Orienteering Superseries: Prospects for 2006  
PO Box 121032, Auckland, NZ Ph (021) 606 535

Going into Round 1, as at 18 Oct 05

The 2006 Superseries begins at Labour Weekend without two of its three title-holders. Chris Forne isn't in the entry list, and neither is womens co-winner Rachel Smith. This shouldn't be taken as lack of interest though, as a break from orienteering, mentally as much as physically, is important to recharge batteries for a new season.

The other womens winner Tania Robinson will be there, and should comfortably clean up the small womens field. Woman to watch - 17-year-old Lizzie Ingham who was our best at JWOC this year. Especially in the sprint race on Monday, young women can often foot it against more experienced runners. Ingham was second W17-20E in the Australian Sprint Champs in Australia, and her time would have given her 8th in the elite class!

There's a good mens entry, with only Forne and Neil Kerrison missing from this years world champs team. Karl Dravitzki and Darren Ashmore have the best background (which doesn't necessarily mean that they are in best form - see battery recharging above.) Brent Edwards has been doing some endurance work, finishing 7th in the Motu multisport race. Jamie Stewart is the other member of the team.

There are plenty of others who could gain placings though. Aaron Prince, especially in the long distance. Mark Lawson ditto. A wild card we don't know much about is PAPO's Dennis de Monchy. His brother Pym was, maybe still is, an awesome mountain runner, and Dennis has been running at almost the level of some NOS members in Christchurch OYs. From Canberra comes Michael Derlacki, a useful Australian performer though not in their top echelon. However a rule change starting this series means that unless he belongs to a NZ club he will not be counted in the series.

As with the women, the sprint and perhaps the middle distance are where new talent could show itself. Though not exactly "new" talent, Ross Morrison is one such. His navigation and speed have been obvious from an early age, but he hasn't been able to train fully; he will do well in the shorter distances. Martin Peat is the other top junior who will be 21 next year and is moving up now. A group of younger juniors is bypassing the 20's and will run elite in the middle. But not, surprisingly, the sprint.

Teams? An interesting picture here, with the home team not necessarily in the box seat! Rob Jessop is completing formalities to run for Bivouac Southerly Storm, but the position of Herd Homes Magic captain James Bradshaw is uncertain - he has entered under Northerner club CMOC. Whatever transpires, the team sizes are almost equal, and the change to counting best 6 performances regardless of gender will remove a constraint which stopped some good performances counting. A flatter point scale for the team competition only will also allow the lower-order runners to contribute more.

The 2005 team competition was close; it looks like the 2006 contest will start off the same way!