Inward Bound

Template:Use dmy dates 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

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.

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. 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. 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

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.

Results

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		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		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		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		B&G	Burgmann College	J Bursill, T Fitzgerald, C Demeo, A McKenzie
2017	Denison Campground		B&G	Griffin	T Bartlett, C Lane, S Wu & T Wiseham
2016	Dalmeny		B&G	B&G	D Baldwin, A Patterson-Robert, S Lee & D' Taylor
2015	Kindervale		Burgmann College	B&G	D Baldwin, M Teh, J Brand & A Grant
2014	Cotter Dam Reserve		John XXIII	B&G	B Vallette, M Teh, D Longo & D Baldwin
2013	Corin Forest		B&G	B&G	D Baldwin, C Thorburn, I McKean & J Lee.
2012	Majors Creek Cricket Ground		no winner declared	no winner declared
2011	Caloola Farm		B&G	John XXIII	B Ness, C Hamill, J Greenacre & K Harris
2010	Jerangle Cricket Ground		John XXIII	Ursula Hall	H Leslie, E Collet, G Stanfield & A Breian
2009	Honeysuckle Campground		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		B&G	-
2006	Majors Creek Cricket Ground		-	-
2005	Swinging Bridge Reserve, south of Wee Jasper		-	-
2004	East of Taylors Creek Rd between Lake George and Tarago		Bruce Hall	Bruce Hall	Sam Osborn, Jason Heward, Jarrah Bassell
2003	Communications Tower off Calabash Rd in Tinderry		-	-
2002	Blundells Flat Picnic Area in Uriarra Pine Forest off Brindabella Rd		-	-
2001	Orroral Valley Tracking Station in Namadgi National Park		-	-
2000	Caloola Farm, end of Top Naas Rd		Fenner Hall	-
1999	Donoghue Hopkins Hut, Lowden Rd, Lowden Forest Park		-	-
1998	Woods Reserve in Gibraltar Pine Forest off Corin Rd		-	-
1997	Honeysuckle Campground		-	-
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			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

External links

• IB Guide - accessible on the ANU Network
• Inward Bound Official Website