Warm summer temperatures and southerly winds encouraged family members and international racers to bring their navigational and team skills to the Historical Landmark Orienteer Meet Aug. 28.
Participants navigated from north to south along the cantonment area where navigation-al markers were placed at numerous historical landmarks and monuments. In addition to testing their orienteering skills, racers had opportunities to gain knowledge about several historical sites and events describing the history of the post, the first territorial capitol of Kansas, the starting points for the Oregon and Santa Fe trails in Kansas, various encampments, and World War I and WWII induction centers.
For some of the participants, the event provided junior orienteers their first experiences in reviewing an orienteering map and in developing course attack plans.
The event contained three courses consisting of introductory, intermediate and Olympic distance treks. Dads Matt Montazzoli and Peter Conrardy combined their parenting skills and strollers to guide their six young daughters — June, Helen and Tess Montazzoli and Charlotte, Abigail and Evelyn Conrardy — around the two-mile introductory course.
The course featured markers in the immediate area surrounding the Frontier Army Museum.
The small but mighty squad of junior orienteers captured six markers in one hour, 42 minutes.Four families chose to navigate the intermediate course, which consisted of 12 navigational controls located about three to four miles from the Gruber Fitness Center start point.
For newcomers Team Cheetah — dad Dallas and son Jacob Cheatham — the event served as an opportunity to introduce Jacob to navigating a course using a topographical map. Using a northerly capture plan, the father-and-son duo captured 10 controls in 1:03.
Team Eshelman — Erich, Diana, James and Olivia Eshelman — topped the family division capturing 11 controls in 1:49. Team Eshelman edged out other competitors by taking a northern approach and capturing controls at greater distances from the starting point.
The 18-control, approximately six-mile Olympic course put orienteers’ technical skills and endurance to test. The course also brought international orienteers: solo racer Elena De La Fuente from Spain, and Team Teppo — Command and General Staff College student/dad Lauri Teppo, mom Marinliis and son Andre — from Estonia.De La Fuente, a medical doctor and spouse of CGSC student Antonio Nistal, said she was interested in orienteering and reading about the post’s history.
De La Fuente posted a winning time of 1:51 clearing the course of 18 markers and topping the division. Team Teppo secured 13 markers in 1:22.
Newcomer junior orienteer Julia Purvis leveraged her knowledge of terrain association and served as the lead navigator for Team Purvis with dad Keith and mom Jennifer. Team Purvis captured the family division clearing the course in 2:18.
Veteran junior orienteer Claire Bogle served as the primary navigator for Team The Amazing Boglinskis, leading dad Everett over the 18-control course. Team The Amazing Boglinskis cleared the course and placed sec-ond in 2:26.
