Date to be confirmed for late September/October. Hosted by EOOC in Redwater Natural Area near Edmonton. A  fun adventure and free AOA-sponsored BBQ awaits all levels from beginners to elites! Stay tuned for updates and registration details. Don't miss it!

We are proud to share that Kids Run Wild has been awarded the prestigious Best Children's Outdoor Pursuits & Fitness Programme 2023 - Western Canada by Acquisition International. This recognition is a testament to the EOOC club's passion and dedication to orienteering. Special thanks to coach Dorothy P, amazing volunteers like Peter G, and all the supporting families.
We look forward to seeing the program's positive impact as KRW nurtures children's love for outdoor pursuits and fitness to continue.

 
Western Canadian Training Camp

One of the best training camp locations found!
It took place in Cranbrook, BC, in May and was well attended by 50 people. Eager learners from all clubs in Alberta and BC, as well as from Ontario and Montana. We had 5 coaches (Kitty, Marsha, Magali, Finley, and Bogi) and course planners Andree and Eileen from KOC. Also, we had some great help from Magnus J planning some great activities from Norway. Accommodation at the College of the Rockies was excellent; single rooms with a kitchen to share! We heard many requesting to go back there annually. 

 

 Unlocking Challenges @ Western Spring Training Camp
When I was young, I said to my mom at the dinner table “maybe there’s a challenge inside you need to unlock”.  The details behind why I said this isn’t relevant.  What is relevant is that this statement has become a powerful mantra for me and my family.  
There were a good number of challenges I was able to unlock  at the Western Spring Training Camp. I walked away from the camp more confident in my ability to use my compass and more knowledgeable of map contours and symbols. I also unlocked a fear of being on my own in a forest during a route choice activity. Last but not least, I got quite comfortable being lost knowing that “I am not really lost, I am just bewildered” (as they called it at camp).
What my mom and I loved most about our time in Cranbrook was feeling a part of a community.  The sport of orienteering feels small until you participate in events, like this camp. There is nothing better than like-minded people coming together to share a passion for something important in their lives. The organizers, coaches, and other participants made us feel welcome and we both walked away with not only new skills, but new friends too. I left the three day camp feeling connected, inspired and more confident than ever that orienteering is my sport.  If you are a teen interest in trying orienteering, come join me for some upcoming events!
By Gabriel S, age 14

Blackfoot Score-O Recap
EOOC hosted the Blackfoot Score-O on May 28.  There were three options for time: 1, 3 and 6 hours!  Interestingly the event was held on a new map some of which had not been field checked, so participants had their work cut out for them if they chose to venture there!  Another interesting feature was the combination of regular SI controls and maprun controls (no si, sometimes flags, ribbons or nothing!) Three orienteers braved the 6 hours of cruelling navigation.  Wise participants went after the regular controls in mapped terrain, but some of us more adventurous types (needless to say less-wise?) decided to go for the big score controls in the green terrain with only ribbons or the maprun beep to tell us were at the control!  We found the controls we went after ... as well as more spanworm caterpillars than we care to recall. We had to de-caterpillar after leaving the forest!
Thanks to the amazing volunteers who put on this event!
by: Marsha F

2023 Run the Wild
FWOC's much-loved navigation race returned to the picturesque location of Sandy McNabb after a decade, and it was nothing short of spectacular! Sheep Valley boasts vast, untamed landscapes with rolling hills and a trail system that can either guide you or leave you bewildered, testing your navigation skills to the core. The event featured a Rogaine-style score-O, a trail run component, and some exciting secret bonuses, courtesy of the amazing Run the Wild team.
Designed to cater to both beginners and seasoned orienteers, this 6-hour challenge allows you to create a route that perfectly aligns with your skills, fitness, and mood. It's all about having a blast and pushing the boundaries with your team.
 

Blackfoot map

2023 Western Canadian Orienteering Championships 
Thank you to Sage Orienteering for some amazing races!  Participants came off both Middle and Long events feeling they had given it their all and had fun while they did it! Congratulations to all the participants and podium finishers!  Alberta showed off their competitive side, taking the podium in several classes in both events. (Fwoc submitted results listed.) In the Middle event: Andrew (2nd M21E), Ewan (1st Western Canadian M20), Gavan (1st M18), Finley (3rd Western Canadian M35), Tim (3rd M45), Teresa (1st Western Canadian F45), Christin (2nd F65) In the Long event, Robyn (3rd F21E), Gavan (1st M18), Alexandru (1st M10), Finley (2nd Western Canadian M35), Tim (2nd M45), Don B (3rd Western Canadian M65), Izabela ( 2nd Western Canadian F10), Teresa (2nd F45), and Christin (1st F65).


FWOC at Westerns
 

Robyn and Andrew, have been chosen as members of the National Junior Team Canada Program. We are so proud to see these young and skilled FWOC athletes representing Canada at various international events. Their passion for orienteering shines brightly, and we wish them the best of luck in their endeavours. Go Team Canada!
Robyn's summer updates
Earlier this season I started off with the FWOC spring training camp, and shortly after raced WCOCs. At the end of June, I made a short trip to Eastern Washington for the Spokane 4 Days, where I participated in the Pig War. This weekend was NAOCs in Truckee, California. I had a strong sprint (where unfortunately I mispunched), and consequently had a rough time on the middle and the long, but recovered enough to run a mostly clean 2nd leg for the senior women’s relay team on the last day. Up next is COCs, where I’m looking forward to racing in the senior category, and hopefully end the summer on a high note.
Submitted by Robyn A

Andrew's summer updates
My bigger events started out with WCOCs in the dense and technical forests of Kelowna where I got to experience some of the coolest terrain I have ever run in, as well as the least amount of deadfall I have seen anywhere in North America. Shortly after I headed off for Europe and stopped by the Hungarian Middle Champs on my way to JWOC (Junior World Orienteering Championships) for a little training and to see what these European forests are all about. The races were fun but jet lag and the new terrain prevented me from making it into the A-final so I had to settle for first place in the B-final. Following that I did a bit of traveling around Croatia and then headed over to Romania for JWOC. My results at JWOC weren't great (about middle of the pack), but it was still a great time participating in such a high-level competition as well as talking to people from all over the world. Then after more traveling around, I made my way down to California to meet up with the Canadian team to do a bit of training around Tahoe to acclimatize to the terrain and elevation. Seemingly this paid off as I got gold in all my races in M20E. Additionally, I would have placed second in the M21E sprint since they were on the same course (just 13 seconds away from qualifying for the automatic spot at WOC next year in Edinburgh). Next up I have O-fest and COCs in Quebec in which I will be running up to M21E. Given my recent results at NAOC I am hopeful that I can come home with a medal or two but we'll just have to wait and see.
Submitted by Andrew Mc.

 

Red Deer Community Events
Upcoming 
5. July 31st - Bower Ponds
6. August date TBD- Barrett Park
7. September 13 - RDP
8. September 27 - Bower Pond
9. October 4- Kin Canyon
10. October 18 - Heritage Ranch

Crowsnest Pass Permanent Courses:
We set up three permanent orienteering courses at Pass Powderkeg, which you will be able to try on your own time.

Strathcona Wilderness Center Permanent Courses:
EOOC created some fun courses for Strathcona Wilderness Centre. The maps are ready for download from our website. Courses also can be done with the Map Run App or by picking up a map from customer service, onsite at SWC.
The longest challenge is a 24 controls Score O.

Edmonton Club ( EOOC)

• Club news

• Upcoming events

Outreach: Red Deer events

• Red Deer 

$$$ GRANTS $$$

Great New Provincial Government Grants!

 

Alberta’s government investing $8 million to help make sports, physical activity and recreation more accessible through the new Every Kid Can Play program.  Every Kid Can Play (EKCP) Program is designed to address affordability and accessibility challenges to sport, physical activity, and recreation (SPAR) programs for Alberta kids and their families. Alberta families can apply for up to $350 per child to offset registration fees, through funds directed to KidSport Alberta.

ADDITIONAL for non-profit sport organizations to make sports more affordable.
 2 grant application processes with the Government of Alberta, for Provincial-Scope organizations and Community-Level non-profit organizations, funding is available  to reduce costs associated with the delivery, expansion, or enhancement of existing programs.
We will work with the clubs to apply for these grants.

Our Annual Grants :
1. AOA Grants for Alberta Clubs:
The AOA Grants Policy and application form can be found on our website.

• AOA Grant Policy for Clubs ​​updated 2023​​​​
• AOA has three grants available to support the clubs.
•  To apply contact the AOA office.​

​​2. Application for AOA Members: 

• The Leadership Grant will encourage AOA members to attend or present courses, clinics, workshops, training camps events and conferences.
• The High-Performance Grant supports athletes who are named by Orienteering Canada to Canada's National Teams. It also supports Alberta coaches and team leaders of National Teams.
• For members, the application deadline is December 1st.  Please download the application form below and send it back to  [email protected] .

• AOA High-Performance Grant​  application​​

• AOA Leadership Grant​ application

Kim Kasperski

 Zoom meeting

Please register below to receive an email with the Zoom link. The link will be also posted on our website just before the event starts.
All participants at the AOA AGM will be entered to win a door prize!
It's a win-win situation!  

Edmonton Club ( EOOC)

• Club news

• Upcoming events

Outreach: Airdrie and Red Deer events

• Red Deer and Airdrie 

 

 $$$$ GRANTS $$$$

AOA Grant Policy for Alberta clubs :

• AOA Grant Policy for Clubs ​​updated 2023​​​​
• AOA has three grants available to support the clubs.
• For clubs, the application deadline is April 1st.  To apply contact the AOA office.​

​​Application forms for AOA members : 

• The Leadership Grant will encourage AOA members to attend or present courses, clinics, workshops, training camps and conferences.
• The High-Performance Grant supports athletes who are named by Orienteering Canada to Canada's National Teams. It also supports Alberta coaches and team leaders of National Teams.
• For members, the application deadline is December 1st.  Please download the application form below and send it back to  [email protected] .

• AOA High-Performance Grant​  application​​

• AOA Leadership Grant​ application

We are happy to announce that we have received $2500 from the Government of Canada ParticipAction Grant to organize 5 events in 5 communities and invite underrepresented populations to try orienteering. If you have ideas for Crowsnest Pass, Red Deer, Cochrane, Calgary, or Edmonton or know someone who can we contact to invite, please let us know.

Mapping Update 
We are excited to say that the mapping activity is growing in our province. New maps are being planned for the 2025 Canadian Championships and the 4 new outreach maps are in the works.

Thanks to our seasoned mappers Don B, Don R and Geraint who are always busy updating maps and helping some of the new mappers get hooked on making maps.

The club volunteers will never run out of jobs with map updates and finding new areas to map in the cities.  Thanks to David, Teresa, Marsha, Stefan, Tim, and Dorothy for supporting this important work.

AB Park permit update:
FWOC is excited to share news that AB Parks, Kananaskis Region, in consultation with FWOC and AOA, has developed an excellent Orienteering Directive that should facilitate getting permits in the Kananskis region! Once our maps have been reviewed by the ecological lead on that AB Kananaskis team (the last step in a multi-year process), we should be able to offer more forest events on some of our favourite maps! Stay tuned! The Directive also makes it easier to create and use new maps! We can't thank Kitty Jones enough for devoting years to spear-heading this effort.

Hello Alberta orienteers,

Well, I am feeling somewhat wistful about the end of the regular orienteering season, but also encouraged that the events that were held in 2022 show that Alberta orienteering is coming back from the disruptions of the past few years. And with the behind-the-scenes planning for future events, getting new officials trained to develop and run those events, map making and training mappers, trying to improve land access, training coaches, and so on, the “off-season” looks to be just as busy for our
core of hard-working volunteers.

And speaking of volunteers, this year the AOA held a one-day event last month to celebrate the people who make such a difference for Alberta orienteering. I think the event at the Red Deer Polytechnic on October 15 th was a great success. The sprint courses designed by David Campden of FWOC and Greg Yarkie of EOOC were a lot of fun – of course the fabulous weather helped – and that led to a very tasty (free) lunch and a chance to recognize the volunteers who had been so key to Alberta orienteering in 2021 and 2022 (check out the names in this newsletter). 

While the AOA recognizes key event officials and club organizers, some of who put in many hundreds of hours, including hundreds of kilometres of travelling to sites and walking through forests and over plains, there are so many of you who lend a hand, whether offering to pick up controls on a Wednesday night or register participants or mark them in as they finish, hand out maps to school kids, and more – all of which are so welcome to your fellow club member / volunteer who planned and put on the courses.

I would like to extend a heart-felt thank you to all of you who help Alberta orienteering in whatever way you can. This is how we keep orienteering thriving in Alberta.

Sincerely,
Kim Kasperski
President, Alberta Orienteering Association

Canadian Rockies Orienteering Festival
 

      

The big event of the year for Albertans was the Canadian Rockies Orienteering Festival (CROF) which included the Western Canadian Orienteering Championships held in Kananaskis, a Barebones event on a new map in the Crowsnest as well as the Canadian Orienteering Championships in Kimberley. This series of events had been planned for 2020 and had to be postponed for two years!  It was exciting to see it finally happen.  The WCOC Forest Sprint held on the new Banded Peak map was exciting!  The Middle and Long events for the WCOCs were held on a new map near Barrier Lake which had very interesting and, at times, extremely challenging terrain! From an organizer's point of view, it was nice to see our hard work of course planning and control site checking come to fruition! Despite the logging that made this map difficult to cross, most finishers said they really enjoyed being out on a new map!  Sunday's WCOC Long Event had an extra challenge thrown in by rain and cold weather.  Most orienteers made their way to Barebones down south to enjoy a more laid-back orienteering event before moving on to the COCs in Kimberley.  These events, too, were held on some very exciting maps! Participants of CROF raved about the orienteering. Congratulations to all the podium finishers and participants! Three Albertans swept their age class in every event: Geraint, Nicki and Grace (pictured above), and seven Albertans made the podium for every event in the 2022 COCs: Lada K, Greg Y, Mark G, Jack M, Tori O, Danny R and Ewan W!

Regular club events!

      

Alberta orienteers were also very excited to see the return of regular orienteering events!  Both FWOC and EOOC held about 20 regular Wednesday events.  Calgary had four forest events, including Run the Wild 2022 and an exciting Team Score-O, while Edmonton hosted 4 forest events which included a Score-O at Blackfoot.  Both clubs held successful Halloween events: Spook-O at Confederation Park with about 340 participants feasting on candy around the course, and the 3rd annual Rosenthal Haunted House with 941 participants (584 youth), plus 11 volunteers! In addition, EOOC hosted a Sprint Series, a competition designed for Team Canada time trials but open to orienteers of all skill levels. 

Red Deer Sprint 

To top off a great year, the AOA hosted the sprint event in Red Deer (mentioned by Kim in her letter).  This was also the first time on this map, intended for use in 2020! Thanks to Don B for such an awesome map to run on, and to David C and Greg Y for terrific courses. For those of you who missed the event, check out the long course:

We had two juniors from Alberta attending JWOC this year! Congrats to Robyn and Andrew!  It's been quite a different JWOC - with the forest races being rescheduled for the fall, because of the forest fire risk and heat wave in Portugal.

This JWOC was all about the Sprint races this summer. In the Individual Sprint race, Robyn Astridge was 81st and Andrew McLaren was 91st; other Canadian team members included Isak Fransson from Hamilton (121st) and Lukas Raz from Ottawa (139th). In the Sprint Relay, Canada was 7th in the B final. 

The Forest events were held November 4-6, and Alec Le Helloco (from Ottawa) represented Canada in the forest disciplines.

Kim Kasperski

 Zoom meeting

Please register below to receive an email with the Zoom link. The link will be also posted on our website just before the event starts.

 

Please SAVE the DATE!

AUGUST 21-22 , 2022 Sunday and Monday. 
 

We need your help!

AOA received a CASINO draw in Calgary Pure Casino. The AGLC Casino fund is a main operational support for AOA. We use it for creating maps, developing programs and supporting events. If you can help us with a shift it would be greatly appreciated.
Please sign up below.


 

We’re at the beginning of another orienteering season that, once again, will look and feel very different from what we’re used to. What’s different from last year is that we have vaccines against this COVID-19 virus and a plan to get everyone vaccinated by September, maybe sooner, so we could be looking at a series of Fall orienteering events that get us back together in the parks and forests.

The AOA completed a three-year strategic planning cycle at the end of 2020 where we focussed on creating outreach programs in new communities outside of Edmonton and Calgary. For our current three-year plan, we will be focussing on maintaining and developing the outreach programs we established in Airdrie, Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House and Grande Prairie with the hope that we can create a new orienteering club in Red Deer. Full details of the new strategic plan are available for everyone to read on the AOA’s website.

The AOA AGM will be held on Wednesday 14 April starting at 6.30 pm. Official notice will be sent to all members on or before March 25 with a link to register and receive a Zoom invitation to join the meeting. This will be my last AGM as president, having reached the maximum term limit of four years. Kim Kasperski from EOOC has agreed to be nominated to take over from me as president. Kim will come back to the AOA board having already served as president around 10 years ago so will be able to get up and running very quickly.
I hope to see you in the forest soon.

David Campden

Both the AOA and Clubs start the new season with an AGM. AOA will elect their new Board on April 14, 2021. Some new faces are standing for office and some old pros are returning to take up the torch. 

• Club news
• Independent orienteering

• Upcoming events

Outreach

• Airdrie: Try orienteering
• Red Deer: Try orienteering

Any location self-guided activities: 

• NEIGHBOURHOOD ADVENTURE create your own google based map and route
• SOGO@Home: for kids to keep them active at home

This year has been very challenging in many ways for everyone. But despite the pandemic, orienteering has been possible, albeit in modified formats and always without the socializing before and afterwards.

With a collaborative effort, the clubs and AOA were able to provide safe outdoor activities to more than 6000 participants in 2020.

I really want to thank all those volunteers who have continued to offer their time and experience to make anything happen at all. The board members in each club have had to meet more often to ensure all orienteering activities conform to the ever-changing health regulations as well as managing finances that have been hard hit by program cancellations. Coaches have had to deal with physical distancing, mask-wearing, hand sanitizing and other changes to their coaching routines. All this is added stress in an already stressful environment.

Sadly, the 2020 Western Canadian Orienteering Championships that were scheduled for last July had to be postponed. This after the organizing committee had already put in a huge amount of work to create new maps, plan and vet courses, manage registrations, acquire permits, arrange transport and accommodation – the list goes on for such a big event. Let’s hope all this work comes to fruition sometime in the not too distant future.

I want to finish by saying the Alberta Orienteering Association needs you! I have been president of the AOA for four terms and, to conform with our bylaws, cannot continue as president after the next AGM in April 2021. Apart from needing a new president, it would be beneficial to have a couple more “regular” board members, especially from Edmonton. At the moment, the AOA board has five members, of which only one is from Edmonton. The board meets once a month on-line and twice a year in person (when we were allowed!). The main duties of the board are overseeing the work of our amazing Executive Director (Bogi), managing finances, adopting relevant sport policies, coordinating an annual forest event schedule, coordinating forest mapping projects and representing orienteering to the provincial government, Orienteering Canada and other sport bodies. So if you think you can help out, please contact Bogi ([email protected]).

I wish you all a safe, healthy and active 2021.

David Campden 

Regardless of the many challenges posed by the pandemic, the clubs and AOA were able to provide opportunities to over 6000 participants to enjoy the outdoors in a safe environment. With Orienteering Canada's support and extensive work on Covid 19 guidelines for orienteering safely, the clubs were able to return to the sport through the summer and fall. Highlights:

• Thanks to our Club's organizers for many activities in the form of online programs and individual-based GPS orienteering.
• In-person events and kids programs ( KRW and SOGO)
• Try it sessions
• School and small group programs
• 3 coaching courses and two outreach school programs in Grande Prairie
• Thanks to Marion Owen who mentored the O100 courses (run online)
• Thanks to our mappers ( Don Bayly and Teresa Winn ) who completed two forest maps ( Lusk Creek / Crowsnest Pass) and a couple of outreach maps.
• Maintained our PSO ( Provincial Sport Association) grant and obtained two new grants to support clubs and outreach programs