A tough course and a return to form for locals and internationals marked the 23rd Winter Classic orienteering event, held in the inner-city bushland of Aro Valley, Wellington.
Former British resident and World Champion Yvette Baker was pleased to return to racing form in her new country of residence, defeating local favourite Gillian Ingham.
"It was great to visit an area of Wellington I haven't been to before, and great to get a map in my hand and
'race' again, albeit with more walking and bush bashing than a Brit is used to!" Baker said, after winning the overall and Open women category.
Baker, regarded as Britains most successful orienteer ever, competed in 11 World Championships from 1983 to 2001, winning the gold medal in 1999 (sprint), two silvers in 1995 (short and classic), and a bronze in 1993 (classic).
Jason Markham, Former New Zealand orienteering representative and Strategic Analyst at NZ Air Force, relished the tough bush navigation of the solo endurance race to win Open mens catgory by thirteen minutes from former Irish representative Bill Edwards.
"This Classic was certainly tough" Markham said. "Any bad route choices I made on the steep slopes - I paid for them mentally and physically!"
After the challenge of the Norwegian 'Blodlslitet' style Classic, Edwards and Markham, now veterans, both look to be in great form to take on the Worlds best veteran orienteers at the World Masters games in Sydney in October.
Markham will be competing as a veteran for the first time at World level, while Edwards will be looking to improve on his excellent eighth placing at the 2008 World Veterans Championships in Portugal.
The Wayne Cretney memorial trophy in the Veteran mens 40+ age class was won by Aucklander Pete Swanson, returning from the Australia-New Zealand MTB-orienteering Challenge in Australia, which New Zealand won.
Swanson, New Zealand veteran (M45) champion over the Sprint distance, found the Wellington terrain challenging - "That was one hell of a race! Finished covered in scratches,cuts and bruises, but I loved every minute of it!" he stated.
New categories were also added to the Classic in recognition of the growing popularity of rogaining and schools orienteering; the Winter Challenge (a three hour rogaine), and a schools team category for the Classic.
Local rogainer Greg Thurlow won the Challenge ahead of the team of Nigel Corry and Al Cross, while Onslow School boys, and Samuel Marsden School girls, were successful in the teams categories.
The Classic's return to Wellington was also marked by record numbers (bettered only by the 2003 Classic as part of the SILVA National Superseries) and organiser Bryan Teahan has high hopes for a return to Wellington in 2010.
"I'm amazed that I got so many raves about the event, which was pretty much in steep green jungle, along with vistas and patches of glorious open native bush" said Teahan. "We'll be back in Wellington in 2010."
Results
Open men
- Jason Markham (Wellington) 2:28:43
- Bill Edwards (Hutt Valley) 2:42:11
- Magnus Bengtsson Wellington) 2:59:54
Open women
- Yvette Baker (Great Britain) 2:29:47
- Gillian Ingham (Wellington) 2:34:38
- 3 Rita Homes (Hawkes Bay) 2:46:11
M40 - Wayne Cretney Memorial Trophy
- Peter Swanson (Auckland) 2:16:25
- David King (Wellington ) 2:16:31
- John Robertson (Hutt Valley) 2:17:36
Rogaine
- Greg Thurlow 1800 pts
- Nigel Corry, Al Cross 1570 pts
- Glen Warner, Jo Holden, Mark Richard 1440 pts
More results at: www.winterclassic.co.nz
