Summer Shorts and Sprints 2026 LATEST NEWS It was a lovely Spring day for a romp around Ruffey. While today’s courses were not so technical, the ups and downs added physicality, while bridges, boardwalks, vegetation and contour avoidance provided route choice. The Mad Dash was the second last leg – congratulations to anyone with enough fitness in their legs to give it a crack! In the end there was tight competition, with winners and second placegetters separated by a handful of seconds. Race 4 winners – congratulations to Torren Arthur, Fredrik Johansson and Julie Francis Mad Dash winners – Samuel Jacob, Gwendolyn Parrent and Stanley Robertson Results and Split Times HERE Click here to see the Series Standings after Race 4 Current series leaders: 1 – Tim Hatley, Sophie Taverna 2 – Eofy Greenhan, Wendy Taverna 3 – Stanley Robertson, Thea Robertson Your best 4 scores count – prizes will be awarded at the Victorian Sprint Champs on Sunday November 29. ENTRIES ARE NOW OPEN FOR ALL REMAINING RACES! Online entries close on the preceding Thursday night. Use the links below to enter. Sun November 15 – Waverley Stadium – enter by Thurs Nov 12 – More info and online entry SATURDAY November 21 – Kardinia College Geelong – More info and online entry Add some sizzle to your Spring and Summer, at a brand new series of sprint and short distance races in parks and campuses on Sunday mornings. Race at a different venue each week during October and November – the perfect lead-in to the Geelong City Race, the Victorian Primary Schools Champs, and the Victorian Sprint Champs. SSAS 2026 Flyer SPRINT OR SHORT? SPRINTS are on campuses or in parks with more landscaped features and/or complex terrain. Courses are approx 3.5 km, 2.5 km, or 2 km. Map scale is usually 1:3000 or 1:4000. SHORTS are in less complex parkland. Courses are a little longer, at approx 4 km, 3 km, or 2 km. Map scale may be 1:5000 or 1:7500. Here’s what to expect: a great selection of full colour maps three action-packed, fun courses, with something for everyone from newcomers to top sprinters designed for fast thinking, with lots of controls, direction changes and route choices choose your own start time and course Sportident electronic timing, in Air mode (Sportident stick loan included in entry fee) Inflation-busting entry fees! Kids Run Free at SSAS events – applies to under 13s. Kids aged 13-20 pay just $6, and adults pay only $12 Coaching and assistance for newcomers, and a family-friendly outdoor activity; no limits on age or ability, and no previous experience or special equipment needed Prizes: All competitors will receive points each week, with 100 for the winner, 99 for second, etc. At the end of the 6-race series of Summer Shorts and Sprints, your best 4 scores will be totalled for your overall score. Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 males and females on each course. There are also weekly prizes on offer for the on-the-day winners on each course, and winners of the weekly Mad Dash leg. Other events: Sun November 22 – Geelong City Race Sun November 29 – Victorian Sprint Champs Questions? email enquiries@drocorienteering.com.au 2026 EVENTS: SSAS 1 - Sunday 18 October - Dandenong Showgrounds (New Map) Greaves Reserve, Attenborough Street off Bennet Street, Dandenong A terrific start to this year’s SSAS series with a new map courtesy of Nick Wakeling. There were a number of straight out running legs followed by complex navigating around the creek and then a sprint to the finish. Many thanks to DROC members for this first event. Results and split times HERE Course Winners: Course 1: James Robertson Course 2: Dion Keech Course 3: Ellie Keech Mad Dash Leg Winners: Course 1: James Robertson Course 2: Sarah Love Course 3: Stanley Robertson SSAS 2 - Sunday 25 October - Burnley Campus University of Melbourne Burnley Campus, Yarra Boulevard, Burnley Great to see a good turnout on a very wet day, which only added to the complexity and challenge. The garden maze and lots of artificial barriers kept everyone on their toes throughout, while the Mad Dash over the final leg resulted in a three way tie on Course 1. Results and split times HERE Course Winners: Course 1: Torren Arthur Course 2: Dion Keech Course 3: Santiago Neve Medina Mad Dash Leg Winners: Course 1: James Robertson/Nathan Lawson/Andrew Slattery Course 2: Neo Kozma Course 3: Santiago Neve Medina SSAS 3 - Sunday 1 November - Newport Lakes Lakes Drive, off Mason Street, Newport The sun came out and so did the people. All courses took runners around the lake, with the option of crossing via the stepping stones or deciding to take a different route around. It was a lot of fun. An added bonus was the event run afterwards, involving a chasing start. Those with the best time started first and then at periodic intervals the rest started with the aim of catching the leaders. Bruce and Lydia were the chasees, with neither one caught! Results and split times HERE Course Winners: Course 1: Bruce Arthur Course 2: Lydia Stott Course 3: Santiago Neve Medina Mad Dash Leg Winners: Course 1: Bruce Arthur Course 2: Takumi Okabe Course 3: Santiago Neve Medina SSAS 4 - Sunday 8 November - Ruffey Lake Ruffey Lake Park (west side), The Boulevard, Templestowe It was a lovely Spring day for a romp around Ruffey. While today’s courses were not so technical, the ups and downs added physicality, while bridges, boardwalks, vegetation and contour avoidance provided route choice. The Mad Dash was the second last leg – congratulations to anyone with enough fitness in their legs to give it a crack! In the end there was tight competition, with winners and second placegetters separated by a handful of seconds. Race 4 winners – congratulations to Torren Arthur, Fredrik Johansson and Julie Francis Mad Dash winners – Samuel Jacob, Gwendolyn Parrent and Stanley Robertson Results and Split Times HERE Click here to see the Series Standings after Race 4 Current series leaders: 1 – Tim Hatley, Sophie Taverna 2 – Eofy Greenhan, Wendy Taverna 3 – Stanley Robertson, Thea Robertson Your best 4 scores count – prizes will be awarded at the Victorian Sprint Champs on Sunday November 29. SSAS 5 - Sunday 15 November - Waverley Stadium Cavenagh Boulevard/Anfield Drive, off Jacksons Road, Mulgrave More info and online entry Results and splits Race wrap SSAS 6 - SATURDAY 21 November - Kardinia College, Geelong Kardinia International College, Geelong More info and online entry Results and splits Race wrap