ANZ MTBO Challenge 2007

Though its unlikely we'll retain the challenge on Australian soil, there's a strong team going in to battle in NSW in November. Our open women are led by world-ranked Marquita Gelderman, with Claire Heppenstall having international experience and Angela Eccles being a strong XC rider with earlier experience in foot-o. Andrew Bott has impressed since taking up MTBO recently, and last year Mark Lawson won the Australian middle-distance champs, and placed in the sprint and long.

The Challenge runs over a sprint-distance, middle and long on 3-4 November. "Long" is what most MTBO courses have been in NZ, as most riders like a decent workout. But the shorter distances usually contested in extremely detailed track networks really put the emphasis on mapreading and quick thinking with junctions coming up thick and fast.

The team which will be managed by Dianne Michels is: