A quality field of New Zealand orienteers and mountain bikers are set to battle out the NZ MTB Orienteering Championships over the weekend of 14 and 15 November, in Whakarewarewa Forest in Rotorua.
Elite NZ mountainbiker Mark 'Cabin" Leishman is tipped to take out the men's Long distance race on Sunday, taking on New Zealand international orienteering representatives Thomas Reynolds and Jamie Stewart, and specialist MTB Orienteers Andrew Bott and Greig Hamilton.
While Leishman lacks high level MTB Orienteering race experience, he showed his strength in steep and technical terrain earlier this year to defeat World MTB Orienteering Champion Adrian Jackson (Australia) - on the rugged 50 km Karapoti Classic.
"Steep and technical" is the key element for Sunday, according to organiser Marcus Diprose, and route choice will be crucial. "On some legs we, as course setters, have no idea which way we would choose."
In contrast, the Sprint and Middle distance races on Saturday have been planned to be "faster and flatter, and fun to watch" said Diprose.
Hot favourite for the Open Womens races is former World number 1, Marquita Gelderman (Auckland) who always produces the goods at major events, with a best of 4th at past World Championships.
Talented international orienteering representative Greta Knarston and experienced MTB orienteer Erin Roberts are most likely to put the pressure on Gelderman and prevent her making a clean sweep of all three races over the weekend.
Racing commences from 9 am on Saturday, 14 November, from Hill Road in the western side of Whakarewarewa Forest.
