2023 Youth European Summer Trip

This summer young orienteers from both the National Team and the Youth Development Program will be embarking on a three week summer trip to Europe to take part in two major international orienteering events. The trip will run from approximately June 19th through July 10th.

First stop on the trip will be to the European Youth Orienteering Championships (EYOC) in Velingrad, Bulgaria. Since US Youth are not eligible for the EYOC Championships, they will participate in the concurrent EYOC Tour events June 23-25th.

From Bulgaria, the group will travel on to Baia Mare, Romania for the 2023 Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC) running from July 2-9th. Twelve US youth were recently selected to compete at JWOC this year. Non-JWOC youth will take part in the JWOC Tour races being held during the same period.

Plenty of opportunities for sightseeing and cultural activities will be built into the itinerary around the competition days as well as time to do what kids like to do – have fun… A series of fund-raising efforts are planned to help raise money to provide stipends to attending youth to offset travel costs for this trip.

First up will be this weekend at West Point! On Sunday, April 16th, juniors will be hosting a bake sale to raise funds for summer youth travel. Stop by to enjoy some delicious cakes and meet our talented juniors. They would also welcome (and appreciate!) any donations of baked goods. If you’re planning to bring any, please email Keegan at keegan@nullharkador.com to let us know.

There will also be a “Control Challenge” where donors can pledge a particular amount based on the number of controls youth participants visit over a fixed time period – April 17th – June 4th. Final details on the control challenge can be found on the National Team Blog.

You can also make a donation directly to support the Junior Summer Trip by using our secure donation form and pay by credit card, bank ACH or PayPal. The future of our sport depends upon youth and we thank you for supporting this amazing opportunity for our National Team and Youth Development Program youth to gain such valuable experiences in Europe this summer.

Below are a few photos from last summers youth excursions in Portugal and Switzerland.

West Point to Host ’23 WOC Team Trials

Now that the JWOC Team Trials are done and the JWOC 2023 Team has been announced, its time to set our sights on the WOC 2023 Team Trials which will be held this coming weekend at the 43rd West Point National Ranking Event.  Since last year’s WOC was a Sprint WOC, this year’s World Orienteering Championships will focus on the forest disciplines of Middle, Long & Relay. 

WOC 2023 will be held in Flims Laax, Switzerland from July 11-16.  A strong field on both the men’s and women’s side are vying for coveted spots on this year’s team.  In order to properly challenge our athletes, the long TT course for the women will be approximately 9.6km with 405m of climb and the men’s TT course will be 13.7km with over 500m of climb on the optimal route.  And this is at West Point folks, so it will be a truly epic battle.  The M-21+ and F-21+ winners for each race (Middle & Long) will earn an automatic spot on the WOC Team, as well as the athletes with the best combined results.  You can read the full WOC Selection Criteria here.

Let’s take a look at who is currently entered, starting with the women. Names in bold type are current members of the US National Team and they are ordered by their current Eventor World Ranking score. Good to see some Junior Squad members stepping up to take a shot.

Over on the men’s side, an interesting mix including three of our european based TeamUSA athletes. Our top two contenders both reside in Switzerland where WOC will be held, but not far behind them are perennial local favorites Greg Ahlswede and Joe Barrett, both of whom have a pretty good handle on what West Point may throw at them, particularly in the long. They will be a couple of interesting races to watch for sure. Who do you think is going to come out on top?

Guess the WOC Team Members!

See how well you can predict who will make the US Team to compete in the World Orienteering Championships in Switzerland this summer! 

Pick four Team members and one alternate of each gender. (This may not be the eventual team size.)

Donations are encouraged, but not required. To donate, go to the Donate page on the OUSA website, and select “4 TEAM USA:National Foot-O Team.” Funds will help the team with WOC expenses. 

Donation Form (orienteeringusa.org)

The person/people who most closely choose the Team members will get a shout-out in the OUSA Newsletter, (and maybe a map souvenir from WOC).

DEADLINE: please submit this form by 8 AM EDT, 15 April, 2023. 

TeamUSA Announces 2023 JWOC Roster

The JWOC Selection Committee – Jon Torrance, Ali Crocker, and Cristina Luis – is pleased to announce the 2023 US Team selected to compete at the Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC) to be held July 2-9, 2023 in Baia Mare, Romania. Accompanying the team will be coaches Evalin Brautigam, Thomas Laraia, and Caroline Sandbo.

Congratulations to our 2023 JWOC athletes!

  • Men
    • Ben Brady (COC)
    • Holden Sopoti (USMAOC)
    • Ian Dunlap (OLOU)
    • Keegan Harkavy (NEOC)
    • Mori Finlayson-Johnecheck (NEOC)
    • Shawn Mather (USMAOC)
  • 1st Alternate: Max Ahmed (QOC)
  • Women
    • Alex Merka (QOC)
    • Anna Campbell (NEOC)
    • Hana Myers (USMAOC)
    • Lily Addicott (GAOC)
    • Paige Suhocki (DVOA)
    • Zariah Zosel (COC)
  • 1st Alternate: Greta Leonard (COC)
  • 2nd Alternate: Annika Mihata (COC)
  • 3rd Alternate: Samantha Walker (QOC)
Ben Brady
(COC)
Holden Sopoti
(USMAOC)
Ian Dunlap
(OLOU)
Keegan Harkavy
(NEOC)
Mori Finlayson-Johnecheck
(NEOC)
Shawn Mather
(USMAOC)
Alex Merka
(QOC)
Anna Campbell
(NEOC)
Hana Myers
(USMAOC)
Lily Addicott
(GAOC)
Paige Suhocki
(DVOA)
Zariah Zosel
(COC)
Max Ahmed 1st Alternate
(QOC)
Greta Leonard 1st Alternate
(COC)
Annika Mihata 2nd Alternate
(COC)
Samantha Walker 3rd Alternate
(QOC)

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

Royal Romp Event Recap

March 11-12, 2023

Results

Media

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.

Southwest Spring Week 2023 Event Recap

February 18-26, 2023

The Southwest Spring Week is an almost-annual tradition in Southern Arizona, taking place in February and welcoming a mix of both locals and those from colder climates who just want a bit of “O” in the warm desert winter. No NRE’s (National Ranking Events) but a full week+ of high quality events draws orienteers from across the country and even across international borders.

Media

Fire Mountain Middle NRE Event Recap

including the COC 2022-23 Winter League Championships

February 18, 2023

  • Host: Cascade Orienteering Club
  • Venue: Fire Mountain Scout Camp, Mount Vernon, WA
  • Event Director: Michelle Kastner
    • Course Designer: Mike Schuh
    • COC Course Consultant: Dave Tallent
    • OUSA Course Consultant: Glen Tryson
  • Event Website

Cascade Orienteering’s Winter League Series serves two audiences.  It is the home of the Washington Interscholastic Orienteering League (WIOL), the oldest school league in the USA, as well as a robust public series.

This year marked WIOL’s 41st season and it saw huge participation with 349 students from 57 different schools registered. Students from 1st grade through seniors in college competed in seven regular season meets for season individual and team trophies followed by one championship race for more team and individual honors and awards.

On the public side, folks on both short and long advanced competed for season and championship trophies, while the other three levels offered enjoyed being non-competitive. Just under 400 different individuals ran in at least one public Winter League meet this season and the series averaged 156 public runners at each meet. 

Twelve different course designers created 8 courses per regular season meet and nine courses for the Championships/NRE, under the guidance of series course consultant, Dave Tallent. This year, thanks to training coordinator John Brady, we offered online training pre-meets, and in-person trainings pre and post races at each meet. Thanks to Patrick Nuss and OUSA team member Will Enger we also offered About the Route, a Sunday night Zoom session where runners could compare routes and learn tips and tricks from the experts. 

Series Direrctor, Michelle Kastner oversaw all eight orienteering meets along with two pre-season in person trainings that saw over 100 participants each, the three hour season ending celebration and awards ceremony, and the season ending bonus relay race. Kastner, along with her core team of eight other individuals, who are all volunteers, made sure each event ran smoothly and professionally. The series was pre-registration only and offered National Meet syle starts and assigned start times for students courtesy of WIOL Registrar Kathy Forgrave. The public picked their own start time via a public app. Under the direction of Volunteer Coordinator, Ing Uhlin, eighty-five different individuals volunteered for at least one day-of-meet volunteer role, keeping each event running at optimum quality and fostering a large sense of community among Cascade’s membership. 

Dan Waugh, who started WIOL 41 years ago, remarked, it is “really inspiring to see all the enthusiastic young faces, the achievements, and the dedication of the many volunteers who make it all happen.”  Dan’s vision over four decades ago has paid back in so many ways.  Eleven of this year’s USA team members got their start in WIOL.  Two of COC’s school teams (Tahoma Varsity and University of Washington Intercollegiate) and two of their club teams (Middle School and JV) won Gold at this years OUSA Jr Nationals in Georgia. Beyond the individual and team achievements, Winter League/WIOL is a local event series that offers folks a way to get outdoors even when its cold and raining, a chance to be part of a diverse and fun community, and the opportunity for learning life long skills – wins for everyone involved.

Media & Links