Category: Announcements

Announcements for OUSA

2023 OUSA Nationals Event Recap

March 24-26, 2023

  • Host: Orienteering Cincinnati
  • Venues:
    • Morehead State University, Morehead, KY
    • Carter Caves State Park, Olive Hill, KY
  • Event Director: Mike Minium
    • Ben Hart – Friday Course Setter
    • Shin Shimizu – Saturday Course Setter
    • Dave Waller – Sunday Course Setter
    • Jonas Kjall, OUSA Course Consultant
    • Guy Olsen – Registrar, Registration Director
  • Event Website

Results

Media

Orienteering featured on NBC Nightly News

Orienteering was featured on the NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt during a segment that aired on Wednesday, March 15th, 2023.

Recent research published by McMaster University’s NeuroFit lab by lead author (and Canadian Senior Team Member) Emma Waddington suggests a strong link between orienteering and prevention of cognitive decline. NBC Senior Medical Correspondent Dr. John Torres came down to Southwest Spring Week last month find out more about our sport.

After a couple schedule changes and delays, the crew arrived at the site of the Cave Creek mini rogaine under clear skies and breezy conditions. Six hours of filming and talking to competitors including 73 year old Kathy Bannister from the Rochester Orienteering Club resulted in some spectacular footage for the segment.

You can watch the full segment on NBC Nightly News YouTube channel below.

Photo credit: Bita Ryan, NBC News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRGk_w8uXEo
Is getting lost a good thing? Study says to stop relying on your GPS

Orienteering USA Welcomes OCAR

Orienteering USA is pleased to welcome Orienteering Central Arkansas (OCAR) as it’s newest associate member club.

Club founder Rachel Furman states that the club will be primarily focused on the central Arkansas area parks – both city parks and state parks.
(That was probably pretty obvious from the name, huh?).

They are planning to have working o-maps for Allsopp Park in Little Rock, Burns Park in North Little Rock, Pinnacle Mountain State Park in Little Rock, and Lake Catherine State Park in Hot Springs by the end of the year.

For the more immediate future they’re planning on having some informal events and one larger Rogaine event at Lake Sylvia west of Little Rock (3, 6, and 12 hour). The map for that event will be a typical USGS 1:24,000 scale for now.

(Photo at right from Lake Sylvia area, courtesy Rachel Furman)

The club’s online presence is limited to a fledgling Facebook page at present, so check it out, give it a like and share with friends you may have in the Arkansas region.

Allsop Park near Little Rock

2023 WOC Team Trials

The 43rd West Point NRE will host the US Team Trials for the 2023 World Orienteering Championships for the second consecutive year. This year’s WOC will be held in Switzerland, 11-16 July. Following last year’s inaugural Sprint WOC, this year is back to a forest-race WOC, with a Middle, Long, and Relay. Therefore, only the Middle and Long races at the USMAOC event will be used as Trials qualifiers.

The M21 and F21 winners for each race will earn a spot on the WOC Team, as well as the athletes with the best combined results. The Review Panel (Peggy Dickison, Jeff Saeger, and Glen Tryson) will name the remaining athletes, based on a scoring list and petitions. Athletes who wish to be considered for the WOC Team but are unable to compete at West Point must register for the event, selecting “Yes, Competing for selection to the US WOC Team” and “Not participating” under the Race Selection section.

See the Selection Criteria below for more information.

Peggy Dickison
ESC Chairman/Review Panel Chair

US WOC 2023 Team Selection Criteria

  • The winner of each Middle race (M/F-21+) will receive automatic selection.
  • The winner of each Long race (M/F-21+) will receive automatic selection.
  • The athlete with the best combined results in each race (M/F-21+) will receive automatic selection.

Additional information and caveats:

  • At least two athletes of each gender will receive automatic spots; if one athlete wins both races (and therefore also has the top combined result), the second automatic spot goes to the athlete finishing 2nd in the Middle race (because we have more starts in the Middle and Relay).
  • If either the winner of the Middle or Long is also first on the scoring list (a combination of the results of the two races, normalized to be of equal weight), only two automatic spots will be awarded, with the remaining members selected by the Review Panel.
  • Athletes who wish to be considered for the 2023 WOC Team but are unable to compete at West Point must still register for the event, selecting “Yes, Competing for selection to the US WOC 2023 Team” and “Not participating” under the Race Selection section.
  • Remaining members of the team will be named by the Review Panel, using petitions, the scoring list, and Trials results.
  • Any athlete may submit a petition, within an hour of the final race finish, and must explain why they could not attend the Trials, had a subpar result, or were affected by an organizational issue not of their making.
  • There must be at least three declared and eligible athletes competing in a race for there to be an automatic selection.
  • The NT will send at least three athletes of each gender, but no more than 6. Most likely is 3-4 athletes of each gender. This year, the US has 8 or 9 race starts for the women (3 middle, 2 long, 3 relay, and potentially a 4th middle [personal, ie cannot be transferred] start based on the top North American on the IOF ranking list as of 11 May), and 7 starts for the men (3 middle, 1 long, 3 relay, and potentially a 4th middle).
    – As of 4 March, the top North Americans are an American woman and a Canadian man.
  • If anyone with a personal start wants to compete in additional races at WOC, they must either attend the Trials or submit a petition.

2023 US National Team Announced

The Selection Committee of Peggy Dickison, Eric Weyman, and Matt Smith are pleased to announce the 2023 US National Orienteering Team.

Placements were based primarily on the Selection Criteria, including OUSA ranking scores, IOF ranking scores, and head-to-head competition. In general, we were most flexible/inclusive with the Juniors, who we understand are still improving and have less consistent results; less flexible/inclusive with the Performance Squad; and least flexible/inclusive with the Elite Squad.
 
We are excited to see our team grow, with two athletes returning to the Team after breaks, and six Juniors new to the Team.

2023 TeamUSA Elite Squad

Greg Ahlswede – DVOA
Joe Barrett – QOC
Tori Borish – RMOC
Evalin Brautigam – WCOC
Ali Crocker – CROC
Thomas Curiger – OLC Kapreolo
Thomas Laraia – MNOC
AJ Riley – DVOA
Danny Riley – NEOC
Anton Salmenkylä – A/L
Ricardo Schaniel – Bussola OK

2023 TeamUSA Performance Squad

Diana Aleksieva – QOC
Eric Bone – COC
Isabel Bryant – NEOC
Alison Campbell – DVOA
Jessica Colleran – COC
Julia Doubson – BAOC
Will Enger – COC
Bridget Hall – NEOC
Oriana Riley – DVOA
Sergei Ryzhkov – DVOA
Tyler Wilson – USMAOC

2023 TeamUSA Junior Squad

Lily Addicott – GAOC
Ben Brady – COC
Anna Campbell – NEOC
Ben Cooper – COC
Ian Dunlap – OLOU
Mori Finlayson-Johnecheck – NEOC
Keegan Harkavy – NEOC
Greta Leonard – COC
Kirsten Mayland – DVOA
Alex Merka – QOC
Shawn Mather – USMAOC
Annika Mihata – COC
Hana Myers – USMAOC
Emelia Schmidt – QOC
Zoe Sibthorp – COC
Holden Sopoti – USMAOC
Ava Suhocki – DVOA
Zariah Zosel – COC

’23 Wilson Community Growth Grants

So many of you are deeply dedicated to growing youth involvement in Orienteering. We know the critical role that these same youngsters have in spreading the word and inspiring their peers. That’s why we created the Wilson Community Growth Grant. The grant provides $1,000 to projects and organizations dedicated to growing youth Orienteering.

One need only look at the growth of Navigation Games, a 2017 Wilson Community Growth Grant Winner, led by Barb Bryant. As the organization matures, we begin to see alumni of its program being the next generation of coaches and leaders. Awards have also funded construction of permanent courses including at the Madison School Forest (WI) and our 2022 awardee, Scout Troup 4090 of Washington State.

Scout Leader Eric Stone writes enthusiastically “Being located on an isolated island (San Juan Island, WA), an hour’s boat ride from mainland Washington, provides enough challenges for our local youth community to participate in orienteering meets and competitions. The Wilson Grant Foundation has provided us with all of the tools and navigational aides necessary for us to run a multi-faceted Orienteering, land navigation program.”

“The Wilson Community Growth Grant enabled us to not only obtain compasses, orienteering flags, stamps, and cards, but has allowed us to begin laying out permanent long distance courses connecting our two US National Historic Parks at opposite ends of the island.”

The Troop is planning an April 2023 inaugural event, “We will be inviting teams of scouts to navigate a course through the neighboring national park. We already have our patches in hand, and will start advertising soon.”

Applications for the 2023 Wilson Community Growth grants are currently being accepted and will close on February 1st, 2023. 

Desert Orienteering Festival Event Recap

January 14-15, 2023

  • Host: San Diego Orienteering
  • Venues:
    • The Goat (& The Lamb):
    • The Sprint:
    • The Classic (NRE):
    • The Maze:
  • Event Director: Mark Prior
    • Course Setter (Goat): Chris Day
    • Course Setter (Sprint): Mark Prior
    • Course Setter (Classic & Maze): Matej Sebo
  • Event Website

Results

Maps

  • Coming soon….

Links

Photos

  • Anza Borrego Gallery [50 photos, 3 videos] by John Phillips on FlickR
  • OK Folks – whatcha got? Please send me photos or links to social media

2023 OUSA Junior Nationals & Georgia Navigator Cup Event Recap

January 13-16, 2023

  • Host: Georgia Orienteering Club
  • Venues:
    • Friday Middle: Lake Delanor, F.D. Roosevelt SP, Pine Mountain GA
    • Sat/Sun Classic: Lake Franklin, F.D. Roosevelt State Park, Pine Mountain, GA
  • Event Director: Fred Zendt
    • Registrar: Rick Shane
    • Extreme O Director: Anne Mathews
  • Event Website

Media

Photo Galleries

Video

Results

Maps & RouteGadget

Applications for 2023 National Team now being accepted.

Since 2022, the National Team, aka TeamUSA, has consisted of three tiers: the Elite Squad, the Performance Squad, and the Junior Squad. The Elite Squad consists of those athletes who consistently perform at a high level and are deemed most likely to be selected for world-championship or elite-competition teams. Performance Squad athletes also perform at a high level but may not yet be consistent picks for international team selection. The Junior Squad encompasses all TeamUSA members aged 20 and under; all three tiers are fully eligible to take part in all team activities and to compete for spots on the international-event teams (subject, of course, to age restrictions or other qualifications for individual competitions.)

This year, the National Team Selection Committee (Peggy Dickison, Eric Weyman, Matt Smith) has published selection criteria that refine what has been done previously and will be used in making selections to the 2023 National Team. The Committee feels it is important to publicize the metrics and qualifications that go into selection decisions to increase the transparency of the process, to recognize the significant accomplishment it is to qualify for the Team, and to establish targets for goal-setting and other efforts of those wanting to qualify. While the performance level required to qualify for the National Team is particularly high of necessity, the Selection Committee reinforces that those who qualify have earned the opportunity to be considered for the Team.

These criteria are guidelines for the Selection Committee and will be considered in total and in context for each applicant. While the Committee values the quality and consistency of training, dedication, attitude, etc., ultimately the highest value is placed on performance and results. OUSA and IOF ranking numbers, results and info from individual races, and consistency of performance are the primary consideration of the Committee who rely on the high confidence of such data. However, these criteria are not strict cut-offs, and the Committee will consider trends and groupings and are willing to make mid-year revisions and/or promotions.

Athletes residing outside the United States who do not have an OUSA or IOF ranking are encouraged to apply if they feel their results qualify them to the Team. In such cases, athletes are requested to submit any national or international level results for the Selection Committee to review. Those who qualify for TeamUSA demonstrate they are the fastest and top athletes of the USA and are capable of performing on the world stage on behalf of the USA. Everyone who meets, exceeds, or approaches these qualifications is encouraged to apply. 

The 2023 USA National Team Selection Criteria are published here [https://docs.google.com/document/d/19i3s2tR8BPyCp3O3ERT5cjh04n0SCVj6/view] Feb 7, 2024 – Link no longer available

To apply to the 2023 National Team, complete the 2023 National Team Application Form, due by 18 January 2023, here [https://forms.gle/Supz5ZjNpTy8fNsm7].

2023 World School Sport Games to be held in Brazil

Bulletin 1 for the ISF World School Sport Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from August 19-27, 2023 has been published. Up to 12 boys and 12 girls born in 2008-2010 who attend school in the US may participate in the orienteering events. The program includes both individual & team competition in the sprint and middle distance disciplines and educational content on topics such as fair play, healthy lifestyle, respect and inclusion.

There is no requirement for affiliation with Orienteering USA to participate; however, the YDP Steering Committee (ydp-steering-commitee@nullorienteeringusa.org) requests notification if athletes or adults from the US register to participate and can advise group organizers on lessons learned from planning for JWOC / WUOC travel in the past.