Career Highlights

• Competing at the 2010 NAOC, my first international competition.
• Competing for the first time in the category 17-20 at the 2011 OOC
• Working through an injury the winter of 2010-2011

2011 Highlights

• 1st in Sprint/Middle/Long COC and WCOC races in the category F 15-16
• 2nd in Sprint/Middle of the OOC in the category F 17-20.

When and how did you get involved with orienteering?
I’ve been involved since I was born, but only started orienteering alone when I was 8.
What do you love most about orienteering?
I love that I can control what happens during every event or training session, and that I can concentrate on staying in the moment and only thinking about how to get to the next control.
What is your favourite orienteering discipline, and why?
My favourite discipline is the middle. This is because it is the most challenging technically, and I love being challenged technically.
Which orienteering event is always on your calendar?
The COC is always on my calendar, although this year I will most likely not going to go.
Do you have an orienteering idol? If so, who and why?
Emily Kemp would have to be my orienteering idol because she is a very inspirational person who is down to earth and does not seem to be bothered by the fact that she is an incredible orienteerer. She is very kind and encourages everyone.
What was the highlight of your 2011 season?
The highlights of my 2011 season were: -Competing in the F 17-20 category at the 2011 OOC and being able to race at the higher level, while feeling like I was competitive. -Being able to focus on orienteering for the 9 days of WCOC, SASS Peepre and COC 2011
What are your 2012 orienteering goals?
-To compete in at least one international event -To feel comfortable racing at the F 17-20 level
What races are on your 2012 calendar?
O-Ringen, JWOC and one or two provincial races in Spain.
What is your favourite international orienteering location?
I have only competed at one international orienteering location. When I was 8, my family and I went to a competition near Berlin.
When you’re not orienteering, where can we find you?
In the winter, I’m most likely up at the X-Country ski base. In the summer, you would find me exploring-either through kayaking, canoeing or hiking-with family and/or friends.

Career Highlights

• 2011 COC Sprint – 3^rd place (W17-20)
• 2011 COC Long – 3^rd place (W17-20)
• 2011 WCOC Sprint – 3^rd place (W17-20)
• 2011 WCOC Long – 2^nd place (W17-20)
• 2010 COC Sprint – 3^rd place (W17-20 (Running up))

2011 Highlights

• 2011 COC Sprint – 3^rd place (W17-20)
• 2011 COC Long – 3^rd place (W17-20)
• 2011 WCOC Sprint – 3^rd place (W17-20)
• 2011 WCOC Long – 2^nd place (W17-20)
• 2010 COC Sprint – 3^rd place (W17-20 (Running up))

When and how did you get involved with orienteering?
I first got into orienteering when I was 9 years old, 8 years ago.  My aunt and uncle were already orienteering and told my parents about it.  As soon as my brothers and I went to our first races, we were hooked.  At our local B-meets, I would do the beginner courses with my dad.  We started going to A meets and participating in junior training camps.  Ever since I’ve been stuck on orienteering and it always has been and will be my favourite sport.
What do you love most about orienteering?
I have a few favourite things about orienteering, the first being that I get to travel with my family to other parts of the country and meet lots of people and make new friends.  I also love the feeling I get when I’m running through the woods on my own, focusing on my race, but knowing that I’m surrounded by nature, which I love.  The last thing is the look on people’s faces when I tell them that my favourite sport is orienteering, a sport most people have never heard of.
What is your favourite orienteering discipline, and why?
My favourite orienteering discipline is either the sprint or the long.  I like the sprint because of the fast pace and often different terrain, especially urban sprints.  I like longs, though, because of the distance and the long legs.  With long legs, there is a lot more planning of routes to do.  Depending on the terrain of the sprint and long at an A-meet, it might be one or the other.
Which orienteering event is always on your calendar?
The Canadian Championships have been on my calendar every year for several years now.  They’re important to me because it is often the only time in the year when I get to meet up with all the other orienteers in Canada.  I also value them because I love to travel with my family in the summer and since the Canadian Champs are in a different place every year, it means that we get to explore the country a little more each year.
Do you have an orienteering idol? If so, who and why?
I must say that my orienteering idol is Thierry Gueorgiou.  I’m always cheering for him at WOC and when the French team was in Ottawa for our Ottawa O-Fest in 2009, I was quite pleased that he joined the party at my house after one of the races.
What was the highlight of your 2011 season?
Some highlights from 2011 were running in the Yukon, and running elite in Boston at the CSU’s Fall Foliage Festival.  The Yukon was amazing because I’ve always wanted to go up north just to travel and explore and climb mountains, but when I heard that the Canadian champs were going to be in the Yukon, I was thrilled because it combined two of my favourite things, orienteering and exploring mountains.  Running elite was a great experience.  At first I was hesitant to run up, but I think it was a great experience and I felt good with my results comparing them to the top runners in the category.
What are your 2012 orienteering goals?
My 2012 orienteering goals are, first of all, to qualify for the Canadian JWOC team in the summer.  Secondly, I want to improve my technical abilities, such as route choice.
What races are on your 2012 calendar?

• Tour du Marteau Training Camp (Hamilton – April 6th-8th )
• Westpoint A-meet (May 5th-6th)
• Ottawa O-Fest (May 19th-21st)
• JWOC Training Camp (June 30th-July 7th) (If I make the team)
• JWOC (July 7th-14th) (If I make the team)
• Ontario Champs (Waterloo – Oct. 6th-7th)
• NAOC/NAOC Training Camp (Delaware Water Gap, PA – October 18th-21st)

What is your favourite international orienteering location?
I must admit that I haven’t had the opportunity to orienteer outside Canada and the United States yet.  But if I can alter the question slightly to say “Where, internationally, would you most like try orienteering?”, I would have to say Sweden because I know that it is a much bigger sport there and it would be incredible to be at big meet where there are several thousands of people.
When you’re not orienteering, where can we find you?
When I’m not orienteering, I can often be found in the music basement of my school, either playing my flute, or acting as music council’s co-president and organising events and fundraisers for the music program.  I can also sometimes be found on stage, as part of the Senior Acting Company at the Ottawa School of Speech and Drama.  You may also find me outside communing with nature by canoeing, camping, skiing or hiking.  If you don’t find me in any of those places, you might find me curled up in my room reading a good book.

Career Highlights

• 30th in 1994 boys aggregate at 2011 XC ski Nationals
• 97th ant BC high school XC running provincials
• 1st in Middle distance (15-16 males)

2011 Highlights

• 5th in 5/6 races at Western Canadian Championships and Canadian Orienteering Championship in Whitehorse.
• Beating Louise Oram at the HPP fundraiser.

When and how did you get involved with orienteering?
I began orienteering (running or biking with my father) at age 9. I picked up orienteering again in 2009
What do you love most about orienteering?
I love ripping through forests (or other places) that I would never get to see, if I was not orienteering.
What is your favourite orienteering discipline, and why?
I enjoy middle distance the best because the distance and route choices between controls are challenging but not overwhelming. The length feels the most natural to me and allows for minor wobbles (less stress).
Which orienteering event is always on your calendar?
Nationals, because I enjoyed this years nationals in Whitehorse so much.
Do you have an orienteering idol? If so, who and why?
No, I don’t really have any idols at all.
What was the highlight of your 2011 season?
Attending Westerns and Nationals in Whitehorse
What are your 2012 orienteering goals?
1) Head in the right direction when reorienting yourself 2) increase ability to run at race pace (Make sure map reading doesn’t hold me back).
What races are on your 2012 calendar?
Westerns and Nationals in Alberta
What is your favourite international orienteering location?
Whitehorse due to runability and interesting topography
When you’re not orienteering, where can we find you?
a) training for XC skiing b) at home studying or reading

Career Highlights

• At the age of 11, racing in the COC’s in British Columbia, I decided to take a short cut through a crossable swamp. I found out shortly that the water went up to my shoulders. Then I got an image in my head that I would be eaten by beavers, and bolted back to the start where I ran into my mom and little brother. They encouraged me to continue, and I did end up finishing the race. Although ever since then I have been terrified of beavers, I finished the race and I’ve never forgotten the experience

2011 Highlights

• Meadow and Spreckley’s Trails (Ontario Championships Middle – October 2011)

How long ago did you start orienteering?
12 years ago.
When and how did you get involved with orienteering?
When I was 5, my brother Eric, my sister Emily, and my dad picked up a pamphlet and decided that we would try an intermediate course. We got completely lost, and ended up falling in love with the sport.
What do you love most about orienteering?
Travelling to all different places and running in so many different terrains.
What’s your favourite orienteering discipline?
My favourite race is the middle because it is the most technical.
Which orienteering event is always on your calendar?
Canadian Orienteering Championships
Do you have an orienteering idol? If so, who and why?
Emily, my sister, is my idol because she’s unstoppably committed to orienteering.