The Kit

We were presented with our kit at Gauteng Champs. And it looks very cool...

In the picture above we're wearing our running shirts. They're displaying the following logos:
SAOF, Fujifilm, Meditech, Salomon, Husqvarna and the SA flag.

Here we are wearing our tracksuits. They have the following logos:
SAOF, Meditech and Fujifilm.

Wooden Pot Auction
Thanks to Sam for auctioning the wooden bowl. She did a great job of getting a good price. And thank you to Mrs De Speville for getting the bowl from the artist Chris O'Connell. And thanks to Pieter for buying it.

Thanks to everyone
We can safely say you won't be harassed by Juniors at Orienteering events for a while. Thanks for buying food, drinks, raffle tickets, pots, fudge, brush cutters, flap jacks, tea and coffee. We're privileged.

Gauteng Champs

The Middle Distance Gauteng Champs were held at Moreletta Kloof on Saturday.

W16
This is the most hotly contested of the Junior age groups. The 4 Swedish Squad Juniors had to fight it out for the 3 medals. Sarah had a very good run, winning by 11 minutes.
1st Sarah - 33:16
2nd Jessica Lund - 44:20
3rd Jessica Hemer - 48:36
4th Salome - 48:47












W20
Zoe won the this category. The competition in this class will get more intense next year as the W16's will start to move up.
1st Zoe - 1:00:21

M16
Bradley produced a good performance to win this one. He was on the same course as the W16's (which means Sarah beat him...). Connor Tiegs was 2nd, but isn't coming to Sweden unfortunately.
1st Bradley - 34:59
2nd Connor - 57:09

M20
Dylan won ahead of Michael Bratt. Alex was not there for the middle.
1st Dylan - 35:54
2nd Michael - 1:23:29

M40
Our squad father Richard competed in the veteran category and finished 7th. He was on the same course as Dylan.
7th Richard - 50:42


The Long Distance Champs were held at Gerotek on Sunday.

W16
Sarah completed an excellent weekend by winning again. Jessica Lund was second again and Salome and Jessica Hemer swapped places for 3rd and 4th respectively. The girls won't be competing directly like this in Sweden, because they will be broken up into the D14, D15 and D16 categories. Another Junior who competed on Sunday was Dakota Tiegs. She isn't coming to Sweden, but we hope to see her at more events.
1st Sarah - 52:36
2nd Jessica Lund - 56:01
3rd Salome - 1:03:06
4th Jessica Hemer - 1:05:53
5th Dakota - 2:04:05

W20
Zoe had this category to herself again. She finished with a good performance.
1st Zoe - 1:13:29

M16
Bradley was pushed hard by Connor. This time Bradley won by just 13 seconds! Well done to both of them.
1st Bradley - 1:17:36
2nd Connor - 1:17:49

M20
Alex returned to give Dylan some competition, but Dylan won it convincingly by 6 minutes.
1st Dylan - 1:09:19
2nd Alex - 1:15:42




M40
Richard started very strongly, but looked a bit weary by the end.
9th Richard - 2:11:12


Super-Josh
Joshua De Klerk deserves a mention as a Junior on the way up. He is a lot younger than 12, but tore up the M12 course. Well done!










So...
The Champs showed that all the Junior in the squad are fit and competitive. After 2 weeks of getting used to the Swedish terrain, we can expect some decent performances.

Sponsors
Thanks to all our enthusiastic sponsors. We all really appreciate the help



Audiovision supplies us with an LG TV to raffle

Casio supplied us with a CHR100 HR Monitor watch

Coca Cola provided us with cool drinks to sell at Orienteering events

Fleetwood playgrounds donated a jungle gym to be raffled

Fuji Film provided us with money to buy tracksuits and team kit.

Husqvarna provided us with a brush cutter to sell

Meditech provided us with money to buy tracksuits and team kit

Pick 'n Pay donated ingredients for our catering at Orienteering events

Salomon allowed us to sell their shoes to Orienteers for fundraising. And we compete in Salomon shoes.

The SAOF has been very generous in helping to pay entry fees and costs associated with the trip.

Various Spars around Johannesburg have donated ingredients for catering at Orienteering events.

Suunto has allowed us to sell their compasses to raise funds.

Harrismith O'Ringen

South African Orienteers enjoyed 2 days of orienteering over the weekend of the 9th and 10th of June. Saturday's event was at Mount Everest on an open hillside with some massive boulders. Sunday's event was at Platberg in some varied forest.

It turned out to be a good weekend of preparation for the trip.


Squad results:
Saturday:
Brown course:

Dylan's first few controls didn't go well but he had some strong legs later in the course
4th in 1:46:15

Craig seemed to have a steady run. It was good time on his feet as he now is traveling far and wide before the Swedish O'Ringen
14th in 2:25:49

Alex finished in a good time, except for the fact that he skipped #10 and was disqualified. Turned out to be the fastest time of the day - sigh...
1:34:06

Blue Course:
Zoe continues to learn on the demanding blue course. See was the 4th woman home.
13th in 2:21:11

Green Course:
Salome had the best day of the Girls on the Green course. She won it ahead of many older, more experience competitors
1st in 1:30:57

Sarah was caught by Salome on the course and had to settle for second of the juniors on the green
3rd in 1:34:59

Jessica H was caught by the other two girls.
4th in 1:41:12

To stop these races turning into social occasions, we have to make sure the girls start further apart.


Sunday:
Brown Course:
This was a tough and challenging course on an outdated map. Dylan started 4th in the chasing starts, but was caught out by the tricky course
6th in 2:01:31

Craig was 11th in 3:01:58

Alex hurt his ITB the previous day and pulled out of the course about half way around.

Blue Course:
To show how tricky the area was Zoe finish in 2:41:06 on a course 2km shorter than the previous day. She did really well to finish as 2nd lady on the Blue. She was 11th overall.

Green Course:
With the chasing starts, this would be an interesting day. Salome started first, followed by Sarah and then Jessica. The first control was a disaster for most and they all bunched up there.

In the end, Salome got away from Sarah to finish in 1:14:29. Her lead from the previous day meant she won the weekends racing, but was 2nd on the course.

Sarah's time was 1:10:58, meaning she won the course but was about 30 sec behind overall. Close racing.

Jessica H was the 3rd lady and 8th overall on the Green in a time of 1:47:35.

The Squad

Girls:
Zoe Brentano:
Age: 16 - racing in D17 category
School: Fourways High School

Jessica Lund:
Age: 15 - racing in D16
School: Fourways High School

Jessica Hemer:
Age: 15 - racing in D15
School: Fourways High School

Sarah Pope:
Age: 14 - racing in D15
School: Jeppe High School for Girls

Salome Van Hoepen:
Age: 14 - racing in D14
School: Zwartkop High School






Boys:

Alex Pope:

Age: 19 - racing in H20L
Studying at Wits

Dylan Hemer:
Age: 19 - racing in H20L
Studying at Wits

Bradley Lund:
Age: 13
School: Fourways High School

Adults:
Richard Lund:
Age: not quite a junior

Heidi Lund:
Age: not that long since she was a junior

Craig Ogilvie:
Age: Skipped Juniors and went for the real competion in H35