Thursday Evening Park Street Orienteering

For fitness and fun

Everyone is welcome

Enjoy an evening stroll or a more strenuous challenge.  Walk, jog or run – be as competitive or as casual as you like while getting to know your parklands and suburbs.

Courses for runners and walkers.
Are you looking for new training options or just a fun way to exercise?
Park Street Orienteering caters for all.

Thursday events are held in the northern suburbs, during daylight savings.

Enquiries: Ewen, 9434 6071 or email voa@iinet.net.au

Thursday Series events use the MapRun smartphone app.  Download MapRun6 for your phone, or MapRunG for your bluetooth-enabled watch.  Instructions available at the events. Traditional control cards may also be used.

You will also need your smartphone to enter using OTrack. No Smartphone? Ask us to assist – we’ll get you moving!

TEMPLESTOWE TRAILS

With tonight being the last event for contributing to the overall rankings for the series, it was appropriate that it was held on a map that is relatively unfamiliar to most participants. Templestowe Trails hasn’t been used for some time and required some remapping – particularly at the eastern end. I actually ran it during lockdown after noting this was a map that was within my circle and had never run it. It is pretty hilly with only two relatively flat sections. The first is along a park in the east and the second is the ridge where we started from. The rest of it is hills – though not as hilly as, for example, St Helena, Research or Montmorency. The street network is classic 70s with courts and crescents and not always with connections.

Lauris Stirling was the course-setter this evening and her course made good use of the map. Though its shape is largely rectangular, good use was made of the street network to generate multiple ways of going east-west and north-south resulting in considerable differences in course lengths! Power walkers were also encouraged to visit all sections of the map with a cluster of high point controls in the west and in the east around the park. Though there were also enough nearby the start so those doing the shorter courses could return with a satisfactory score. Conditions were also ideal for running and walking – not too hot. An excellent way to end the series!

The largest group this evening was the A-course runners – their numbers recently increasing with a new set of competitive runners now regularly participating. Two of them, Ethan C. and Lachlan A. finished first and second this evening. Andrew B. was in third place, less than a minute ahead of another newish runner, Stuart L. Experience showed its value with Vic S. finding the shortest route, saving between 1 to 2 kilometres on those who ended up doing longer courses.

Victoria G. was first back for the B-course runners, followed by Katherine T. and Jim G. Geoff H. once again found the shortest route.

It was a very close competition for C-course. James R. was first back but the next three runners were within a minute behind him. Greg P. was second (finding the shortest route), seventeen seconds ahead of third placed Jayne S., who was just seven seconds ahead of Simon T.

Sue C. was a clear first for D-course, followed by Cliff C. and Ewen T. Sue C. returned with the shortest route as well.

Finally, it was also a close competition amongst the powerwalkers. Mark B. returned with 61 points, just one point ahead of Noel McV. Kevin M. was third with 55 points, just one point ahead of relative newcomers, Paige G. and James B. Great to see so many new people doing well!

So to the final results.

For A course, Steven O’C. was first with 1196 out of a possible 1200 points. Andrew B. was second and Bryan S. third. Steven O’C. was also the most regular participant in A-course, completing 21 out of 22 possible events.

In B course, Victoria G. was first with 1199 out of 1200! Katherine T. finished second and Geoff H. third. Victoria was also the most regular participant in B-course with 20 out of 22 events.

The results for C-course weren’t determined until the final event. While Simon T. was a clear first, Greg P.’s excellent result in the final event meant he finished second overall with Greg B. in third place, just ahead of Jayne S. Greg P. was also the most regular participant in C-course completing 21 events.

Sue C. was first overall for D-course, followed by Cliff C. and Ewen T. Sue C. was by far the most regular participant completing 21 courses.

Dave S. was first among the power-walkers with a perfect 1200. Second and third were determined in the final event, with a good performance by Noel McV. resulting him finishing second overall, followed by Lauris S. and Lyn G. Noel was also the only participant across all classes to complete all 22 events in one class! Well done!

Well done to all of the place-getters, and more generally to the participants in the Thursday Summer Series. Next week we have a final run around Ruffey Park before finishing with a BBQ. It should be another good night to finish the series!