2026 Fall Newsletter

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View this email in your browser Dear Alberta Orienteering Championship Organizers To: Marsha, Nicki, Marion, Oleg, Bogi, and event volunteers Wow! Thanks for an excellent provincial event. I’m so glad that I and other Alberta orienteers could enjoy the fruits of your hard work over the past months and days. Watching you all in action reminded me that there are many moving parts, things that must be done far in advance, and during the days before and during the event. Your commitment and dedication have been remarkable, in the face of uncertainties of different types, particularly that of air quality! I’m sure you are pleased to have had a smooth and problem-free competition. Thanks also to the volunteers who assisted with start duties, control pickup, and site management. Congratulations to all Alberta champions and participants (especially to everyone who braved the deadfall!) Clarence Kort AOA president Highlights from the summer events AOC 2026 - Alberta Orienteering Championships at Lusk Creek What a fantastic weekend at the 2026 Alberta Orienteering Championships on the challenging Lusk Creek map! Competitors enjoyed fun group camping alongside great racing across the Middle (Canada Cup level) and Long courses. Huge congratulations to all the finishers who powered through the tough courses in the unforgiving terrain--those fallen trees and technical details really tested everyone’s skills and determination. Thanks to Marsha’s and Marion's mentoring,  Nicki is now officially an O300 Course Planner. Well done, Alberta orienteers! From the Canadian Orienteering Festival by Charlotte M A small but mighty group of FWOC members (including some SOGO participants) headed east this summer for nine days of orienteering at the 2026 Canadian Orienteering Festival in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The Festival kicked off near Hillsborough, NB, with the low-key but technically challenging Fishbones events, followed by a fun knockout sprint at Université de Moncton. Several FWOC members then took part in the Sass Peepre Junior and Family Camp, while others took a couple of days to explore the Maritimes. Everyone reconvened in Halifax for the Canadian Championships, starting with a fun and challenging Score-O at Sir Sandford Fleming Park that raised funds for the Team Canada Program. That was followed by the sprint at Dalhousie University and the long and middle races at Sandy Lake Park, along with a banquet and the always fun silent auction. FWOC members brought home a number of medals, but one of the best parts of the Festival was simply spending time with orienteering friends from across Canada and seeing people of all ages enjoying the sport. Our own Jean MacNaughton was the oldest participant at the Festival and the sole competitor in the 90+ category — a great example of orienteering as a sport for life. Next year: Yukon! The 2027 Canadian Orienteering Festival takes place in late June / Early July in the Yukon. These events aren't just for elite competitors — there are courses for all ages, abilities and experience levels. If a trip to the Yukon has been on your bucket list, this could be the perfect excuse to go! Congrats to both Clubs,  FWOC and EOOC participants, for the medals and for attending! Our Athletes on the World Stage Congratulations to the Alberta athletes who represented Canada with pride across a packed summer of international racing! Gavan Winn and Grace Mahoney were part of the Canadian Junior Elite Squad at the Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC) 2026 in Sweden (June 29 – July 4). They tackled the disciplines and the relays in tough Swedish terrain, gaining invaluable experience on the world junior stage. Our National Elite Squad athletes kept the momentum going at the senior level. Andrew McLaren and Robyn Astridge competed at the Sprint World Orienteering Championships in Genova, Italy (July 6–11). Robyn had already raced World Cup Round 2 in Sweden earlier in the season, and both athletes continued their campaigns through the World University Orienteering Championships (WUOC) in Portugal (late July) and World Cup Round 3 in Czechia (early August). You can follow their journeys on the Orienteering Canada /social media channels! Alberta Orienteers in Europe This summer, several Alberta members enjoyed outstanding orienteering adventures across Europe. Tim McLaren competed at the 5-day OOcup in Killarney, Ireland, then travelled to Czechia for World Cup #3, where he served as Team Manager for Team Canada athletes, including his son Andrew. Meanwhile, a Calgary contingent (Christin, Teresa, Jonathan, and Marsha) plus Karen from Kimberley tackled the challenging alpine terrain of Swiss O Week in the Portes du Soleil region. Christin L had a standout performance, winning four of six events and claiming the overall title in her age class. Great to see Alberta orienteers making their mark on the international stage! Tribute to George Murphy Remembering George Murphy: A Founding Force in Alberta Orienteering The Alberta orienteering community is saddened by the passing of George Murphy on May 15, 2026, in Edmonton at the age of 85. A long-time member of the Edmonton Overlanders Orienteering Club (EOOC), George was a true builder of the sport in our province. In the mid-to-late 1970s, George helped found both EOOC and the Alberta Orienteering Association (AOA). After discovering orienteering at a clinic taught by Sass Peepre, he channelled that enthusiasm into creating lasting structures for the sport in Alberta. His professional work with the City of Edmonton Parks and Recreation left an equally practical legacy: the extensive trail system he helped develop through the city’s river valley and ravines has hosted EOOC’s regular local events for decades. George’s contributions extended beyond Alberta. He coached Canada’s ski-orienteering team at the 1994 World Ski Orienteering Championships, travelling with the squad to Bulgaria and then Italy. In 2016 he was inducted into the Edmonton Hall of Fame in the Sports category as a builder for his work in orienteering. One of his most far-reaching initiatives was the Western Canadian Blue Lake Orienteering Training Camps, which he organized with Juri Peepre. Beginning around 1978 and running annually for more than twenty years at Blue Lake Centre in William Switzer Provincial Park, these camps brought together athletes and coaches from British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Yukon. The shared experiences forged lasting friendships and significantly strengthened orienteering across Western Canada. For many participants, including future national-team members, the camps were a pivotal step toward higher-level competition. A Celebration of Life for George was held in Edmonton on July 13, 2026. His vision, energy, and quiet persistence helped lay the foundations of organized orienteering in Alberta. The trails we still use, the clubs he helped start, and the connections he nurtured remain part of his enduring gift to the sport. Thank you, AOA Casino Volunteers! Thank You, FWOC! A huge thank you to the Foothills Orienteering Club members who ran the recent AOA Casino with such a smooth and professional operation. Your hard work and dedication behind the scenes help keep orienteering thriving across Alberta — we truly appreciate everything you do! Plenty of events to choose from for more fall adventures! Youth programs continue strong this season — in Calgary, join SOGO Adventure Running for fun outdoor challenges, and in Edmonton, Kids Run Wild keeps juniors exploring maps and nature. There’s something for every young orienteer this fall! We try to keep the Why Just Run calendar updated with Alberta events, or check your local club’s event page. Upcoming Major Event - Western Canadians! Sep 19-20, 2026 -  BCOCs and WCOCs 2026 Sage OC. The BC Orienteering Championships (BCOCs) and the Western Canadian Orienteering Championships (WCOCs), featuring two brand new maps in the North Okanagan! Call for Interest: Student - Mapping Assistants Grant-supported outreach mapping | Alberta Orienteering Association AOA is looking for post-secondary students in STEM or Business who want to get involved in grant-supported mapping. Learn how to make orienteering maps and help create maps for our school and community outreach programs. Previous orienteering and mapping experience is a requirement. Training provided. Interested? Email [email protected] with a short note about your background. JOIN US! Please join us for this exciting opportunity to enjoy a new map, celebrate, reconnect with fellow volunteers, and share ideas for the future of orienteering in Alberta. Register for the AOA Fun Event Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe