The experience of overseas skiers Sara Wallen and Peter Andersson clearly showed up in the NZ Championship at Waiorau Snow Farm on July 30. Andersson top-scored with 395, while Wallen carded a solid 285, ahead of all but 5 of the men.
Nevertheless Ernie Maluschnig and Ces Driver were only 10 points behind Andersson, beating the third Swede Robert Soderberg, while former NZ foot-orienteering champion Bruce McLeod was only 5 points behind Soderberg.
Ski-Orienteering in NZ has been going for about 10 years, but has only ever been run at the Waiorau Snow Farm near Wanaka, perhaps the only location where Nordic skiing can be practised. This year the organisers assumed the title of "NZ Champs", and that may well be a first. The South Island has truly been in the forefront of orienteering development, with the first Rogaine Champs in 1995 (also at Waiorau but without the snow!), the initiation of Ski-Orienteering, and in a few weeks time NZ's first Mountainbike-Orienteering Championship at Hanmer.
Perhaps the North Island will be able to break some new ground,
maybe NZ's first Scooter-Orienteering event...