Outside, white ground. Orienteering over. Bummer. Can't write complete sentences. Hit side of head... that's better. It's terrible how the mind atrophies, like any other muscle, when it is not used.
New Brunswick had the best medal haul ever at the Canadian Championships. In fact, everyone in my own family, except one, received an award. I feel special.
And not just at the COC's. I believe our athletes in all ages contributed to the largest haul of medal metal ever in various regional, national and international meets. This is more impressive in light of the reduction in provincial funding available.
A number of our young athletes spent part of the summer orienteering in Europe. The skill honing is evident. Wil Smith had a particularly good year; he has been pre-selected to the 1997 national men's team. Also remarkable is that sibling Sandi has been pre-selected to the national women's team.
We have had more (deliberately) unorthodox meets this year: Street-O, Flood-O, twin short-O's, Spook-O. They all were well received by the participants. More of these sounds good. The Fredericton Spook-O attracted 175 participants including some from Edmundston and Chatham. This is the largest number from any event I have ever seen in New Brunswick (excluding the COC's).
On the other hand, I was a meet official for what should have been our premier meet of the season, the ONB championships. Unfortunately it became an object lesson in the relevance of standards and a demonstration that a considerable effort cannot always compensate for a flawed system. This was a ranking meet in which the two elite courses had to be thrown out. The gruesome details, and the lessons learned, are the topic of a separate article.
At the ONB AGM (annual general meeting) it was decided to pursue the hosting of the COCs for the year 2000. Many opportunities lie here for fun-filled, action-packed, life-fulfilling, life-affirming involvement (I have to stop ; I am about to puke and my nose is in danger of excessive growth). Details to follow. Apply within.
Don't forget to keep in shape in the off season. I use a Nordic Slack to maintain my sinewy fat.
That's about it for now. Please try to support your new ONB president, especially since the presidential salary has been cut 50% since I left.
Happy Trails.