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| Chris running in his successful middle distance qualification race on Sunday. Photo: NZ Orienteering Federation |
Chris Forne continues to foot it with the best of the world at this years World Orienteering Championships, qualifying for his second final in as many days.
The tough and steep 10.5 km course set in beech forest of mixed runnability suited Forne, who is known for his strength and endurance after winning World titles in Adventure Racing and Rogaining (24 hour navigation).
With his best distance - the Sprint - yet to come, Forne is looking to qualify for all three finals, a feat that was only achieved by a New Zealander at the World Championships in the Czech Republic, 2008 by Ross Morrison.
Morrison won't be achieving that feat again at this Championships after missing the cut at the Middle and Long distance qualifications; but it is expected that he will do extremely well in the Sprint, where he has been in winning form over the European season.
Frenchman Thierry Geuorgiou, World Champion at the Middle distance, demonstrated his keen desire to add a Long distance gold medal to his set of 6 Sprint and Middle titles; comfortably taking his heat by one and a half minutes from former championships medallist Tero Fohr of Finland.
The womens titles still look to be a two-way battle between current world Champion Minna Kaupi of Finland (Middle), and former 14 times gold medallist Simone Niggli of Switzerland who is returning from having her first child.
Both won their heats easily, with dark horse and World Games Middle distance champion from Australia, Hanny Allston, finishing 5th behind Kaupi.
Tuesday 18 August is a rest day - the Middle distance final for Chris Forne occurs on Wednesday from 10am (8pm NZ time).
