TeamUSA Athletes selected for 2024 Young Leaders Academy

Three TeamUSA athletes – Bridget Hall (NEOC), Lily Addicott (GAOC) and Oriana Riley (DVOA) were recently selected to represent the United States at the 2024 IOF Young Leaders Academy to be held one month from now in conjunction with the “Five Days Italy” competition in the Dolomites of Italy. These athletes were chosen in a competitive application process earlier this year. Oriana unfortunately will be unable to attend due to prior commitments that have arisen since the awards were announced.

Bridget is “looking forward to a great week of orienteering and, more importantly, spending a week building connections with youth from across the globe while learning skills that can (hopefully) help build orienteering in the United States. I’m excited that this is the first stop on our adventure this summer, and extremely grateful that I get to do the whole thing with Lily.” Lily adds “The Italian 5 day is going to be such a blast with Bridget by my side, and we will bring home a ton of useful connections and information that we can share.“

The Orienteering USA Board of Directors, at its most recent meeting on May 20th, voted to award a $300 stipend to each athlete to offset the costs of travel to the academy. The Youth Development Program (YDP) is also providing a $1000 stipend to each athlete. This is just one example of the ways that the YDP supports youth and young adults in developing their competitive interests as well as mapping, event direction, course design, sport journalism, or other aspects of orienteering that they love. All youth are welcome. We especially welcome older youth who would like to inspire younger kids.

Congratulations to all three of these inspirational young ladies on their selection to attend this important conference.

2024 Wilson Character through Competition Awards Announced

Philadelphia, PA — The Wilson Awards, in partnership with Orienteering USA, proudly announce three winners of our 2024 Character through Competition Awards. Paige Suhocki of Freehold of New Jersey along with Ben Cooper and Greta Leonard, both of Maple Valley, Washington, have been chosen to receive this $1,000 award, which honors the memory of our friend and family member, Iain Wilson. The awards seek to amplify the energy and commitment young orienteers bring to our sport and community. While we are delighted when our awardees are successful in local and even international competition, in a broader sense we hope to encourage the kind of character that communicates to others the joy of competing as a shared endeavor.

Paige has been orienteering since the age of 10 and was one of the youngest volunteers at the World Games at just 14. Lena Kushleyeva of Delaware Valley Orienteering Association shared, “She is an energetic and charismatic teenager whose love for orienteering is extremely catching, to both her peers and to adults.” Lena then spoke to her passion for the sport igniting a similar passion in her teammates and its impact on recruiting new orienteers. Paige writes that the resilience she has built through Orienteering “will not only help my performance but will keep me moving forward toward my higher aspirations.”

Paige’s application mentioned something that Iain Wilson and so many orienteers love, “Orienteering has given me a new appreciation for nature and how fortunate I am to experience it in this way.” We are delighted to see Paige’s enthusiasm is so infectious. Paige plans to use this year’s award to extend her Junior World Orienteering Championship (JWOC) participation by visiting Italy to train and compete. Paige was also selected as 2nd Alternate to this year’s Sprint World Orienteering Championships (WOC) team in Scotland in July.

Ben and Greta continue a long tradition of Orienteering excellence amongst athletes from Tahoma High School in Washington state. Like many Wilson Award winners, they compete for their school’s track and cross country teams while balancing a challenging academic workload and extra-curriculars just like our beloved friend, Iain Wilson.

Asked to share his proudest orienteering accomplishments, Ben spoke about his role as a team captain and his passion for mentoring, planning workouts, course setting, updating maps, and designing courses. Ben also states, “Racing allows me to go beyond my limits and gain valuable experience.” Ben clearly loves mentoring opportunities and finds the sport “provides valuable connections with people.” Ing Uhlin, Vice President of Cascade Orienteering Club writes, “What makes Ben stand out is not just his speed and skill in orienteering, but the time and effort that he devotes to others.”

Greta is known for putting her team and learning first. She has volunteered with Cascade Orienteering Club to coach part of an introductory mini-course for over 50 JROTC cadets. She wrote in her application, “In the process of training and competing, intangible gains are realized that have a greater impact on my life. Orienteering has taught me adaptability, grace, and the importance of a positive attitude. Often, a non-podium finish can result in more growth than a win.” John Brady of Cascade Orienteering Club writes about Greta, “She takes feedback so well, is willing to assess her own weaknesses with an open and mature mind, then applies the feedback to try and improve – she is a Respectful Warrior.” 

Paige and Greta will compete in the Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC) in Pilsen, Czechia this summer while Ben is the first alternate on the men’s team. Additionally, previous awards winners Bridget Hall, Alex Merka, Keegan Harkavy, and Thomas Laraia will be competing in this summer’s World University Orienteering Championships (WUOC) with Bridget, Keegan & Thomas also be representing TeamUSA at the World Championships in Scotland (WOC). We wish them all great success!

The committee seeks individuals who have the willingness and ability to see beyond their own individual ambition and spread the spirit that brightens their lives and the lives of those around them. We feel their enthusiasm for the outdoors, for running, for navigation, and for their fellow competitors sets an example for all of us.

Iain’s college roommate and committee member Anthony Belber notes, “What stands out about all the applicants for this year’s award is how invested in the sport these young people are and how much they are growing and learning from their investment. Not only have our award winners given back to their orienteering communities, but they are being shaped and developed into fine leaders and competitors by their experiences in the sport and within those broader communities.”

Applications for the 2025 Wilson Awards will be accepted later this fall. Additional information can be found at  https://orienteeringusa.org/about/recognition/#wilson.

Official Press Release (PDF)

Virtual AGM – 2024

The 2024 Orienteering USA Annual General Meeting will take place online on Tuesday, September 24 from 8:00 to 10:00 pm (EDT) via Google Meet.

Your membership in Orienteering USA helps us to bring programs and services to orienteers and clubs throughout the country. Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Clare Durand
President, Orienteering USA

Access the meeting

Online: September 24, 8:00-10:00 pm EDT
Note: Delegates should log in 20-30 minutes early for credentialing.
This will allow the meeting to start ontime.
URL: meet.google.com/owu-xpnp-hap
Phone: (US) +1 650-779-0131‬ PIN: ‪560 916 595‬#

Agenda

Club Membership Lists

As outlined in the OUSA Bylaws, the number of votes your club’s delegates may cast is based on the number of OUSA members in good standing, designating your club as their primary club, as of July 30, 2024.

All clubs are afforded 1 delegate and 1 alternate. For clubs with more than 25 members, they can choose to have 1 additional delegate and 1 additional alternate for every block of 25 members.

You can find a list of your club members in good standing online here

Please notify the OUSA Office of the names of your delegates and alternates. The delegate appointments should be emailed from a club officer to contact@nullorienteeringusa.org

Delegates and alternates representing your club must be OUSA members, designating your club as their primary club, as of July 31, 2024.

Your club may assign its votes by proxy to another club. The proxy will only be valid if no OUSA-primary member of your club will be present at the AGM. Proxies may not be assigned to a particular member of another club. Email proxy assignments to: contact@nullorienteeringusa.org

Club Proposals

Club Proposal on Punching Systems

Club Proposal on Age Classes

Check your personal memberships

The upcoming AGM presents a good time for all OUSA members to be sure that their information is current in our database. We recommend that you login to our portal and check your profile to be sure that it is accurate. There are known issues in our system that we are still working on. Checking for accuracy is especially recommended if you have family memberships or if you use the auto-renew feature.

Board Candidate Bios

We are still looking for candidates for the fourth open seat. If you are interested in serving, please jon.torrance@nullorienteeringusa.org.

Lily Addicott 2024 – Nomination for the OUSA Board of Directors

Hello! My name is Lily Addicott, I am 21 years old, and I am a senior microbiology student at Clemson University. I began orienteering when I was 14 on my NJROTC’s orienteering team. I found success at Navy NJROTC nationals which inspired me to pursue the U.S. National Team. I have been on the National Team for three years and have loved every second of it. Orienteering has blossomed into one of my biggest passions in life, and I want to give back as much as I can to my community.

I am in the midst of my third year of membership with OUSA, and I try to stay very active with my local club, GAOC. I also help with the Youth Development Program by leading NRE course reviews, and I am working on my coaching certification. I have begun learning how to map as well, and I am working on a local and YMP map. If elected, my biggest focus would be to help grow the sport of orienteering in the United States, with a particular interest in supporting the youth. I am unique in that I am very young with much to learn, but I come with the fresh, nuanced perspective of a newcomer and a junior team member. Making this wonderful sport easily accessible and welcoming is important to me, and I would love to make that my priority on the board. My recreational pursuits already reflect these goals as last year I helped a group of students at my university to start orienteering in which I organized travel and taught.

Incumbents
Faye Doria

Board incumbent Faye Doria, VP of Finance, is running for reelection.

Matthew Robbins

Board incumbent Matthew Robbins is running for reelection.

Incumbent bios can be found with the information from the 2021 AGM.

TeamUSA Announces 2024 WOC Roster

The TeamUSA WOC Team Selection Review Panel – Peggy Dickison (chair), Tyra Christopherson, Jeff Saeger, and Glen Tryson – is pleased to announce the Team members for this summer’s Sprint WOC in Edinburgh, Scotland. There were some very strong results, which made our job difficult. We all feel that we have a strong team, and we look forward to seeing your performances.

Given that the Team will not have a coach at WOC (but there will be a Team Administrator, TBD), the Review Panel will determine who runs in the Relay. There will be one team, with two men and two women; we will announce the members soon. (Note that the Team can decide, as a group and with the Team Administrator, to make changes to the relay make-up if everyone feels it is warranted.)

Congratulations to all the Team members and alternates!

WOC Women

  • Evalin Brautigam (NAOC personal spot)
  • Bridget Hall (automatic qualifier from Sprint Storrs)
  • Alison Campbell
  • Lily Addicott (by petition)
  • 1st Alternate: Oriana Riley
  • 2nd Alternate: Paige Suhocki

WOC Men

  • Joe Barrett (NAOC personal spot)
  • Thomas Laraia (automatic qualifier from Sprint Storrs)
  • Keegan Harkavy
  • Ricardo Schaniel
  • Alternate: Anthony (AJ) Riley
Evalin Brautigam
Bridget Hall
Alison Campbell
Lily Addicott
Oriana Riley
1st alternate
Paige Suhocki
2nd Alternate
Joe Barrett
Thomas Laraia
Keegan Harkavy
Ricardo Schaniel
Anthony (AJ) Riley
1st Alternate

Long Island Classic NRE Event Recap

  • Hosts: Hudson Valley Orienteering (HVO) and Long Island Orienteering Club (LIOC)& Hudson Valley Orienteering
  • Event Director(s): Glen Malings and Ching Hua Chen
  • Course Setter: Taras Kaschuk
  • Course Vetter / Map Coordinator: Stefan Slutsky
  • Registrar – Geof Connor

Results, Photos, Maps & More

TeamUSA Announces 2024 WUOC Roster

The Selection Committee – Jon Torrance, Andrea Berger, Eric Bone, Ethan Childs, and Ioana Fleming – is pleased to announce the 2024 US Team to compete at the FISU World University Orienteering Championships in Bankso, Bulgaria from August 1st-5th, 2024. The WUOC competition is held every other year.

Congratulations to this year’s WUOC Team!!

WUOC Men

  • Keegan Harkavy
  • Thomas Laraia
  • Dylan Poe
  • Anthony (AJ) Riley
  • Danny Riley
  • Tyler Wilson
  • 1st Alternate: Shawn Mather
  • 2nd Alternate: Victor Frolenko

WUOC Women

  • Lily Addicott
  • Diana Aleksieva
  • Bridget Hall
  • Alex Merka
  • Oriana Riley
  • Grace Zoppi
  • 1st Alternate: Jessica Colleran
  • 2nd Alternate: Ava Suhocki
  • 3rd Alternate: Grace Suhocki
Keegan Harkavy
Thomas Laraia
Dylan Poe
Anthony (AJ) Riley
Danny Riley
Tyler Wilson
Lily Addicott
Diana Aleksieva
Bridget Hall
Alex Merka
Oriana Riley
Grace Zoppi

TeamUSA Announces 2024 JWOC Roster

The JWOC Selection Committee – Jon Torrance, Andrea Berger, Eric Bone, Ethan Childs, and Ioana Fleming – is pleased to announce the 2024 US Team to compete at the Junior World Orienteering Championships in Pilsen, Czechia from June 30th-July7th, 2024.

Congratulations to this year’s JWOC Team!!

JWOC Women

  • Alex Merka
  • Astrid White
  • Danny Buchholz
  • Greta Leonard
  • Paige Suhocki
  • Zariah Zosel
  • 1st Alternate: Samantha Walker
  • 2nd Alternate: Ava Suhocki

JWOC Men

  • Ben Brady
  • Benjamin Conley
  • Ian Dunlap
  • Jackson Rupe
  • Ludvig Hagwall
  • Mori Finlayson-Johnecheck
  • 1st Alternate: Ben Cooper
  • 2nd Alternate: Collin Thompson
Alex Merka
Astrid White
Danny Buchholz
Greta Leonard
Paige Suhocki
Zariah Zosel
Ben Brady
Ben Conley
Ian Dunlap
Jackson Rupe
Ludvig Hagwall
Mori Finlayson-Johnecheck

44th Annual West Point NRE Event Recap

April 13-14, 2024

  • Saturday: Camp Shea
  • Sunday: Lake Frederick / Bull Pond
  • Host: USMAOC
  • Event Director: Justin McLemore
  • Course Setters:
    • Saturday: Shawn Mather
    • Sunday: Paul Bruce
  • OUSA Course Consultant: Jonathan Campbell
  • Registrar: Anthony Keppel

Results, Photos & Maps

Flying Pig XXVI Event Recap

April 5-7, 2024

  • Friday: Middle Distance at Camp Friedlander, Loveland, OH
  • Sat/Sun: Two Day Classic at Hueston Woods SP, Oxford, OH
    • 2024 OUSA Masters Nationals
    • 2024 JWOC/WUOC Team Trials
  • Host: Orienteering Cincinnati
  • Event Director: Mike Minium
  • Course Setters:
    • Friday: Shinichi Shimizu
    • Saturday: Dylan Poe
    • Sunday: Mike Minium
  • OUSA Course Consultant: Peter Goodwin
  • Registrar: Guy Olsen

Results, Photos & Maps

April OUSA Forum: Youth Mapping Program

Please join us this Thursday, April 11th, for a presentation and discussion about Orienteering USA’s Youth Mapping Program (YMP).

The presentation will take place on Google Meet at 8:30pm EDT and can be accessed at: https://meet.google.com/ama-bpex-yrv

Our goals are to introduce orienteering to as many youth as possible, to develop orienteering mappers, and to create small teaching maps to start new orienteering programs in schools and other youth-serving organizations. We aim to support the first 3 of the 4 elements of OUSA’s mission.

Who should attend:

  • Aspiring map-makers, interested in being able to make your own maps for training with friends or for your club, the YMP can provide mentorship. 
  • Small clubs without resources to adequately respond to queries from local schools.
  • Larger clubs looking to form connections with local educators.
  • Orienteers who want to see our sport thrive.

You can learn more about the YMP on the OUSA website: https://orienteeringusa.org/resources/ymp/