The 2025-26 Bike Orienteering Summer Series concluded with Event 6, held 8 March on the "Morisett" map. Thanks to all riders who participated and to the volunteers who made the series happen.
Congratulations to this year's placegetters.
Line-Score Men - 1. Tim Doman, 2. Steven Todkill, 3. Michael Ridley-Smith.
Line-Score Women - 1. Carolyn Matthews, 2. Nicole Haigh, 3. Naomi Scouller.
All-Score Men - 1. Paul Youman, 2. Jeremy Dawes, 3. Shane Hunter.
All-Score Women - 1. Samantha Howe, 2. Sally-Anne Todkill, 3. Dale Graham.
All-Score Team - 1. Craig Browett & Thomas Browett.
All-Score E-bike - 1. Graeme Taplin, 2. Greg Bacon, 3. Graham Fowler.
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Medalists from Oceania Sprint Championships
Several Newcastle elite & junior orienteers competed in the 2026 Oceania Sprint Championships, held 24-26 January on the Central Coast, which included the Oceania Junior & Youth Sprint Championships. Three won a championship medal, with Erika Enderby's fastest time on the W20E/21E Individual Sprint course giving her automatic selection in the 2026 World Championships (Sprint) team.
A large number of Club members also competed in the associated public "Sprint The Coast" events, with several making the top three in the overall results from four races.
Individual Sprint: Gold - Erika Enderby (W20E); Bronze - Baxter Peel (M16).
Sprint Relay: Silver - Isobel Newton (M/W18E AUS team).
Sprint The Coast overall: First - Lucy Jenkins (W10), Presley Scouller-Evans (Jnr Boys), Jennifer Enderby (W55); Second - Hannah Stafford (W12), Geoff Todkill (M65); Third - Justin Stafford (M35), Carolyn Matthews (W55).
Full Results: Knock-out Sprint Individual Sprint Sprint Relay
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Orienteering Australia Badge Award Recipients
A large number of Club members have quailified for merit badges in Orienteering Australia’s Badge Scheme. Badges credits are earned by bettering the cut-off time for the credit standard for the age class for results in the major Australian and State Championship events, and other nominated Badge events.
Gold: Lucy Jenkins W10, Hayley Jenkins W10, Alyse Newton W10, Isobel Newton W14, Rebecca Craig W18, Erika Enderby W20, Samantha Howe W45, Martina Craig W55, Jennifer Enderby W55, Carolyn Matthews W60, Gayle Quantock W60, Felix Preston M10, Baxter Peel M14, Presley Scouller-Evans M14, Oskar Mella M20, Joshua Blatchford M21, Justin Stafford M40, Stephen Craig M55, Scott Simson M55, Glenn Burgess M60, Malcolm Roberts M65, Geoff Todkill M65, Robert Vincent M65, Jim Lee M75, Robert Lewin M75.
Silver: Margaret Peel W55, Naomi Scouller W35, Caroline Jenkins W45, Maria Orr W65, Carolyn Rigby W65, Carolyn Chalmers W80, Peter Preston M40, Emile Altmann M45, Shane Jenkins M45, Greg Newton M50, Shane Trotter M50, Bjorn Mella M65, Peter Orr M65, Geoff Peel M65, Robert Preston M65.
Bronze: Clare Newton W21, Bronwyn Stafford W40, Sharon Burgess W60, Max Altmann M12, Ian Dempsey M70.
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Course Setter and Rookie Awards
Orienteering NSW presents several special awards at the end of each year, with two Newcastle members receiving accolades for their efforts in 2025.
The Course Setter of the Year, which is decided by popular vote from fellow orienteers, was won by long time member Geoff Peel for his courses in the complex sand dune terrain at "Oakvale", set for State League 11 in July. Geoff's course setting efforts were by assisted by Margaret Peel and Stephen Craig as vetter & controller.
The ONSW Rookie of the Year was awarded to Greg Newton with the citation saying "Greg began his orienteering journey as a teenager but rediscovered orienteering around two years ago, drawn to its family-friendly environment, outdoor settings and the running aspect. After success in Moderate level courses, Greg has since shown significant improvement - from tackling longer Moderate courses, to short Hard then longer Hard courses".
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Xmas 5 Days Carnival Results
Newcastle Orienteers hosted this year’s Xmas 5 Days carnival, held from 27 to 31 December. Around 200 orienteers enjoyed forest courses on the Palmers Creek, Honeyeater Hideout, Belford NP and The Poppethead maps and a sprint at Avondale University. The overall competition, with points awarded for finishing position, counted a competitor's best four results from the five races.
Fourteen Newcastle orienteers finished in the top three in the overall standings with three winning their class.
First: Peter Charlton (Men D), Isobel Newton (Women E), Presley Scouller-Evans (Men F).
Second: Alvin Craig (Men A), Greg Newton (Men C), Malcolm Roberts (Men D), Rudi Landsiedel (Men E), Hannah Stafford (Women F), Lucy Jenkins (M/W Novice).
Third: Jennifer Enberby (Women A), Nicole Haigh (Women B), Justin Stafford (Men B), Cassandra Wyborn (Women E), Hayley Jenkins (Women F).
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