Press Release - IOF World Rankings as at April 28th 2008
Press Release - IOF World Rankings as at October 21st 2007
News Release - IOF makes adjustments to World Cup 2008
Aims and Projects for 2008
In terms of our aims and objectives for the year, the SAOF will be limited by the current financial resources, which, as said at the AGM, are currently very limited. However, the following should be looked at specifically in addition to the SAOF 'normal' activities:
- Select and send a team to WOC 2008 (World Orienteering Championships)
- Select and send a team to JWOC 2008 (Junior World Orienteering Championships)
- Organise a Junior tour to the Czech Republic (training camp and WOC Tour events) assuming that their is enough interest from our juniors. It is important to maintain the momentum gained from this year's tour to Sweden. There is a contact in the Czech Republic who has indicated that not only do they organise regular training camps but they may be able to assit with costs for a South African group to attend. This group could then attend WOC and compete in the WOC Tour events thus gaining more experience of competition and at the same time see the World's best in action.
- Issue the long awaited Rules of Orienteering and also update the technical standards documents relating to competitions, specifically the SA Champs and other Champs.
- Ensure that all Organisers, Planners, Controllers and Mappers are aware of the new rules and technical standards by holding relevant courses in Gauteng and Cape Town.
- Encourage more Orienteers to become event Organisers, Planners, Mappers and ultimately Controllers.
- Develop a marketing campaign for Orienteering specifically for Gauteng and the Cape to try to increase the awareness of Orienteering in these regions and thus boost event attendance.
- Oversee a successful visit by the PWT Travel group - this is probably the most significant visit of foreign Orienteers to South Africa (certainly the largest). If this is a success, more groups should follow.
- Should the SAOF receive funding from the National Lotteries Board, then the SAOF need to look at how best to spend that money under the categories for which the money was requested.
- Look for sponsorship, specifically for the WOC, JWOC and Junior Tours - without Lottery funding, the SAOF is not in a position to pay the entry fees to all the above on it's own.
- Continue to look at helping the people in KZN (and possibly SRSA in the Eastern Cape) to start orienteering in the region. However, it must be very clear that there is only so much assistance Gauteng people can provide from so far away and that there must be a driver on the ground who takes up the ball and runs with it.
- Support and organise (but not fund !) an African Orienteering Development conference probably in Johannesburg if called upon by the IOF to do so. This is dependent on the IOF finding funding for this project AND there being sufficient interest from various countries in Africa. If this goes ahead, the SAOF would use the opportunity to try to bring in people from other regions in South Africa so that they can take part in this development clinic.
- Set up a regular channel of communication with the members including a regular newsletter (via e-mail) and improving the website to contain current information about SAOF activities.
- Continue to establish a coaching structure within SA Orienteering. Also to utilise the skills of overseas visitors in this regard.
The Election of Honorary Life Members - 2005
