Message from President Gene Beveridge

Kia ora all. The 2023 Bivouac Outdoor Rogaine Series has recently concluded with positive feedback from participants. It was great to see people of all ages at events with many having a go at orienteering for the first time as well as experienced orienteers being challenged by the terrain and the placement of controls. Welcome to the new members who’ve joined our Club from the series. And thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of the events.

Newsletter Contents

• 2023 Event Calendar
  • Great Forest Rogaine
  • Club Nationals 2023
• Next NWOC Events
  • Map Walk this Sunday, 18 June
  • Upcoming Forest Events
  • NWOC Club Champs
  • Orienteering Club Nationals 2024 - NWOC Group Accommodation
• Reflections on the 2023 Rogaine Series
• Schools Orienteering
• ONZ Controller's Clinic
• Member News
• New Members

2023 Event Calendar

All upcoming events in the wider Auckland area are listed on our NWOC website here
New Zealand wide events are on Orienteering New Zealand’s website here
Check the links above for details of events coming soon.

A popular event coming soon is the Great Forest Rogaine

Hosted by Orienteering Bay of Plenty on Saturday 28 July, the Great Forest Rogaine offers a 3 or 6 hour, foot or mountain bike team rogaine open to all ages and abilities in the world famous Whakarewarewa Forest. A great adventure to do with friends and family. Pre-entry is required. Event details here

National Club Championships 2023

The National Championships that were scheduled to be held over Easter but were deferred because of the devastating effects of Cyclone Gabrielle on the Hawkes Bay area, will now be held over Labour Weekend. The following dates have been confirmed:

• Friday 20th October 2023 – Sprint – Windsor, Hastings
• Saturday 21st October 2023 – Middle– Mangatarata, Waipukurau
• Sunday 22nd October 2023– Long – Tuna Nui, Sherenden
• Monday 23rd October 2023 – Relay – Tuna Nui, Sherenden

More information will be released shortly. Please check the event website for updates.

Next NWOC Events

Map Walk for Members - this Sunday 18 June

We're offering a map walk for members before the event on this Sunday, 18 June at Temu Rd, Woodhill (event being hosted by Auckland Orienteering Club). Targeted at newer members at the white and yellow level, you will walk a section of the event map with an experienced North West member looking at features on the ground and how they look on the map as well as discussing orienteering techniques to use in the forest. Following the map walk you can do one of the courses offered by Auckland Club. (You need to pre-enter for the Auckland event via enterO here )

Meeting time for the map walk is 9.30am at the Event Centre - look for the North West banner. Map walk will be for approx. 30mins. Register your interest here

We'd like a few more North West Members to help as coaches please - if you're available, please register here

Any questions please contact Lisa Mead mead10b@gmail.com or 0211359631

No charge for this training opportunity for North West members.

Forest Events to be hosted by North West

North West will host 3 forest events in the next couple of months:

• Sunday 9 July - Hucks Avenue Map, Woodhill Forest
• Sunday 20 August - Mushroom Road, Woodhill Forest
• Sunday 17 September - Deacon Road, Woodhill Forest

All details about these events will be posted on our NWOC website and in future newsletters.

Earn a Voucher for Volunteering

We always need help from members for events - whether that's learning what's involved as a course planner or helping on the day of an event e.g pitch tents, be on registration, direct people to parking, pack up at the end of the day or collect controls - there’s a variety of jobs and something for everyone. And we'll support you! Plus you also get to meet and know Club Members.

Club Members who regularly help with events are given vouchers for reduced entry fees for other North West events. If you can help please contact Club Captain, Rob Garden rgmg@xtra.co.nz or 021597070.

North West Club Champs

Our Club Champs will be held on Sunday 13 August at a forest event to be hosted by Auckland Orienteering Club - more details to come.

Orienteering Club Nationals 2024 - NWOC Group Accommodation

Reflections on our Bivouac Outdoor Rogaine Series 2023

Our recent three event rogaine series was as popular as ever with around 300 people competing in each event across three different venues. We are grateful to everyone who helped make these events happen - we feature some of them in the collages below and apologies to anyone we missed.

Special thanks to the event sponsor, Bivouac Outdoor who has supported North West with these events for many years.

Schools Orienteering - NZSS Champs for 2023

The 2023 New Zealand Secondary Schools Orienteering Championships will be held in Marlborough from Thursday 13 July to Saturday 15 July. The event programme includes:

• Thursday 13 July, 10am | Individual Long Champs, at Bastion
• Friday 14 July, 10am | IndividualSprint Champs, in Blenheim's CBD
• Saturday 15 July, 10am | Relay event, Wither Hills MTB Park

For all the details see here Enter here

Closing date for entries is Thursday 29 June 2023 at midnight.

ONZ Controllers Clinic

The ONZ Technical Committee will be running a controllers' clinic over the weekend of 14/15 October in the South Auckland area.

The course is designed for those wanting to learn about event controlling from club events to A-level. Prior course planning experience is necessary (even if only at club level); the course is not suitable for complete beginners.

ONZ members from any club are welcome. Please contact the ONZ Technical Committee if you are interested in attending.

Email onz-technical-committee@orienteering.org.nz
If you’re interested but unsure it’s for you, please email NWOC at northwestorienteering@gmail.com and someone will contact you to discuss this.

Member News

Matt Ogden - preparing for WOC 2023
NWOC Life Member and previous JWOC Middle winner, Matt is competing in WOC 2023 and is aiming to repeat his JWOC performance of 2012. Matt takes a very analytical approach to his training, always seeking to sharpen his skills and ultimately his results. This makes for fascinating reading, giving insights into his approach.
In one of Matt’s recent supporter’s newsletters, he wrote about revising his O technique. Read more here

New Members

A very warm welcome to all our new members: Sabina Altorf, Simon, Sam & Jack Godfrey, Alexis Heckler, Stephen Hong, Zara Hong-Michael, Valerie Michael, Margie Olds, Chris Tuveve-Aiono & Callum Wilkie.