Presented below are the biographies of the first Australian Orienteering Team, 1971, created to take on New Zealand. Some of these men are still involved in orienteering.
ROD HARRIS
Rod is captain of the Australian team. He is 24 years of age, single and a Design Engineer and an outdoor sports enthusiast-canoeing, rock climbing in particular. He made front page news earlier this year by crossing Bass Strait in a kayak – a major feat of strength and endurance not forgetting navigation. Rod first orienteered in the UK two years ago and since returning to Australia in March this year has regularly featured among the winners of recent events.
Rod has instructed at Outward Bound schools in Malaysia, Britain and Australia.
ALEX TARR
Alex presently leads the Orienteer of the Year competition, which surely indicates his consistent support and success in VOA events during 1971. Alex is a Librarian, a resident of Warragul, Victoria, 29 years of age and married with two daughters. He has competed in 14 orienteering events and in addition has organised events at Labertouche and Kinglake.
Alex was a race walker for 15 years (he says “never very successfully”) and has considerable bushwalking experience. He has completed 10 MUMC 24 hour hikes, winning 4 outright and winning the mixed section once with wife Janet. In his own quiet way, Alex makes a major contribution to the running of orienteering in Victoria.
TONY KERR
Tony is married and by occupation he is a Physicist. He is 27 years of age. His interest and success in orienteering is backed by eight years of 24 hour walks. He is also a keen bush walker and mountaineer (10 years experience). He has been orienteering since its inception in Australia in 1969 and has won many senior events over this period.
Tony was a clear leader in the Orienteer of the Year competition until overtaken by Alex Tarr after the September 5th event at Churchill National Park.
AKE PERSSON
Ake is single, a Metallurgist and resident in Fairy Meadow, Wollongong, NSW. He is probably the most experienced orienteer presently living in Australia, In Sweden, Ake competed in over 170 events and more recently, 6 events in Australia. In the new Orienteering Club in Canberra, Ake has consistently won each event this year. At the You Yangs on the 17th October, Ake drove down from Canberra and won the senior men’s in 1.29.74, nearly two minutes ahead of his nearest Victorian rival.
Other sporting interests include skiing.
RON FREDERICK
Ron is 23 years of age, a Solicitor and engaged to Judy Whitaker, another orienteering enthusiast. His sporting interests include mountaineering and hockey. He is a member of the Melbourne University Mountaineering and Hockey Clubs. Ron has competed in the Melbourne University 24 hour contests since 1966 and attended almost all VOA contests since 1969. He has entered 20-30 orienteering events including 24 hour contests during this period. Ron is also the Honorary Treasurer of the VOA and gives much of his personal time to Committee activities.
GRAHAM MOON
A Captain in the Australian Army, Graham Moon is a devoted sports-man. He competed in the very first Australian orienteering event in 1969 and regularly since then. He has organised several events at Portsea, including the 1970 Championship.
His other sporting activities include track and cross-country athletics since 1956 (5 times inter-service mile champion), VFA football, golf, badminton, squash, rugby union, soccer and hockey. Graham is 32 years of age, married and has two sons and a daughter.
