College Sport Wellington Orienteering Competition 2023

Orienteering Wellington and Orienteering Hutt Valley organized two series of events for the 2023 CSW competition. These were the Sprint series of six events and the Orienteering series of five events. The events were open to all school students irrespective of orienteering experience, age, or fitness. 68 students took part in the Sprint series and 90 in the Orienteering series. Though technically not eligible to CSW events, there were grades open to Primary and Intermediate students. It was great to see a good number of future College students competing.

Competition Points

In both the Sprint series and the Orienteering series, in each race, the fastest person in each grade was awarded 25 points. The remaining orienteers were awarded points based on their percentage behind the winner’s time.

CSW Sprint Series Results

The Sprint series was run through February and March. The events were short courses run in an urban environment. These offered a good opportunity for new orienteers to have a go at orienteering, with some trickier courses to challenge the more experienced orienteers. In the Sprint series, the best four of six events counted towards the total points. The table below shows the winners and place getters in each grade.

CSW Orienteering Series Results

The Orienteering series was run from April to July. The events were traditional orienteering events held in parks around the greater Wellington region. These offered a good opportunity for students new to orienteering to experience non-urban events and learn how to orienteer in the Standard grade, while providing a challenge to experienced orienteers in the Championship grade. In the Orienteering series, the best four of five events counted towards the total points. The table below shows the winners and place getters in each grade.

Prize Giving

Prizes were awarded to the winners and place getters in the Championship Orienteering Series after a wet and muddy Orienteer of the Year Score Event on Ahumairangi Hill on Sunday 13 July. Winners each received a medal and chocolate bar. Second and third places each received a chocolate bar.

2023 Winners

Winners & Place Getters

International Representation

Several students from the Wellington region have been selected to represent New Zealand in international competitions.

Rachel Baker of Wellington Girls College competed in the Junior World Orienteering Championship in Romania during July. She got very respectable results of 68^th out of 153 in the Sprint, 62^nd out of 152 in the Middle distance and 48^th out of 147 in the Long. She was also in the womens team that came 9^th out of 43 teams.

Two teams of equal ability have been selected to compete for the Southern Cross Trophy against the six Australian states and the Australian Capital Territory in the 2023 Australian Schools Championships which will run between 30 September to 8 October 2023. Wellington students who have been chosen are:

• Nicholas Green of Hutt Valley High School
• Jake McLellan of Onslow College
• Rachel Baker of Wellington Girls College

New Zealand Competition

The National Secondary School Championships were run in Marlborough during July. Below are Wellington students who came in the top 10 places in various events. Jake McLellan was outstanding with wins in all three (Intermediate Boys) events. The Long, the Sprint and the Relay (with Morag McLellan and Troy Thompson). Nicholas and Jonathan Green of Hutt Valley were 3rd and 4th in the Senior Boys Sprint. Ali Power of Onslow was 4^th in the Senior Girls Long & 10^th in the Sprint. Morag was 10th in the Intermediate Girls Long and 7^th in the Sprint. Matthew Power of Onslow was 8^th in the Junior Boys Sprint.

Article added: Monday 04 September 2023