World Championships Orienteering Sprint

World Champs Sprint Final - Mens Course (Image: NZ Orienteering Federation)

Chris Forne has run a brilliant race to produce New Zealand's best ever male results at the World Orienteering Championships.

A storming run from the former World Adventure racing and Rogaining champion through the Hungarian forest and park setting put him in the top 20, just over a minute and a half behind the 2008 and 2009 champion, Andrey Khramov of Russia.

Forne's run was not quite mistake-free and two early navigational errors totalling 44 seconds may have cost him a placing in the top 6.

Forne is now New Zealands best at the World Champs Sprint (20th) and Long distance (28th) while World Cup winner (1994) Alistair Landels holds the record over the Middle distance (27th in 1997).

After qualifying 5th in his heat ahead of Khramov, Ross Morrison had a great race for 30th, not equalling his World Games 10th place in the Sprint, but his best ever performance at the World Championships.

Alistair Landels, formerly New Zealands best sprinter, was impressed with both Forne and Morrison, commenting from Sweden "Nice to see Chris has hit the top 20! And Ross's time invested in staying in Europe is starting to pay back quality results."

Forne and Morrison will be combining in the relay with either Greg Flynn or Bryn Davies and looking to cap off a great year for New Zealand orienteering by improving on the best ever relay result of 11th set in 1991 by Alistair Landels, Greg Barbour, Rob Jessop and Bill Teahan.

And Forne, the standout New Zealander at the 2009 Championships, is yet to run the Long distance final, where his strength over multiday endurance races will put him in a great position to improve on the sprint result.

Results: World Orienteering Championships Sprint Final Men