Hi everyone

Spring is on the way but I’m sure we’ve got a few more nights in Ballarat with the heat on! The bush is looking great with the little bits of rain we’ve been getting so perhaps we can avoid the drought we had last year when it hardly rained for 8 months. Orienteering is just entering the champs season – and a good time for newcomers to have a go at local events in Canadian Forest in September and November.

1 Big Weekend of MTBO + Local Foot-O coming this weekend. Saturday 21 Sept the mountain bike orienteering will be in the north end of Canadian Forest centred on Pax Hill Activity Centre from 1pm to 3pm start times. Melbourne Forest Racers and Heath Jamieson is borrowing our newly-updated map (thanks to Ken, Roch and Blake) to set 4 courses. Many new tracks have been added to the native forest from York Street to Elsworth Street. New pockets of single-track have sprung up since you last rode in Canadian so come along and have a go.

On Sunday 22 Sept Monica Dickson and Mark Valentine have set courses in the new mapped areas north of Mt Clear SC – again with pockets of single-track in the native forest. This part of the forest offers beautiful views of the gent spur gully terrain coupled with the bike track along Canadian Creek near the Canadian Lakes and new Sailor’s Gully suburbs. The single track just east of Mt Clear SC is a real treat to ride – after you’ve done one of the 4 courses. Also EOD (enter on the day) is available for runners who just want a moderate course in this newly mapped area of Canadian Forest. We know that many of you ride bikes for fitness and training – so why not give mtbo a go. It is not fast and furious like the downhill stuff and doesn’t require any particular skills other than orienting and reading the track network (all controls are on tracks). We’d like to see more than 20 riders from Eureka alone – rather than just the regulars. Try it – you will find it less strenuous than foot-o and a real buzz when you complete the course and get all the controls in order. Special provision is being made for beginners (shadowing – with someone riding behind you) so you can’t go wrong. Bring your friends and the kids to Mt Clear SC for starts from 11.00am to 1pm. Even if you just ride around the area you’ll appreciate all the work that the Eureka team of Monica, Mark and Roch have put in.

2 Victorian Foot-O Championships sees many EU podium places. Congratulations to all that participated in the Long Distance (Chewton Diggings) and to the place getters Geoff (M55A, 1st), Jenny (W55A, 1 st), Dale Ann (W70A, 1st), Aislinn (W21E, 2nd), Chris (M55A, 2nd), Blake (M70A, 3rd) – out of 11 EU runners. In the Middle Distance at Deep Creek we did even better 3 Firsts [Geoff (M55), Ian (M-20), Dale (W70)], 4 Seconds [Jenny (W55), Aislinn (W21E), John E (M60), Blake (M70)] and 2 Thirds (Anitra (W35), Chris (M55)]. So the weather was great – and so were the smiles on EU faces. It was great news to hear of Karen’s new son Tristan over in WA – such a proud Grandma Judith!

3 Rob Plowright’s Flying Visit to Ballarat. Rob brought his little family back to AUS – but due to the distances from Rob’s parents new home near Wilson’s Prom we only got to see Rob briefly. He stopped at Roch’s place on Saturday and had morning tea on the Sunday at the Gordons before returning to Japan. He continues to have a great influence on Roch’s increasing mapping skills. Rob has had a very significant influence on our clubs maps and the EU Challenge which he and Roch started in the early 1990’s. Almost every map EU now possess has had Rob’s keen eye for detail when he made or revised most of them between 1990 and 2002. Check the map credits next time you orienteer in Ballarat and thank Rob for his big impact on the local o-scene.

4 Victorian Relay Dream Teams. Blake has done a bit of star gazing and come up with some exciting teams for the October 13th Vic Relays on the outskirts of Melbourne. Have a look at these teams (EU pays the entry fees as long as you are EU members!!): 1) Ian L, Aislinn, Brodie N; 2) Chris, Roch, Geoff; 3) Belinda, Lian P, Jenny; 4) Monica, Anitra, Dale; 5) Mark, John, Sam V; 6) Ian C, Ken, Blake; 7) Judy, Richard, Ernie; 8) Declan, Darren G, Peter J; 9) Sean H, Ben G, Harrison K 10) Conan P, Adrian P, Matty V; 11) Serge K, Maria P, Hayden L Please et in contact with Blake (eurekao@tpg.com.au ) in the next two weeks so we can send in our entry. Any I’ve forgotten ?? Els, Terry, BJ, Tony K, Dale M, the Ovenden, Elsie, the Farhalls – just let me know if you can make it.

Cheers

Blake