Jo Allison from the Canberra Cockatoos and Eric Morris from the NSW Stingers dominated the ACT Championships as Orienteering was welcomed back to the Captains Flat area for the first time in several years. Competitors were challenged by classic spur-gully terrain, course setters Ann and John Scown made great use of the map, setting difficult route-choices on long legs and making good use of steeper contour detail and flatter vague areas.

In a very strong but small women’s field Jo Allison was challenged early on by fellow World Championship representative Tracy Bluett; but a two minute mistake at the third control by Tracy gave Jo a clear lead which was never challenged. Nicki Taws finished third with yet another solid performance. After a tough international campaign Jo has decided not to travel to Tasmania for the National Championships, although her performance at the ACT Championships, fastest for nine out of twelve legs, suggests she would have been hard to beat.

In the men’s race Eric Morris, Rob Preston and Kerrin Rattray swapped the lead for the early part of the course before Eric Morris asserted his dominance, putting a minute into the field on each of the two long legs, and then increasing his lead all the way to the finish. Rob Preston finished second with Kerrin Rattray, continuing his great long distance form, a close third. Although local World Championship representatives Grant Bluett and Dave Shepherd were absent, Eric Morris’s performance here and at NSW long distance championships suggests he will be one of the favourites to win the National Championships in Tasmania, before he flys out to Italy for the World Cup Final.

All eyes will now be focused on next weekends National League Race, the Tasmanian long distance championships on Pittwater Dunes, as a final form guide for the National Championships. A race report will be posted here so make sure to log in.

2005 ACT Championships – Results

2005 ACT Championships – Splits