk on the temperature side. Do you have an answer to frozen 'camel' tubes? Previous experience in recreational bushwalking and some involvment in Emergency Services training - participation in Navigational Shield in NSW past few years. I must say that you look after your competitors much better - you feed them! Congratulations on a well run event.
Gordon
Just a brief word of appreciation. Max and I very much appreciated the work that had gone into organising the Rogaining Championships at the weekend. I am not sure what it was like behind the scenes but from our point of view everything went extremely well. Registration, Meals, Controls, Results, Camp site (toilets, water), the tents to shelter in for meals had it been wet, drums for warmth, etc. Basically a lot of attention to detail and a great result for the articipants.Thank-you.
David.
Thanks Geoff for the best rogaine I've competed in. Things I particularly liked:
• no dodgy control placings
• control values that accurately reflected their worth!!!!! (so hard to do, but you got it right)
• challenging terrain
• perfect time of year (the cold was a bonus)
• efficient, courteous and accurate admin
• excellent informative course notes that didn't give too much away
• couple of terrific viewpoints
• tents for eating, control card counting, and map preparation are essential and much appreciated by those who aren't part of the four wheel drive/picnic table brigade.
• Same goes for the chairs provided around the fires at night.
Absolutely nothing to complain of, except sore feet. A memorable and exciting rogaine - expected nothing less of an ACT sponsored event. We rock! Thanks again. Please pass on my congratulations to other organisers and helpers.
Keith Conley
Thanks for a great Rogaine on the weekend. Markus and I found the course challenging and very physical. I have competed in a few Rogaines in WA, but this would have to be the hardest I have done.
Merrick Lalor
Just wanted to say the rogaine should have been called the absolutely beautiful rogaine. What a magnificent area! My partner and I had a fabulous time. It was really well run, efficient ,lovely food, and amazing countryside. Thankyou., Judy Le Breton
Just to say thanks for the event at the weekend. Our team had a great time.
Peter Boyland
Great event. Great weather. Great organisation. Pity about our results! Thank you very much for organising.
Graham H.Millar
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