John Harding of Bush Flyers in the ACT has been appointed the new Executive Officer of Orienteering Australia, commencing Monday 15 June 2009. John has a strong background over 35 years in both sports and government administration and was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for services to athletics administration in 2000. He has been orienteering regularly for the last 16 years after a previous sporting life as a runner with a 10 km road best of 30:55 and marathon best of 2:28:44. In 1978 he won the 13 km Kosciusko Classic from Mt Crackenback to the summit of Mt Kosciusko and return in 45:40, and regrets that he resisted overtures at the time from then Australian orienteering champion Maurice Ongania to take up orienteering seriously. As an old and slow M55 he now enjoys it when he manages the occasional win over such notables as Peter Shepherd, Paul Prudhoe, Bert Elson and other miscreants (me), and is looking forward to World Masters Orienteering in October. He is excited about contributing to the development of orienteering in Australia through his new administrative role.