The Victorian Nuggets have strengthened their position in the Icebug National Orienteering League after the weekend’s events in Ballarat. The senior women have stretched their lead over the Queensland Cyclones from one point to five, and the senior men have closed to within five points of the Canberra Cockatoos. However, the Cockatoos should field a much stronger team during the Australian Championships week than they did last weekend and are still strong contenders.

The junior classes both look to be a Victoria-Tasmania battle, with the Nuggets’ junior men holding a six-point lead but the Foresters nine points clear in the junior women’s class. In both cases it is likely to come down to the season’s final round at the Australian Relays.

Ian Lawford’s double on the weekend has brought him level with Simon Uppill at the front of the individual standings. Matt Crane, Brodie Nankervis and Oscar McNulty are others who could be contenders with a good final week. 16 points cover Natasha Key, Aislinn Prendergast, Anna Sheldon and Krystal Neumann, with Neumann perhaps being the best-placed of these as she does not yet have a complete set of scores.

Lanita Steer has pulled out what looks to be a winning lead in the junior women’s, while a good weekend for Patrick Jaffe has seen him close to within 11 points at the front end of the junior men’s competition.

More details and full scores are available on the National League pointscore page.