Ultimax 5 Days, Day 4
Olav Lundanes today showed why he is one of the favourites to take gold at the Junior World Champs at Dubbo in July. He dominated the Men’s class, winning by a huge six and a half minutes. The course was long distance and it certainly was tough with many of the field not completing the course and Among those that did not many had ‘clean’ runs. One of those few was Lundanes, he was happy with his run commenting it was error free. It certainly sends a warming to the juniors out there that he is comfortable in Australian granite after only 4 runs. Mats Troeng did challenge him during the course taking a small lead between controls 8 and 12. A mistake on the leg 12th slowed him down and he followed this with another large error at the 20th. Carsten Jorgensen slotted into second with a run punctuated with a number of small errors that prevented him winning. Troeng was third. Simon Uphill continued his good form with a strong fourth place.
Grace Elson prevented a Norwegian double when she won her third race of week. Her performance was as dominant as Lundanes’. The margin of five minutes was steadily built over the race and she held the lead from the third control onwards.
Yesterday’s winner Mali Fjogstad Nilsen was second after a few hiccups during the course, her main time loss was on the long leg where she dropped two minutes to Elson. Ida Maire Naas Bjaargul had her best result of the week so far finishing third. The European’s results have steadily improved over the course of the 5 days showing their adaptation to the Aussie terrain. The week following the 5 days will be a training camp based in Orange andCanberra. This will give them ample opportunity to become granite confident.
The NSW Stingers would like to thank the support of all their sponsors including Ultimax socks, The Robin Hood Hotel , Run for Your Life – running magazine, AROCSPORT and Basil & Jean Baldwin’s vineyard, Fourjay Farms.