Photo (by John Harding): (from left) Grace Crane, Grant McDonald, Geoff Lawford, Bert Elson, Valerie Brammall, John Brammall

Newly elected Orienteering Australia President Blair Trewin undertook his first public duty at the Annual Dinner last Sunday at Dalveen north of Stanthorpe when he presented the OA major annual awards.
Silva Athlete of the Year was Grace Crane from Tasmania for her outstanding performances at the 2011 World Orienteering Championships when she finished 24^th in the sprint final and 27^thin the middle distance final and was 7^th fastest in her relay leg.

The Silva Award for Services to Orienteering went to Grace’s father Bert Elson, President of the Australopers Club, who has had a long history of outstanding contributions to orienteering in Australia at the national, state and club levels.

The David Hogg Award for Event Management went to Tasmania’s John and Valerie Brammall who have organised hundreds of events over the years since they began orienteering in 1986 with the Esk Valley Club. John and Valerie’s first major event was the Veteran World Cup in 1989 when John took on the job of Event Director. He is an IOF Event Advisor and he and Valerie have had important roles as Event Organisers, Controllers and Planners at many national carnivals and events since 1989.

Grant McDonald, outstanding coach of the ACT Blue Lightning Squad for many years and in recent years the Canberra Cockatoos, was awarded the Silva Award for Services to Coaching.

For the second year in succession M55 star Geoff Lawford of Victoria was the Silva Orienteer of the Year, derived from age-sex adjusted points in the national orienteering carnivals during 2011.