Inward Bound

Inward Bound (IB) is an endurance and orienteering running competition held between the residential halls and colleges of the Australian National University with participation from the Australian Defence Force Academy. It combines aspects of both orienteering and rogaining while challenging personal endurance. Held annually, the competition involves over 250 runners from eleven of the ANU's residences.

The competition is split into seven divisions which are dropped off, blindfolded, at an unknown location in the bush. The teams of four people then locate their position and race to the endpoint, picking the quickest route through the countryside. Distances from the endpoint vary from up to 100 km for the top divisions to 30 km for the lower divisions.

History

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Inward Bound was first held in 1962. Mike Gore, the founder of Questacon, is credited with coming up with the idea in memory of close friend and passionate navigator, Jason Ryan. Ryan is considered to be the 'first' to have embarked on an unmonitored journey through the surrounding Canberra bushland, after setting off in the early hours of the morning on Friday the 17th of August, 1962. After running from what is now known as 'civic' in Canberra, Ryan eventually returned two days later, on the Sunday. The exact reason for the trip has been placed under immense scrutiny, with some reporting that Ryan could hear noises when he was sitting in silence, and thought a run such as this could straighten them out. Others believe it was simply a challenge Gore had set Ryan, for which he completed. Furthermore, Bill Packard and John Foster also helped to start the event, in developing the event from the idea and into its infancy.[1]

At the time, the Australian National University had only recently been formed and had only 200 students. The first event consisted of a race from South of Canberra to Bruce Hall.[1] At the time Bruce Hall was the only residence on campus and the student population numbered approximately 200. The initial race was won by a team which hitch-hiked back to Bruce Hall.

Teams cannot use outside assistance to reach the endpoint. Although the format of the race has changed over time due to safety and insurance requirements, the core challenge is the same.

In 2008, Inward Bound was cancelled because the Organisers were unable to get Stakeholders to 'sign off' before the event was scheduled. In 2009, a comprehensive risk management plan was created for the event. This plan, along with a new dialogue of consultation with ANU administration, state and federal authorities, local councils and landholders meant the event returned in 2009 and has since successfully continued.

Division 7 (Independent), the eighth division, was discontinued from 2013 due to the increased number of teams from the inclusion of more halls and colleges, making the division a financial strain on the event.

In 2020 and 2021, Inward Bound was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In 2022 Inward Bound resumed. It also saw the introduction of a strengthened gender equity rule, where no more than 50% of a college's runners are allowed to identify with the same gender.[2] In 2024, 47% of competing athletes were either Female or non-binary, a significant milestone in being both the highest known proportion of non-male athletes to ever compete and the highest absolute number of non-male athletes to compete.

Safety Standards

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As of 2009, Inward Bound introduced new compulsory safety standards for all teams during the race. Each team was required to carry an EPIRB Distress radiobeacon, a satellite phone and a 3G mobile telephone (in a sealed envelope). Organisers now use a comprehensive radio network across the region, 4WD recovery vehicles and first aiders to ensure competitor safety. Since 2012 the race has been viewable through the internet live GPS tracking system.[3]

Results

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Year End Point Description End Point Coordinates Overall Winner Div 1 1st Place Hall Div 1 1st Place Runners Doherty-Banks Award Recipients
2024 Honeysuckle Campground 35°35′00″S 148°58′39″E / 35.583262°S 148.977430°E / -35.583262; 148.977430 Bruce Griffin J Cementon, G Fu, B Jaugietis & C Bradley. Fenner Div 7 - M Brischetto, F Munro, G O'Brien & A Holmes a Court
2023 Humes Crossing Campground 35°28'21.5"S 148°16'36.7"E B&G B&G J Lowry, O Chenhall, S Junge & X Madden John XXIII Div 5 - S Buller, H Ritchie, S Curtis & O Freeman
2022 Maloneys Beach 35°42′38″S 150°15′01″E / 35.710452°S 150.250267°E / -35.710452; 150.250267 B&G Griffin C Bradley, G Fu, J Kato & T Wiseham Bruce Hall Div 1 - C Woodburn, J Gome, J Cementon & O Blyth
2021 Event not held - - - - -
2020 Event not held - - - - -
2019 Woolcara 35°32′17″S 149°20′06″E / 35.538040°S 149.335035°E / -35.538040; 149.335035 B&G B&G A Newman, R Mckenzie, J Larkin, T Barnett Burgmann College Div 3 - W Ertler, J Quail, B Durkin, E Randall
2018 Former Orroral Valley Tracking Station 35°37′45″S 148°57′22″E / 35.629208°S 148.956215°E / -35.629208; 148.956215 B&G Burgmann College J Bursill, T Fitzgerald, C Demeo, A McKenzie
2017 Denison Campground 35°56′07″S 148°35′45″E / 35.935333°S 148.595734°E / -35.935333; 148.595734 B&G Griffin T Bartlett, C Lane, S Wu & T Wiseham
2016 Dalmeny 36°09′44″S 150°07′37″E / 36.162294°S 150.126838°E / -36.162294; 150.126838 B&G B&G D Baldwin, A Patterson-Robert, S Lee & D' Taylor
2015 Kindervale 35°38′33″S 149°32′39″E / 35.6425°S 149.5441667°E / -35.6425; 149.5441667 Burgmann College B&G D Baldwin, M Teh, J Brand & A Grant
2014 Cotter Dam Reserve 35°19′22″S 148°56′30″E / 35.322711°S 148.941649°E / -35.322711; 148.941649 John XXIII B&G B Vallette, M Teh, D Longo & D Baldwin
2013 Corin Forest 35°31′06″S 148°55′02″E / 35.518246°S 148.917151°E / -35.518246; 148.917151 B&G B&G D Baldwin, C Thorburn, I McKean & J Lee.
2012 Majors Creek Cricket Ground 35°34′07″S 149°44′34″E / 35.568615°S 149.742674°E / -35.568615; 149.742674 no winner declared no winner declared
2011 Caloola Farm 35°40′17″S 149°04′24″E / 35.671372°S 149.073463°E / -35.671372; 149.073463 B&G John XXIII B Ness, C Hamill, J Greenacre & K Harris
2010 Jerangle Cricket Ground 35°52′11″S 149°21′38″E / 35.869772°S 149.360481°E / -35.869772; 149.360481 John XXIII Ursula Hall H Leslie, E Collet, G Stanfield & A Breian
2009 Honeysuckle Campground 35°35′00″S 148°58′39″E / 35.583262°S 148.977430°E / -35.583262; 148.977430 Burgmann College Burgmann College Matthew "The Windmill" Parton, Murray "AJ" Robertson, Alex "Lungs" Matthews, Thomas "Top Secret" Close
2008 Event not held - N/A N/A
2007 Woods Reserve 35°28′51″S 148°56′18″E / 35.480805°S 148.938290°E / -35.480805; 148.938290 B&G -
2006 Majors Creek Cricket Ground 35°34′07″S 149°44′34″E / 35.568615°S 149.742674°E / -35.568615; 149.742674 - -
2005 Swinging Bridge Reserve, south of Wee Jasper 35°09′51″S 148°41′14″E / 35.164199°S 148.687103°E / -35.164199; 148.687103 - -
2004 East of Taylors Creek Rd between Lake George and Tarago 35°03′26″S 149°31′42″E / 35.057240°S 149.528466°E / -35.057240; 149.528466 Bruce Hall Bruce Hall Sam Osborn, Jason Heward, Jarrah Bassell
2003 Communications Tower off Calabash Rd in Tinderry 35°45′13″S 149°17′13″E / 35.753594°S 149.286986°E / -35.753594; 149.286986 - -
2002 Blundells Flat Picnic Area in Uriarra Pine Forest off Brindabella Rd 35°19′13″S 148°49′46″E / 35.320338°S 148.829461°E / -35.320338; 148.829461 - -
2001 Orroral Valley Tracking Station in Namadgi National Park 35°37′38″S 148°57′19″E / 35.627337°S 148.955211°E / -35.627337; 148.955211 - -
2000 Caloola Farm, end of Top Naas Rd 35°40′17″S 149°04′24″E / 35.671372°S 149.073463°E / -35.671372; 149.073463 Fenner Hall -
1999 Donoghue Hopkins Hut, Lowden Rd, Lowden Forest Park 35°30′43″S 149°35′21″E / 35.511811°S 149.589134°E / -35.511811; 149.589134 - -
1998 Woods Reserve in Gibraltar Pine Forest off Corin Rd 35°28′51″S 148°56′17″E / 35.480859°S 148.938087°E / -35.480859; 148.938087 - -
1997 Honeysuckle Campground 35°35′00″S 148°58′39″E / 35.583262°S 148.977430°E / -35.583262; 148.977430 - -
1993 Fenner Hall (tied with Ursula college (ponts)and won on countback (time)
1987 Bulls Head
1986 Bill Packard's property near Anembo on Jerangle Rd Burgmann College Burgmann College Michael Walters, Rodney Higgins, Dean Keneally, Grant Brady
1985 Corin Forest
1981 Homestead on Upper Shoalhaven River 35°47′52″S 149°38′19″E / 35.797802°S 149.638714°E / -35.797802; 149.638714 Burgmann College John Downing, Ross Kerr, Leigh McJames, Dave Rawson
1977 - Burgmann College Michael Bligh, Andrew Mulholland, Adrian Goodwin
1963 Bruce Hall Bruce Hall Bruce Hall
1962 Bruce Hall Bruce Hall Bruce Hall

[4][unreliable source?]

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b David Barker. Inward Bound, The place to be: Burgmann College 1971-2001. Goanna Print, 2001, p 111.
  2. ^ "How university students are changing the face of a 60-year-old sport". ABC News. 13 August 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  3. ^ Inward Bound Website, "Coaches" http://anuinwardbound.com/coaches
  4. ^ "2008-2015". 3 March 2015.
  5. ^ Results have been checked through numerous[which?] participating college year books which are not available online. Bruce Hall Library has a number of Ouroboros Year Books available with references to Inward Bound available. For any previous runners who are able to contribute results and/or courses, please contact the IB Committee through the IB Website (http://anuinwardbound.com/) as there is a database being compiled so that it can be better referenced on this page.
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