GHO at World Champs

The World Orienteering Championships (WOC) are being held in Aarhus/Silkeborg, Denmark starting this Saturday and I will post some updates for GHO member on the races during the week. The WOC web site is: www.woc2006.dk

But before WOC starts....first a little history. I was lucky to grow up in a club with an international orienteering reputation. Not only did our club host the first World Cup race outside of Scandinavia but the Golden Horseshoe Orienteering Club (and its founding clubs, HKF and NIA) has a rich history of participation in the World Orienteering Championships. Ted de St. Croix of the old Niagara club came 10th in 1985 in Australia (best result for a North American man) and participated for Canada for many World Champs. Ron Lowry and Denise DeMonte (HKF) also participated in many World Champs and Denise's 18th in 1985 is the 2nd best North American women's result to date. Ted was a coach of mine at many an Orienteering Ontario training camp and Ron Lowry was my personal coach for almost 10 years. Russ Evans (HKF) and Ron Lowry (HKF) were both on the Canadian team the last time the World Champs were hosted in Denmark (also in Silkeborg) in 1974. Russ was my Westdale High School cross country running and skiing coach and phys-ed teacher. Steve Pearson (HKF) and John Yardley (NIA) were team leaders for several World Orienteering Champs and so I was lucky to be able to participate in many National training camps at an early age under the guidance of these team leaders.

GHO currently has several members that also ran WOC but at that time were members of another club - they are Mark Adams (VIK), Oivind Naess (NS), Doug Mahoney (Falcons) and Frank Farfan (TOC). And finally, some former GHO members that have run for Canada before and after being a member of our club: Pam James, Brent Langbakk and Pippa McNeil all of the Yukon Orienteering Association.

Me? Well I've participated in every World Champs held in Scandinavia since 1989 (Sweden, 1989; Norway 1997; Sweden 2004; Denmark 2006). Perhaps I'm a bit of a WOC snob - since I have only participated when the WOC is in Scandinavia (turning down opportunities to run 1991, 1995, 1999). Or perhaps it is because I have lived two years in Denmark (1967-1969), one year in Norway (1978-1979) and did my Ph.D. research in Sweden (1992-1993) and have a strong attachment to this part of the World. Dunno. Anyway, it is a great honour to represent Canada at the international level and also to continue the GHO/HKF/NIA tradition of producing international quality athletes and hosting quality international events.

FYI!
This year's Canadian team is also represented by Patrick Goeres who lived in Hamilton the last year, Justine Sheck (from Whitehorse) who at age 18 is Canada's youngest team member and will start kinesiology at McMaster in September and GHO alumni Brent Langbakk and Pam James (now both living in Whitehorse).

Below is a list of GHO participation at WOC since 1972!

1972: Russ Evans (HKF)
1974: Ron Lowry (HKF), Russ Evans (HKF)
1976: Ron Lowry (HKF), Ted de St Croix (NIA)
1978: Ron Lowry (HKF), Ted de St Croix (NIA)
1979: Ron Lowry (HKF), Ted de St Croix (NIA), Denise Demonte (HKF)
1981: Ron Lowry (HKF), Ted de St Croix (NIA), Denise Demonte (HKF), Frank Farfan (TOC now GHO member), Steve Pearson (HKF, team leader)
1983: Ron Lowry (HKF), Ted de St Croix (NIA), Steve Pearson (HKF, team leader)
1985: Ron Lowry (HKF), Denise Demonte (HKF), John Yardley (NIA, team leader)
1987: Ron Lowry (HKF), Denise Demonte (HKF), Oivind Naess (NS, now GHO member), Mark Adams (VIK, now GHO member)
1989: Mike Waddington (HKF), Denise Demonte (HKF), Oivind Naess (NS, now GHO member),
1991: Mike Waddington (HKF, team alternate)
1993: Mike Waddington (HKF, team alternate)
1995: Mike Waddington (HKF, team alternate)
1997: Mike Waddington (HKF)
1999: Doug Mahoney (GHO), Mike Waddington (HKF, team alternate)
2003: Brent Langbakk (former GHO member), Pippa McNeil (former GHO member)
2004: Mike Waddington (GHO), Pam James (GHO)
2005: Pam James (former GHO member), Brent Langbakk (former GHO member), Pippa McNeil (former GHO member)
2006: Mike Waddington (GHO), Patrick Goeres (GHO), Brent Langbakk (former GHO member), Pam James (former GHO member), Hans Fransson (GHO, team alternate)