2009 Archive

With the beginning of a new season, the elite rankings have rolled over to 2009.

While Julian Dent and Jo Allison continue to lead the ranking lists, there have already been some changes in the top 20 this year.

Ben Rattray (9), Ryan Smyth (10) and Eric Morris (11) benefited from some good performances at the Oceania Championships to move up the list.

Meanwhile, Laurina Neumann (12), Briohny Davey (17) and Belinda Lawford (18) gained places in W21E.

The junior lists have also changed with several competitors progressing to the open class.  Leon Keely and Belinda Lawford are now the top ranked juniors.

2009 National MTBO Series

The 2009 Australian MTBO schedule will focus on 3 rounds of the 2nd National MTBO Series.

Round 1 – April 25 (Middle), 26 (Long) – Woodend, Victoria (Selection Trial for MTB WOC)

Round 2 – June 6 (Sprint), 7 (Long), 8 (Middle) – Mt Gambier, SA (National Championships)

Round 3 – September 5 (Middle), 6 (Long) – Beerburrum, Queensland (Final Round)

Four divisions – M21E, W21E, M17-20E, W17-20E – will contest 7 races over the 3-round series. In addition to the senior and youth classes, junior (-14,-16) and masters classes (40-, 50-, 60-, 70+) will be contested during these events. With the 2009 MTB WOC staged from August 9th to August 16^th in Israel, Round 1 inVictoria will be the Selection Trials for Israel.

Rules   The 2008 OA Protocols, Guidelines and Rules for MTBO will apply. The existing rules successfully used in the NOL foot-o competition will generally apply in this MTBO Series.

Individual Competition

Individual scoring in M21E, W21E, M17-20E, and W17-20E divisions will be the same as in the foot NOL. The table sets out how points can be scored in each of the 8 races.

Placing             Points               Placing             Points

1^st                     30                     14^th                   12

2nd                   27                     15^th                   11

3^rd                     24                     16^th                   10

4^th                     22                     17^th                     9

5^th                     21                     18^th                     8

6^th                    20                     19^th                     7

7^th                     19                     20^th                     6

8^th                     18                     21^st                     5

9^th                     17                     22^nd                     4

10^th                   16                     23^rd                     3

11^th                   15                     24^th                     2

12^th                   14                     25^th                     1

13^th                   13                     26th or below       0

In each age class the best five (5) results over the eight races for the year will be counted. There is no limit to the number of state competitors who may enter and score points in M21E, W21E, M17-20E and W17-20E.

Team Competition

The state-based teams in the competition are: Canberra Cockatoos, NSW Stingers, Queensland Storm, Southern Arrows, Tasmanian Foresters, Victorian Nuggets and Western Nomads.

Since 2009 is the second year of the competition, the top two (2) rider’s times from a state in each of the age classes will be summed in the unofficial ranking. If only one state rider has recorded a time, that state is ranked based on that result alone. After each event, points from each of the four divisions will be summed to give the National League Team Scores.

Placing             Points

1^st                     9

2^nd                    7

3^rd                     5

4^th                     4

5^th                     3

6^th                     2

7^th                     1

Blake Gordon, OA MTBO Committee                                                                   January, 2009

Day 1 of the 2 day test match held in Naseby, saw mixed results for the Australian Schools Team.   Australia scored a win in the junior boys but was beaten by New Zealand in the other three categories.

Kurt Neumann ran through the junior boy field to take a convincing win on what was difficult gold mining terrain.  Kurt won in a time of 26:23, 3min 37sec clear of 2nd place Ian Lawford (Aus) followed by Oliver Poland in 30:09.  Best placed New Zealand runner was Alistair Richardson in a time of 32:42.

Michele Dawson from Aus had a strong run in the junior Girls to place third in a time of 40:26, 8min behind the eventual winner Laura Robertson of NZ.

The senior Girls category provided close competition with the first 3 place getters being within 27secs of each other.  Krystal Neumann won in a time of 41:21 closely followed by Belinda Lawford in 41:28 and Kate Morrison (NZ) 3rd in 41:48

Lachlan Dow was our only strong performer in the Senior Boys event with a 2nd placing (47:43), 1min 26 behind eventual winner Toby Scott (NZ).  The other Aus team members struggled in the gold mining terrain.

Day two’s area was the more intricate detail of Naseby.  Winning times were predicted to be 30min which by the way the first leg runners went was thought to be a little ambitious. 3 runners were only able to achieve times in the 30-40min range.  The relay was showing that slower speeds and constant map contact would produce results.

The Australian junior boys consisting of Ian Lawford, Max Neumann, Oliver Poland and Kurt Neumann produced another awesome result winning the Junior Boys after a tight tussle with the NZ team.  The lead changed throughout the race making it a very exciting event.

The New Zealand Junior Girls lead runner unfortunately had trouble putting the Australian girls in a commanding stage, with the Australians ending up a whole leg in front.  The winning Australian team consisted of Rebekah Sunley, Jackie Doyle, Katie Doyle and Michele Dawson, with Michele Dawson having her best 2 runs of the carnival at the schools events.

The Australian Senior Boys team consisting of Joshua Blatchford, Joshua Neumann, Patrick Watts and Lachlan Dow battled hard against the New Zealand Team but eventually fell short of a win.

An unfortunate incident left the Australian Senior Girl lead runner, behind the NZ team by over 15mins which turned out to be to difficult to overcome throughout the race.  Sarah Buckerfield, Lilian Burrill and Krystal Neumann put in an excellent effort but fell short of a win.

New Zealand Secondary Schools Team took the Test match win 5-3 with Australia taking consolation in trouncing New Zealand in the Curling Saturday Evening.

Orienteering will be a major feature at the Stromlo Running Festival this year. The race will be a middle distance multi-loop format on a forest sprint map. There will be prize money on offer and a novice race will be run right after the elites hit it out at Stromlo Forest Park. The race will be set up for spectator viewing and promises to be the most exciting race of the year. Spend the weekend in Canberra and race and train with Australia’s top orienteers, the Head Coach will be planning training and there is talk of a night race on Friday night at Bluetts West. Keep reading for more info…

The inaugural STROMLO Running Festival combines on-site camping and catering into a weekend ‘Festival’ that is not to be missed. The range of running events will provide something for everyone, from the complete beginner to Australia’s elite athletes. So come and join Robert de Castella and be part of something amazing.

The STROMLO Running Festival will provide a friendly, social, exciting, and interactive weekend focussed on running, participation and healthy lifestyles. The combination of multiple running events focussed on participation, on-site catering, camping and caravan accommodation, as well as entertainment, lectures and training sessions, will make the STROMLO Running Festival a unique and nationally recognised event; where experienced and elite athletes will socialise and motivate those individuals who are new to running.

The event slogan – “Get Off The Road” – is highly appropriate given the running events comprising the STROMLO Running Festival will be held on the purpose built Stromlo Cross Country Course, as well as the beautiful fire trials and single tracks within Canberra’s nature parks surrounding the Stromlo area.

The STROMLO Running Festival will offer a variety of community and competitive events including:

•     Robert de Castella Cross Country Invitational
•     Lightning Strike Trail Runs (10km and 30km)
•     Cross Country Races (4km and 8km)
•     Orienteering Events
•     Criterium Track Road Race (1.2km)
•     Mountain Race (3.2km)
•     Social runs led by Celebrities and Elite athletes
•     Government/Business challenge
•     Primary School and High School Challenge

The event will also incorporate other activities including:

• Official Opening and Dinner
• Festival Expo
• Running Clinic hosted by elite athletes and coaches
• Bands and Children’s Entertainment
• Guest Lectures on Maximising 6-Foot Track Marathon Performance, Injury Prevention, Training, Footwear and Nutrition
• Practical Training Sessions on Core Stability, Running Drills/Plyometrics

Please Note:

• The field will be limited to 2,500 participants and spots are sure to fill quickly – so don’t delay, enter now via our secure online site at www.stromlorunningfestival.com.au
• The first 500 entrants will receive a special bundle offer of 2XU STROMLO t-shirt (value $60) and 2XU Compression Socks (value $50) for just $35 – Save over 65%!

Important:

Entries close 20th of February 2009 (unless sold out).

No entries will be taken over the weekend of the event.

Running in Canberra:

Since the establishment of the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, the nation’s capital has developed a strong history of distance running and is now considered one of Australia’s most ideal running locations.

Stromlo Forest was where ‘Deek’ and many other Australian and International running greats did much of their training through the 1980’s and 1990’s. In 2003, the entire forest was destroyed in the bushfires that also claimed the lives of four Canberrans. Deek was one of the 500 families who lost everything in those fires and was a key member on the ACT Government’s Bushfire Recovery Taskforce. Stromlo Forest Park was one of his ideas; to not just replace what had been lost, but to make it better and to leave a legacy for future generations. Stromlo Forest Park has already become Australia’s best, and most sought after, dedicated off-road running and cycling venues.

The 2009 Oceania Champion is Simon Uppill after a convincing victory today. Courses were once again relatively long, but Uppill dominated from start to finish winning more than half of the legs and beating 2nd placed Finn Miika Hernelahti by 6 minutes. Australians Eric Morris and Ben Rattray were 3rd and 4th respectively.

The women’s elite race was won by another Finn, Mari Vaananen, but the resident championship will go to Lizzie Ingham. A solid run from Laurina Neumann, in her first year as a senior, saw her as best Australian in 9th place.

Australian results in other classes included Josh Blatchford (2nd in M20), Belinda Lawford (3rd in W20), Kurt Neumann (winner in M16) and Alex Tarr (1st in M65). Full results available here.

The New Zealand team put in a strong showing in today’s Oceania Relays. The NZ women’s team look as though they will dominate the week and put in another strong showing today. Tania Robinson was held by Vanessa Round on the first leg, but Penny Kane and the in form Lizzie Ingham ran away with it, winning by 10 minutes to the Australians.

The men’s race appeared to be closer, although Ryan Smyth (Aus) lost 3 minutes on Michael Adams on 1st leg. On the second leg Ben Rattray (Aus) picked a minute up on James Bradshaw, leaving Simon Uppill (Aus) 2 minutes to gain on Darren Ashmore. Uppill came up with the goods … only to discover that Rattray had mispunched half-way through his leg. As a result NZ took out the top 2 places with an Australian team in 3rd.

The races were held in highly complex sand dune terrain, with times far exceeding the expected winning times. Overall the kiwis took out the ANZ Challenge with a  9-5 win for the day. The most exciting race was in M40, with Mark Lawson (NZ) outsprinting Jim Russell in the finish chute.

The 2009 Oceania Championships kicked off in New Zealand today, with the Sprint race.

Both elite races were taken out by New Zealanders, although Australia’s Simon Uppill was closing on Jamie Stewart in the final stages and only missed victory by a second. Lizzie Ingham won the women’s race from Amber Morrsion, with Laurina Neumann the best placed Aussie in 9th.

Full results and the program for the rest of the week can be found on the carnival website.