News

Australia leads the way in WMOC sprint finals

Sunday, 11 October 2009

Australia led the way with seven gold medals in the sprint finals of the World Masters Orienteering Championships, held today at Sydney Olympic Park. It was also an excellent day for New Zealand, with three golds, while Sweden was the other multiple gold winner with five.

Those to add victories today to a history of WMOC success were Jenny Bourne (W55), Natasha Key (W35) and Hermann Wehner (M85). Bourne was a little off the pace in qualifying but produced the goods when it mattered for a comfortable victory, continuing her record of collecting at least one win in every age group she has contested, while both Key and Wehner had comfortable wins.

Warren completed a Key family double in M50, and at the older end of the spectrum there were gold medals for Kevin Paine (M80) and Maureen Ogilvie (W75). The most dramatic Australia win of the day, though, was that of Su Yan Tay in W45; after having one of the day's largest margins yesterday, she had the narrowest possible margin today, coming from well behind after two early errors and making up six critical seconds in the finish chute.

That was not the only one-seconder of the day; in M60 Ossi Lakkala (Finland) edged out Tim Sands (Great Britain), in another race where the lead changed hands in the chute, five seconds covered the medallists and 19 seconds covered the top five. At the other end of the scale, Anne-Marie Holmstrom (W60, Sweden) and Gunnar Lerfald (M70, Norway) both had wins by about 90 seconds in highly competitive classes.

In addition to the seven golds, there were three silvers and three bronzes for Australia. Runners-up were Anthea Feaver (W50) and Jenny Enderby (W40) - both to NZ opposition in Gillian Ingham and Marquita Gelderman respectively - along with Paul Pacque (M55). Bronzes went to Bruce Arthur (M35), Clive Pope (M70) and Neil Schafer (M80).

Results are available from the WMOC site.

Splits available via Winsplits here

Competition continues with the first long qualification race near Lithgow on Wednesday.
More News
NSW Orienteering Championships Monday, 6 September 2010
Final pointscore for Sydney Series Thursday, 2 September 2010 The final pointscore for the Sydney Orienteering Series is now available.
Course Setter of the Year Sunday, 29 August 2010 Course Setter of the Year voting is now open for State League 11.
NSW Schools Championships and State League 11 Sunday, 22 August 2010 Event Information and Start Lists now available for the NSW Schools Championships and SL 11.
Pairs Challenge, Saturday 28th August Monday, 16 August 2010 On the afternoon of Saturday 28th August, a Pairs Challenge event will be held as a warm up to the NSW Schools championships/State League 11 events on Sunday 29th.
Sydney West School Sports Association - Regional Orienteering Championships Sunday, 15 August 2010 Western & Hills Orienteering club (WHO) recently hosted the Regional Championships for Sydney West School Sport Fred Caterson Reserve in Castle Hill.
SL9 & SL10 results Monday, 26 July 2010 Results, splits, routegadget and a few photos are now available.
2010 NSW State Championships - Embargoed Areas Saturday, 24 July 2010 For the 2010 NSW State Championships Ben Bullen State Forest, and specifically the following area, has been embargoed to orienteers: • Between Mt Piper Power Station and Wallerwang • North of Cullen Bullen and west of the Castlereagh Highway These areas are embargoed to anyone not involved in the organisation of the NSW Middle and Long Distance Championship events, and/or without express permission of the respective organisers or controllers.
Course Setter of the Year Saturday, 24 July 2010 Course Setter of the Year online survey now available for State League's 9 and 10.

News Archive