Quick Facts 

Established:2002
Manager: Terry Cavanagh
Coach: Geoff Peck
Captain: Anna Sheldon
Squad Numbers: 25
Best Team Result (Overall): 4^th

The Queensland Cyclones are the elite Queensland Orienteering Team that represents the state in the National Orienteering League (NOL). The National Orienteering League is Australia's premier orienteering competition. The League is primarily a team competition: each state fields teams of at least 3 women and 3 men in 4 series of races per year (a total of 14-18 races). There are a series of races over Easter and during the Australian Championships Carnival plus a number of events run by different states usually in March and August of each year.  In addition, individuals are ranked according to their performance in the events.

For a number of years Queensland formed part of the “Allies”, a team shared with Western Australia and Tasmania, but in 2002 each state decided to field individual teams.  As a separate entity Queensland struggled to field full teams, relying initially on the enthusiasm of Scott Simson, Ben Schulz, Lorenzo Calabro and Melissa Thomas and more recently on the drive of Anna Sheldon.

With the arrival of Geoff Peck (formally British National ‘O’ Coach and top level World Championship competitor) and a surge in junior enthusiasm, a meeting of athletes in 2003 decided to rekindle the Cyclone spirit.  Geoff was subsequently appointed by as Cyclone Coach, supported by Anna Sheldon as Captain and Terry Cavanagh as Manager. 

The Cyclones have developed athlete plane, training camps and through state funding and their own fund raising subsidise the travel of the team to NOL events.  One of the fund raisers is a Park O series run early in the year which doubles as part of the training for the squad.

In 2004 and 2005 the Cyclones achieved consistent 4^th placings in the NOL with the girls team threatening the more established orienteering states.  In 2006 we will be looking to move up the rankings but with the current crop of juniors gradually moving into elite competition we look forward to a bright future for the squad.

   Dane Cavanagh