The final three Silva Superseries Orienteering races at Wanganui are set to be the hardest fought yet as defending champions Darren Ashmore and Lizzie Ingham face challenges from the younger stars.
Ingham, who will be in Christchurch this weekend servicing seismometers, currently leads the Series but her absence means that standout NZ junior Angela Simpson can pick up the overall title by placing second in two of the three races.
A mixed year for Ingham has seen her hit top form and win two National titles before fracturing her ankle at the start of a big European campaign.
2010 Silva Series winner Ashmore has already been relegated to second by World Games teammate Ross Morrison - and can only regain the lead and hold his title if he wins all three races over the weekend, along with Morrison finishing outside of the top ten.
A win in one of the races will clinch a first Silva National series title for Morrison, who is back at his best after and emergency appendectomy prior to the World Championships this year.
The Central Scorchers team, who were leading for most of the SuperSeries, will be putting in an all-out effort to win their first team title; and looking to Morrison, Rassmus Anderson, Bryn Davies and top women Rita Holmes, Laura Robertson and Tessa Ramsden to navigate at their best in the forested sand-dunes near Wanganui.
Laura Robertson (Central Scorchers) and Toby Scott (Macnut Northerners) look likely to win the 2010 Junior Silva Superseries.
