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Orienteering Relays

Sunday, 10 March 2019
De Vos Farm, Midrand

Relays are something that I have mixed feelings about. It's hard to be in a team, with the pressure that you might let the team down or if you have a 'weak' member that could have done better. It's great if you win though, the sense of sharing a victory.

Once a year the Gauteng club and school relays are held. They are sprint type relays, allowing for more competition. This year ROC hosted it at De Vos Farm in Midrand. I felt a bit disadvantaged having not orienteered here before but luckily my dad had a map from before which I could use to try visualize the area.

I got to run the first leg, which I was happy about. I had just come from a 5km Time Trial, so I needed the motivation of the other orienteers to keep me running hard. I also enjoy the mass start.


  • 1. In the mass start I battled to get into the map and find #1. Once I found it I followed the path, but got side tracked by a control before mine (it wasn't even on the right feature). After this I tried to focus a bit more and not get so distracted.
  • 2. I think everyone had #2 as I saw everyone heading down for it. With the forest areas clearly visible it was easy to see where the control should be.
  • 3. I aimed a bit too much to the left before seeing my control 
  • 4. Aimed up towards the trees, my exit was a bit off though
  • 5. Pretty straight forward to the control
  • 6. Used a rough compass bearing, ran straight line toward control
  • 7. Used my compass again, followed the path and the control was easy to spot from the path
  • 8. Compass bearing, ran straight, control easy to spot
  • 9. Compass bearing, knew I needed to keep below #4 and above #2. Could see roughly where the control should be by the form of the land. Wet shoes and dirty legs getting to this control
  • 10. Compass bearing straight to control
  • 11. I followed the path all the way round the dam. The bottom route looked shorter but in terms of marsh and vegetation looked slower going. Took a bit of time to locate the hole in the fence. 
  • 12. Could see the control from #11, straight down the hill
  • 13. Followed path around, control behind the pipes
  • 14. My aim was just to run to the corner of the fence of the out of bounds and just keep going. Control in the open so easy to see. Legs felt pretty tired on this uphill section.
  • 15. Down through a broken section in the fence, knoll easy to spot
  • 16. Followed path down to knoll
  • 17. Compass bearing, straight to control
  • 18. Compass bearing, could just see the control through the grass
  • 19. Messed up this control, headed too far to the left, did not expect the control to be as close as it was. I saw the control initially but did not think it was mine and I was tempted to head further down.
  • 20. Got on the path and followed it up to the control
  • 21. Straight across, already knew where the control was
  • Finish. Straight to the finish, focused on not falling. 

Overall it wasn't a bad run, legs didnt feel too bad, but my concentration at the end was going. A few controls I could have navigated better on. 
I came through first female for my team. Unfortunately we got overtaken on the last half of the 3rd leg and came 2nd by only a few seconds. As a team we were happy as we didnt expect to be so close to the winning team. 




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