Author: craigf

The annual Aus v NZ Challenge, held during the Australian MTBO Championship carnival at Maryborough, Victoria, saw Australia emerge victorious 18 points to 14.   The challenge was contested over the 8 age classes nominated by the visiting nation in each of the 4 races.   In both races 1 & 2 the teams shared the honours with 4 wins each.   In the 3^rd race Australia won 5 classes to 3, thus giving them an edge, but no guaranteed victory going into the final race.  Thanks to wins in W21, W40, M21, M50 & M70 classes in the race 4 Australian manager Andrew Power was reluctantly handed the challenge trophy by the Kiwis, who had held it for some years. The Championships saw the sprint, middle and mass start events held on the outskirts of Maryborough, while the long distance champs was held in the forest east of Dunolly.  This was the first time that all 4 individual events had been contested at the one carnival and attracted 162 pre-entrants plus some enter on the day.  Among these were 27 Kiwis and 2 from Britain and 1 from Hungary.  Many congratulations to the 3 organising clubs, Bayside Kangaroos, Eureka Orienteers and Yarra Valley and their extra helpers who conducted an excellent carnival.

Race reports, results and Winsplits are available on the Championship website, while photo’s, courtesy of Jason Rogers, are available on the Aus MTBO Facebook page.

After the races 26 orienteers stayed on for a 2 day International Orienteering Federation (IOF) Event Advisor Clinic conducted in the Maryborough community hub.   This was led by Hungarian MTBO expert Sandor Talas who updated the knowledge of participants in the technical aspects of MTBO event organising.

The most comprehensive Australian Championship MTBO carnival ever conducted takes place this weekend (Oct 25-27^th) in the forests around Maryborough, Victoria.

The program includes 4 individual races over different formats and distances plus a training event using the innovative MapRun technology.   There are competitors from Ireland, Great Britain & Hungary as well as 25 New Zealanders who are contesting an Australia V NZ challenge over 8 age classes.  Many of these visitors did well in last weekend’s 3 race ACT MTBO Championships and have been training midweek on maps in the Beechworth area.

For the older riders both the middle & long distance events constitute the first races of the 2020 World Masters Series.   This is part of a 14 race program, with the other 12 races being held in Europe.   Many Australians & New Zealanders travel overseas to take in many of these races in July-September, so having 2 races “at home” is important.

Additionally on Sunday afternoon & Monday there will be 24 eager participants in the first International Orienteering Federation (IOF) MTBO clinic held outside Europe.  This is being led by Hungary’s Sandor Talas, a renowned expert.  The clinic is aimed at upskilling event advisors and organisers, both to improve our own event standards and to give some the capacity & knowledge to run or be event advisors at World Championship level.

In the elite M21 class Australian team member Ricky Thackray has excelled this year and will be aiming to improve on his one gold medal (in sprint) from last year.  He faces a strong field, even including surprise entry Alex Randall who won a bronze medal in the World Relay Champs, in Maryborough, in 2004.   Newcastle’s Tim Doman will be looking to use his superior hill power in the long championships, especially after his win in that event in ACT.

The Kiwi duo of veteran Marquita Gelderman and teenager Tegan Knightbridge, a 2 time Junior World Championship representative, are strongly fancied in the elite woman’s W21 class.  Marina Iskhakova is probably Australia’s best chance for victory.   Orienteering is truly a “sport for life” activity, as demonstrated at these titles.  10 year old Patrick Cooper is competing in the M12 class.  At the opposite end of the age scale, Helen Alexander is riding in the 80+ year’s class!

Event timetable:

Thursday 2pm+ – MapRun training event

Friday 2pm – Mass start

Saturday 9am – Sprint

Saturday 1.30pm – Middle

Sunday 9am – Long

More details:  www.ausmtbochamps.com

Results will be on: Eventor Australia

Congratulations to orienteer Carolyn Jackson who again claimed gold in the recent World Masters Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships in Germany.   Despite inclement weather with 5 degrees temperature and rain that had the bike tracks resembling rivers, Carolyn was able to bring home gold in the long event and bronze medals in both the sprint & mass start races in the W55 class.

Queensland’s Tamsin Barnes (W50) just missed the medals with a 4^th, two 5ths and a 6^th while Victoria’s Bill Vandendool had 3 results in the top 10 in the strong M65 class.  New Zealand was also represented on the podium with Rachel Drew (W40) winning a bronze.

Carolyn Jackson’s great navigational ability has been well demonstrated over the years.  She has amassed 16 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze medals from the 7 Masters MTBO championships she has attended since her debut in Hungary in 2012.   All these Championships have been based in Europe so the Melbourne based rider has had to travel extensively.

Carolyn has formerly represented Australia in both foot and MTBO disciplines in the elite world championships, a feat that only a few other orienteers have managed.   She also races nationally in mt bike cross country, endurance and stage races and usually dominates her age class.

The next two weekends will see the culmination of the MTBO season, with 3 races in Canberra on October 18-20^th and then the 4 event Australian Championships at Maryborough, Victoria on Oct 25-27^th.   Carolyn will be racing at these events, along with the top Australian riders from all states as well as a strong 30 rider New Zealand contingent.