More than $1 million is expected to be pumped into the Bathurst economy by the 2017 Australian Orienteering Championships to be hosted near Hill End.
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From September 23 to October 1, more than 1000 competitors and their family from across Australia, New Zealand and Europe will converge on the Central West for the event.
Orienteering NSW marketing and communications officer Ian Jessup said the championships have been in the works for over three years.
“What often happens is carnivals are planned from three to five years beforehand,” he said.
“New areas are looked at and if they’re really good, we commission aerial shots of the area and maps are made up costing anywhere from $15,000 to $17,000.
“These maps will get used for a couple of years, before terrain changes. Fires may go through forests and areas may be flooded, which will change the landscape and affect future orienteering.
“There’s also been academic studies made, with no way to tell if someone has been there after an event. It’s environmentally friendly.”
Orienteering is a sport that originated in the late 19th century in Sweden.
The sport requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point.
The first world championships were held in the Finnish village of Fiskars in 1966.
World championships are traditional dominated by European entrants, particularly Scandinavians competitors.
Mr Jessup said a lot of equipment will be used.
“It’s really labor intensive and volunteers will be giving up a lot of hours. They’re dedicated and love the sport,” he said.
Currently, over 900 people have pre-entered the tournament.
The carnival will host two events across the week – the Australian Orienteering Championships and Australian Schools Championships.
There will be variety of courses that vary with entrants’ ability, skill and fitness.
The length of courses will also vary from 1.5 kilometres to 18 kilometres.
“We hope people come along for day or the weekend and do a course,” Mr Jessupo said.
“With it being the championships, people from Bathurst, Orange and Mudgee are all welcome to come along and have a go.
“They’ll even be people over 80-years-old and there’s even a 90-year-old competing.
There are also events that are simplified versions of orienteering, much like how one-day and Twenty20 matches are to Test cricket.
Following the event, Goldseekers Orienteers, an orienteering club based in Orange, will host four ‘come and try it’ events in Bathurst on Friday evenings in October.
Visit the website at www.onsw.asn.au or call Mr Jessup at 0416 040 135 to find out more about the event which will be hosted near Hill End.