Junior World Orienteering Championships - Sprint

Kiwi orienteers Angela Simpson and Hourdan Harvey got New Zealand off to a great start in the 2009 Junior World Championships Sprint event in the small town of Mezzano in Trentino, Italy.

Angela Simpson (Rotorua) had a great race to finish 24th in the Sprint behind Jenny Lönnkvist (Sweden) who won her fourth Junior World Championships gold.

Europeans dominated the 130-strong womens race taking all but three of the top forty placings.

Best of the non Europeans was Angela Simpson, along with Australian Aislinn Prendergast (32) and Greta Knarston (Counties-Manukau) who had an excellent run for 34th.

Simpson recently won the Silva National Junior Orienteering Superseries in New Zealand and is tipped to perform even better at the Middle and Long races to follow this week.

Jourdan Harvey (Counties-Manukau) also headed the non-Europeans, with his 40th place just a fraction of a second ahead of Top Australian junior Lachlan Dow.

Harvey, who recently won the Wangamumu Wonder (short course Cape Brett Challenge) should feature in the Long distance event on Tuesday, although this will be held at altitude, suiting the Swiss runners in particular.

Swiss orienteers dominated the 170-strong mens race, won by favourite Matthias Kyburz (Sui), taking 5 of the top six placings.

Results

Women

Men