Member profile: Hilary Cane

Tuesday, 21 May 2013

When did you start orienteering?
About mid-1975.

Who/what inspired you to start?
Vili Bartholomew used to tell me how much fun it was whenever I met him at the university. He was a computer engineer and in those days THE university computer was on the ground floor of the Physics Department where I was a graduate student.  It also seemed a good way to get out in the bush when I really couldn't afford the time to go on long bushwalks.

What do you do when not orienteering ?
Look after my three "boys" (2 dogs and an elderly husband) and two properties, grow as much as possible of our fruit and vegetables, bush walk, sing, play ukulele, keep somewhat abreast of what is happening with the sun and solar physics.
 
What is ONE thing you like about orienteering ?
That people of all ages can participate.

A piece of advice for newcomers to the sport?
"Practise makes perfect" except that in orienteering the perfect "run" almost never happens.
I'm still hoping for one after almost 40 years!

Highlight/lowlight of your O career?
Highlight was probably 1985 when I accompanied the US Team to Australia. I trained with the team and went orienteering every day for about 2 weeks!

Favourite/most unusual/most scenic place you have orienteered?
Harriman State Park is probably my favourite area. Despite being less than 50 km from New York City this park has such great terrain that it was used for the 1993 World Champs. In the autumn it is very beautiful with all the lakes and the yellow-leafed trees.