National Orienteering League Round 5

Friday, 29 August 2014

WILDFIRE SPORTS AUSTRALIAN ULTRA LONG

On Sunday at Kooyoora State Park the NOL program for 2014 will continue with the very challenging Wildfire Sport Ultra Long Distance event. For the M21E this will be 20km of orienteering on the iconic orienteering map first used for WOC 1985- Australia’s only ever World Championships. This map was also used for the World Masters Orienteering Championships in 2002. The winning time for M21E is estimated to be 2 hours 30 minutes.

 The event has the most valuable prize ever offered for an orienteering event in Australia- a return flight to Europe plus entry to an orienteering event of choice, valued at $2,500. This event was first held in 2013 and the winner was Lizzie Ingham. The overall winner is calculated from the kilometre rate of the winners from each of the elite classes, M21E, W21E, M17-20E, W17-20E compared to a “base kilometre rate”. As well as the main prize there are many other prizes to be won by both elites and also competitors in the other age classes- over $1,000, provided by Wildfire Sports and Dirty D.

The NOL points for 2014 currently have the Canberra Cockatoos with a clear lead in both the senior teams’ competition. In the men with Lachlan Dow, David Shepherd, Ian Lawford and Rob Walter all running this lead will probably be increased. In the women with a small field of 10 runners it is not likely that the placing’s will change after this event.

In the individual competition the three leading men are all competing. Simon Uppill currently leads form Lachlan Dow (winner of this event last year) with David Shepherd in third. The men’s field is much bigger with 21 entries. Bryan Keely, Rob Preston, Ian Lawford and Rob Walter would all be rated a chance to take out this year’s event, as well as the three previous mentioned athletes.

Last year’s winner Lizzie Ingham looks to have a very good chance to repeat last year’s victory in the small women’s field.

In the junior teams competition the Tasmanian Forresters currently lead the point score. With Brodie Nankervis in very good form and the winner last year, this will probably not change. There will be a very interesting battle in the junior women’s with both NSW Stingers and the Tasmanian Forrester’s on equal points. In the very small field of 5 both states have two runners, so a close outcome is expected.

In the individual point score Brodie Nankervis is currently 2 points behind Matt Doyle (both JWOC 2014 representatives). In the women the top three are all competing, Michele Dawson, Anna Dowling and Nicola Blatchford. So even though the field is small some good competition between these three JWOC 2014 representatives can be expected.

REMINDER: NOMINATIONS FOR WORLD CUP TASMANIA SELECTION CLOSE 31^ST AUGUST