But the event also attracted entrants from the South Island. Claire Heppenstall is working on establishing a series of events in Canterbury, and figured that being unlikely to ride in those she needed to get her competition elsewhere. Although her elegibility to ride for NZ is uncertain, Heppenstall is in the NZ MTBO Squad working towards the World Champs in Australia.
And also expressing an interest in Australia is Mondo Kopua from Blenheim. President of the Marlborough OC, Kopua has already run MOC's first MTBO and is looking for other possible venues. The pair were transported from Wellington up to Waitarere by Craig Starnes, at this stage the area's only member of the MTBO Squad.
Starnes and Heppenstall showed their class by winning both the sprint event in the morning and the mass-start event run in the afternoon to simulate the "riders all around" atmosphere of a relay. The event format was a brilliant effort from organiser Trevor Knowles, planning his first ever orienteering event of any sort. Knowles however attended the last World Championship in France and as NZ MTBO Convenor is keen to provide relevant experience of the type of competition used internationally.
Waitarere Forest was ideal for this exercise with its high density of routes, but riders had to cope with tracks that were much less distinct than ideal, following the unseasonable weather which has brought down debris throughout the forest and inhibited the usual foot and wheeled traffic. They also had to cope with Knowles' innovative course design for the mass-start event, which consisted of a basic "skeleton", off which were hung up to four double loops called "butterflies". Arriving at the centre of a butterfly, riders were directed onto one or other of the "wings" by code letters on their clipcards, which had been randomly prepared by Knowles. Various course lengths were provided for by shortcuts, keeping everyone moving round the forest at roughly the same time.
Other riders to show their mettle were Bryce Lorcet, second behind Starnes in both morning and afternoon races, Bill Brierley who was fastest vet in the afternoon after taking a group of littlies for a ride in the morning, and John Randal. After tossing up whether to ride open (long) or recreational (medium) on the butterfly course, he posted the fastest time in the latter by over 6 minutes from Brierley. Open for you next time John!
Results and Series Points have been posted.