A colour version of the SAOF logo was decided on at the AGM in October. Club representatives and the SAOF management committee voted for their favourite logo from 4 options.
While the colour version of the logo will be used when colour is required, the black and white logo can still be used as appropriate.
At the cusp of the New Year, the third edition of the biennial Big Five Orienteering event will play out in the forest plantations around Kaapsehoop, Mpumalanga. As with previous events, South African orienteers will have the chance to test their mettle against a number of visitors from overseas. Competitors from over 13 countries, including from such far flung places as Latvia, Estonia, Canada and Australia will join participants from the orienteering giants of Scandanavia and Switzerland, attracted no-doubt by some quality orienteering, warm weather and the event location being near the gateway to the Kruger National Park.
The elite classes have attracted some of the worlds top orienteers, including a number with recent and not-so-recent World Championship medals. Two of the events have World Ranking Event (WRE) status and as such the elite orienteers have the opportunity to score some points towards their international ranking. For South Africa this is a great opportunity as many of our M21 and W21 athletes don’t have the chance to travel overseas and compete on the world stage.
But the event is not all about the elites. Competition in all the age classes will be promises to be fierce. Whilst the Big Five O event is small by the standards of many of the large multi-day European events, it is the biggest Orienteering event in South Africa. As such it provides local orienteers with an excellent exposure to the bigger world of orienteering. It is for this reason that the SAOF is very happy to support a number participants from our Polokwane orienteering club (POC). We hope their participant continues to provide motivation for POC to carry on with development efforts in the Lebowakgomo region of Limpopo.
In addition to five high-class orienteering events, the Big Five O this year includes a trail running series.
Daily updates and results can be found at the event website.
It is with great pleasure that the SAOF Selection Committee announces the Senior, Junior, Youth and Development National orienteering squads for 2016 as follows (in alphabetical order, with their club for 2015 in brackets):
Senior Squad
Dylan Barry (WITSOC), Michele Botha (ROC), Timothy Chambers (PENOC), Stephanie Courtnage (RACO), Michael Crone (WITSOC), Bradley Lund (TUKS-O), Garry Morrison (AR), Nicholas Mulder (ROC), Sarah Roffe (WITSOC)
Junior Squad
Kirsten Chambers (RACO), Timothy Chambers (PENOC), Christie Courtnage (RACO), Carl Holmes (RACO), Roark Robinson (PENOC), Andries Swart (RACO)
Youth Squad
Lesedi Chuene (POC), Rory Ellis (RACO), Sarah Everett (RACO), James Hancock (RACO), Emma Hubble (DOC), Lindokuhle Patiwe (PENOC), Miguel Robinson (PENOC), Matthew Siepman (DOC), Luan Swart (RACO), Heather Wimberley (RACO), Sarah Wimberley (RACO), Jordan van Huyssteen (RACO), Keagen van Huyssteen (RACO)
Development Squad
Ephraim Chuene (POC), Lesedi Chuene (POC), Lindokuhle Patiwe (PENOC), Tebatso Ramodike (POC)
An announcement for the 2016 youth international tour has already been made. Announcements of team selection for the local camps and competitions will be made during the course of 2016 in terms of the timelines set out in the 2016 Seasonal Policy document.
We congratulate these athletes and wish them all the best in their orienteering endeavours.
Kind regards,
Tania Wimberley
Chair – SAOF Selection Committee
The SILVA TROPHY – awarded to the person who has made a significant contribution to South African Orient
eering throughout the past year – went to RACO Chairman Paul Wimberley.
This year there were 3 nominations for the award, Karen Chambers, Bruce Meier and Paul Wimberley. Voting for the award is done at the SAOF AGM. SAOF President, Garry Morrison made the announcement of the 2015 winner in the forests of Sabie.
Thank you Paul for your continued commitment to our sport !
The 2016 National Selection documents have been released by the SAOF.
The documents contain information for high performance athletes for the year ahead and beyond. They cover information:
Please note that interested athletes need to apply for membership of the Senior and Junior squads in 2016. Only members of one of the SAOF squads can represent the SAOF at world-class competitions and make use of the various training and other benefits provided by the squad. The details and the application form can be found in the documents : https://www.orienteering.co.za/high-performance/hp-policies/
Potential youth squad members do not need to apply with this form, as the selectors will do a direct selection from eligibile orienteers around the country for this squad.
Please note that the cut-off date for application for the Senior and Junior squad is 15 November 2015.
The Heritage day weekend of 24 to 27 September 2015 saw the delivery of the first-ever SAOF Orienteering Coach Assistant training course. This course was possible thanks to funding from SRSA and the generosity of the British Orienteering Federation (BOF) in sharing their knowledge and course work with us. (link to full article)
The SAOF management committee is very pleased to announce that Sarah Pope (WitsOC) has agreed to join the SAOF management committee in the position of Vice-President Administration. This fills the vacancy that arose after our 2015 AGM in Sabie.
The SAOF management committee is now at full strength for the 2015/16.
On behalf of all Member clubs we would like to welcome Sarah to the management committee and hope that her time with us will be rewarding.
Kind regards,
Garry Morrison
President
South African Orienteering Federation
The final bulletin, Bulletin 3, has been published for SAOC 2015 to be held in the wonderful forests of the Sabie area. The bulletin contains all final details and start lists. We’d like to wish all competitor the best of luck over what promises to be a great weekend of orienteering.
The selection process for the youth squad ordinarily only occurs in December/ January for the following year
Exposure to training in international terrain is a key building block to develop our athletes and therefore in April/ May 2016 there will be an international training camp to Sweden for a limited number of members of the youth squad.
In order to assist in budgeting for such a trip (which will be self-funded) the selection committee has concluded its selections for the training camp.
We are therefore pleased to announce that the following athletes have been invited to attend the camp, and have therefore also been selected for the 2016 Youth squad
Matthew Bell (PENOC), Kirsten Chambers (RACO), Rory Ellis (RACO), Sarah Everett (RACO), James Hancock (RACO), Carl Holmes (RACO), Miguel Robinson (PENOC), Matthew Siepman (DOC), Andries Swart (RACO), Heather Wimberley (RACO)
We congratulate them both wish them all the best in their orienteering.
The selection committee will still consider including further athletes in the 2016 youth squad as part of its selection process which will take place towards the end of 2015, but those athletes will not be invited to the international youth training camp.
In addition, it was necessary to select a coach to accompany the athletes. An announcement was released on 20 July 2015 inviting all interested parties to apply for the position. That process has been concluded and Tania Wimberley has been selected as the National Coach for 2016.
This announcement is made on behalf of the SAOF Selection Committee by
Tania Wimberley
Chair – SAOF Selection Committee
The SAOF has released a document inviting interested parties to apply for the position of National Coach for 2016. The main responsibility of the National Coach in 2016 revolves around the training camps for the national squad. Full details of both the responsibilities expected to be fulfilled by the successful candidate together with the qualifications and skills set being sought can be found here National Coaching position for SAOF-2016. Applications should be addressed to the selection committee, selection_committee@orienteering.co.za , and should be submitted by no later than 27 July 2015.