National Squads Announced
Top performers at WOC 2006, Troy de Haas (7th in sprint race) and Hanny Allston (6th in long distance) feature in Orienteering Australia’s 6 person High Performance Group (HPG) for 2006. Other selected athletes are Jo Allison, Tracy Bluett, Dave Shepherd and Julian Dent.
New into the squad in 2006 are Tracy Bluett, who returns after the birth of her daughter Tiia, and Julian Dent whose outstanding promise (including 4th at the Junior World Championships) has led to his selection.
The HPG comprises the most outstanding prospects for the World Championships team for the next year. The aim is to provide them with financial and other support to help them reach their potential at WOC.
Orienteering Australia has also announced a National Senior Squad of 12 men and 12 women. The purpose of the National Senior Squad is to give formal recognition to excellent results over the last year. It is also a vehicle for identifying those with the best potential for international representation next year, as a focus for coaching, training and other support.
New into the squad include promising orienteers Julia Davies and Jasmine Neve. Notable omissions include David Brickhill-Jones, now running for Great Britian, and Grant Bluett who has retired from international competition.