A beautiful day greeted the 24 teams in Ballarat who gathered at the Macarthur St Primary School for the 4th Annual aMAZEing Ballarat, staged by Eureka Orienteers.

The event has found a place in the calendar for a number of regular competitors who now come fully prepared with lap-tops, i-phones, tourism pamphlets and all manner of material to try to make sense of the cryptic location clues prepared for the event.

This year the event used points in the north central area of the city as well as the CBD. Participants were faced with some rather unusual challenges including pole-dancing, costume changes, team ten-pin bowling, giant marbles and a gym circuit. In addition they had to purchase Christmas bon-bons for donation to the homeless for Christmas dinner. All in all there were 18 checkpoints to be found in the four hour time frame allowed for the event.

This year bonus points were gained from the team’s bowling score and it proved to be the difference between the two leading teams, the Bagpies and the Rat Raiders who were separated by a single point at the end, with the all-female team of the Bagpies winning the event and their category outright.

aMAZEing Ballarat raises money for charity or worthy causes and this year over $1200 was raised with funds being used to purchase sports equipment for Macarthur St PS and to support two St Patricks SC students who are heading for Tanzania for their gap year to teach English. The St Pats boys and their families assisted on the day on some of the activity points as well as running the popular after event BBQ and drinks.

The event will certainly be on again on the first Saturday in December 2011, so if you are looking for a light-hearted way to have some great family fun pencil in this event now.

Results

1. The Bagpies 1013 1st Competitive Section
2. The Rat Raiders 1012 2nd Competitive Section
3. Jade Dragons 1000 1st Newcomers Class
4. Carmac 997 2nd Newcomers Class
5. I thought you said left 989 1st Young Children Section
6. Team Neve 959 3rd Competitive Section
7. The Interstaters 939 3rd Newcomers Class
8. Sal and Val 936 1st Best of the Rest
9. XAXA 923
10. Team Tomtine 920
11. Upright & Breathing 905
12. Yes and No 837 2nd Best of the Rest
13. D Rangers 810 3rd Best of the Rest