2021 was a successful year for Rogaining Tasmania. Our state has remained free of COVID-19 community transmission enabling us to run our events without disruption, which is certainly not the case on the mainland. Our events were all successful, well-organised and fun! Attendance at our events continues to rise, leading to profitable events and allowing for our entry costs to decrease.
In the past year we ran the following events:
- The Hit and Miss Metrogaine, 29thNovember 2020. This was last year, but within our recent financial year. This event attracted 170 entrants, made up of about 39 teams on foot, and 28 teams on bikes.
- The weetapoona wander, 27thFebruary 2021. Held on North Bruny Island on Murrayfield Station and surrounding farms. 210 entrants, made up from 44 teams in the 12-hr and 40 teams in the 6-hr.
- The Lenah Valley Hop Metrogaine, 22ndAugust 2021. A record attendance for an RT event with 334 entrants. 58 teams in the 3-hr and 77 teams in the 6-hr.
- The Lindisfun bike and on-foot Metrogainewill be held next weekend. Numbers are looking good for this event and we are likely to get around 200 entrants.
On the 29 and 30th May the Australian Championships were held near Burra in South Australia, and was attended by eight Tasmanian Teams. Tasmanian teams had some good results. Tasmania won the Interstate and Trans-Tasman Trophy, although it should be noted that almost all Victorian teams were unable to attend due to COVID restrictions.
Many people make RT events possible in a huge range of often specialist jobs. In particular I’d like to offer my gratitude to:
- Bernard Walker and John Dawson for their work on online entries, the web site and newsletter distribution.
- Vice President Peter Tuft for his willingness to get things done at short notice and to step into the void when needed.
- Vice President Robyn Tuft for continuing to be responsible for guiding RT through the changing COVID-Safe requirements.
- Adele Winslow, Jim Laver and Barbara Tassell for doing the landowner liaison for the weetapoona
- Our event setters and vetters – Simon Allen, Karen Wild-Allen, Meisha Austin, Peter and Robyn Tuft, Jeff Dunn and Sally Wayte, Hillary Cane, Lucy and Neil Hawthorne, Sue and Janet Hancock. Plus Charlotte Blake, David Lovebridge and Ben Armstrong in anticipation of next weekend’s event.
- Simon Allen for taking some load off the President by mentoring the Lindisfunteam and producing their map.
- Jeff Dunn and Nicole Carpenter for managing the NavLightelectronic punching system used for bush events.
- Orienteering Tasmania for the loan of equipment.
- Darryn Cubit and his team for their ongoing and excellent catering, often in adverse conditions.
- Dexter Canning for the new RT logo.
There are several events currently in the pipeline. You can look forward to a Metrogaine in Sandy Bay in March 2022, and a bush and Midlands farm and bush event in November 2022.
Our ability to run events is dependent on getting volunteers. We have struggled a bit to obtain volunteers this year, so please consider helping when you can. This may be a major role such as joining the committee or organising an event, but help with small roles such as checkpoint collection and helping admin at metrogaines are important and much appreciated.
Successful associations have a steady turnover of committee members with fresh ideas and enthusiasm so we’d welcome anyone interested in joining us.
On behalf of all entrants, I’d like to thank all the volunteers who contributed to events or the running of Rogaining Tasmania during the year.
Gary Carroll
President, Rogaining Tasmania
19th November 2021