Mixed Team wins Heights of Winter

3rd HOW 12hour Rogaine, 24 June

National Orienteering Squad member Rachel Smith, who recently returned to the South Island after studying in Hamilton, led the winning team in the third Heights of Winter Rogaine on 24 June. Her team-mates Andrew Rowan, Terry Davis and Darren Aitchison are understood to be in training for the Southern Traverse, as are many more of the 180 participants.

Smith's team was 30 points ahead of the evergreen Squires/Kennedy/Kennedy trio, who would have been in the "Mixed Super-Vet" category (55+) if there had been one! 20 points further back was the veterans team of Peter Dilks and Graham Slow.

Makes you wonder if there is any point in having classes, they are usually consolation categories for those unlikely to be in the outright placings! First open men were Steve Gurney and John Howard in 4th, still having trouble getting back to base on time. A clean finish would have put them in second place just 10 points behind the winners. Father and son team of Alan and Robbie Holdaway took the family honours with a creditable 8th overall, while Andrea Murray and Wendy Nelson were first women, in 20th slot.

The event was held near Scargill north of Christchurch, not far from the first "Heights of Winter" rogaine two years ago. Full results are now on the PAPO website.

This page was written by Michael Wood, on 20 July 00, and updated on 24 July 00.

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