2018 Rogainer of the Year
Evelyn Colwell
Evelyn has had a memorable year full of highs and lows. Some rogaines were completed with grit and determination, such as the 6-hour Lofty Explorer where Evelyn found herself at the bottom of the mountain with half an hour to go, experiencing severe cramping in her legs. With her focus being on just making it back to the Hash House, she and her husband, Craig, managed to walk straight past a 50-point control on the track then, still breathing heavily once she had finished, 11 minutes late, Evelyn hyperventilated and required some medical assistance. They still managed to win 1st in the Mixed Supervet category and come 10th overall.
At the Velogaine, Evelyn was in a moon-boot so settled with helping on Admin while Craig rode away into the sunset. Valuable RoY points were still accrued by volunteering.
At the roving 15-hour Gum Creek Country and the 4-hour St Patrick’s Day Saunter, Evelyn and Craig raced around the maps, coming a handy 3rd overall and 1st in Mixed Supervet in both events.
The grit and determination certainly came into play in Evelyn’s final rogaine, the Tea Tree Minigaine, where she competed with a knee that had only been operated on two days prior to competing, and a broken wrist. Yes, she’d lost a fight with a moving vehicle only days before, but still managed to compete with the aid of a walking stick and her patient husband, Craig. They came in 8th Mixed Supervet and 79th overall. Not a bad effort, when most sane people would have stayed home!
The highlight of Evelyn’s year was her role as the primary setter for the 24-hour State Champs, Hello-wiliena Again. All teams were hard-pushed to complete an error-free course on a map that encompassed areas of very tricky navigation and well-placed controls. Many experienced rogainers have tales to tell of lost time spent wandering around the landscape searching for orange and white controls.
Congratulations to a rogainer who consistently did her best, whether competing or volunteering.
2018 Runner-up Rogainer of the Year
Craig Colwell
What a year Craig has had! As a partner to his wife, Evelyn, he’s experienced the same highs and lows as her and has been a fantastic competitor in his own right. We think he should actually win a ‘Best and Fairest’ award for his selfless and long-suffering support of Evelyn!
At the 4-hour Velogaine, Craig competed with a friend – neither would be considered dedicated cyclists – but they still managed to crack 1000 points to finish 2nd Male Supervets. Then at the 24-Hour State Champs, he ably assisted with the setting and produced the map, gaining him valuable RoY points.
Congratulations, Craig, for a stellar year.
