New Zealand looks unbeatable after two days of competition in the New Zealand Australia Mountain Bike Orienteering Challenge, held as part of the 2009 Australian MTB Orienteering Championships in Mt Gambier, South Australia.
With one day remaining, New Zealand leads by 9 classes to 5, after outstanding wins in both the Sprint and Long distance from former World number one Marquita Gelderman (Helensville), and from Womens 40+ age-class rider Di Michels.
New Zealand will repeat their 2007 victory against Australia unless the homeside can win six of the seven competition classes in the final race, the Middle distance, in the intricate track networks of the Limestone Coast near Mt Gambier.
Gelderman, who has placed 4th twice at World Championships, won both of the Open Women races by large margins of five and three minutes.
New Zealander Stu Lynch, member of the World Adventure Racing Championships winning team in 2008, and former pro-elite level Downhill mountainbiker was also impressive in his second place in the Open Mens Sprint behind two-time World Champion Adrian Jackson.
Other winners over the first two days of competition were Pete Swanson M40 Sprint, Dave King M50 Sprint, Di Michels W40 Sprint and Middle, Viv Prince W50 Sprint, Michael Wood M60 Sprint, Bruce Meder M50 Middle and Jacqui Sinclair W50 Middle.
The Australians may have a slight advantage in dealing with the large mobs of emus - up to 30 in number have been sighted on the courses.
