Evolving Squad Performance idea...evolves

Hey, have just finished updating the squad performance spreadsheet, here

Has made me even more determined to follow up on that idea regarding continuous improvement of standards. An average in the 120's is not good enough. To overcome the problem of feeding new people into the squad we could keep the entry level standard at 125...they then get exposed to the elite scene and encouragement to improve, they then have targets over the next few years to remain in the squad...while people who are in the squad have to maintain their standards... Neil has expressed an interest in helping develop this, so hopefully we will get a chance to work on it while over in Oz

Welcome to the World Karin Prince!

In big squad news, Karin Prince was born this week, quite big and long apparently and with dark hair. Mum was heard to say, "that was much easier than an adventure race" while Dad was just stoked she has 10 fingers and 10 toes. A very cute little baby by all accounts although she does seem to have inherited the blank stare of Dad rather than the sparkling eyes of Mum. Go you good things!

Some video footage from akld champs

Heres something I found on youtube, some hard men orienteering ;-) at either end with a dorky adventure racer wearing pajamas prattling on the middle.

Whats Going On

Ok, so I'm nice and refreshed after a non o or ar driven weekend, relaxing playing golf/tennis etc, bringing a bit of balance back into life... So not quite sure whats going on, or if there were any events to report from. I do know that with a few others I'm off to Oz at the end of the week, should be a blast. As always wish I was a bit fitter. Route Gadget is up from the Akld Long, please draw your routes, we need to get into the habit of doing so for all of our benefits...I know that other countries use this technology so we can't let ourselves slip behind. Stuff I'm slowly working away on includes: evolving squad standards, timetrials, self assessment sheet, feb training weekend. So keep your eyes open for new developments in the squad. Random picture is Whanakao, the 2nd highest mountain on the east cape and a goal for my next free weekend!

Leg 3: Akld Middle

Ok so you can't win an o race in the first three controls...but you can sure lose it and plenty of the field was out of the reckoning after leg 3 of the akld middle. In my little excerpt the purple line swerving off to the left represents the common mistake made by people without decent plans. They were trying to hit a linear feature (either the line of hills or the depression before the control) on quite an acute angle...ie the lines they were trying to hit were parallel with their direction of travel, so no potential for safety/aiming off etc. My route choice indicated by the pink lines and arrows was slightly better. I decided to read the tracks and used the track bend (admittingly vague and inaccurate) as an ap and a definite place to turn so at least I was hitting those linear features perpendicular (although I foolishly didn't aim off and wasted a little bit of time relocating) Looking back at a better/safer way of doing it, another possibility may be going further right and using a few obvious features,A, B, C along with the vague tracks to read your way into the control. Dudes you have to have a plan!!!

Focus on Starts

Ok, so a little bit of focus on starts...although maybe we should all be listening to Jack Vincents thoughts judging by how he nailed the first 5-6 controls at the Akld Middle... Haven't been orienteering for a while, what are you thinking about? Some ideas?

1) Making quick positive contact

2) starting slowly to get into the scale, style of the map

3) Making sure you have a plan

4) Staying in the moment to deal quickly with the unexpected

My first two controls, hadn't orienteered for three months...nervous...do I know what I am doing...start beep...1) sweet this is a short compass leg, careful rough compass, look up, run hard to other side of track, check compass enter forest...unexpected detail before control but keep going...sweet. 2) how to do this easy, bearing to clearing, onto track, reading detail, knolls etc, informal tracks everywhere... getting to grips with map, two round hills contour round them to the right, nice. Spike on second hill. Good carefull, yet fast orienteering

Night Nav

The Southerly Storm remnants have been busy organising the annual Night Nav event which fundraises for their super series travel...sounds like tis being a success with numbers growing each week, check out the site at www.madeventz.co.nz/nightnav some maps there also for a bit of route selection practice.

Auckland Champs

Hey yeah, so the Auckland Champs, it happened! It was awesome orienteering, not really an event as such, just plain out awesome, challenging orienteering, then we went home and had lunch. Star of the weekend was Neil, tearing the field apart in the long distance. Rachel was as always, all class in the ladies and the juniors failed to fire in elite...although I'm sure that won't take long.