Orienteering Superseries: Prospects for 2005  
Series Manager, MAPsport Services, 5 Atahu Gr, Lower Hutt, NZ Ph (04) 566 2645

Going into Round 2, as at 19 Dec 04

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Superseries at Oceania Following the opener at Aramiro in November, the 2005 Orienteering Superseries begins in earnest with three events in the Oceania Carnival: Round 1 contained only a single individual event (the other was a relay), so the leaderboard is not so significant yet. Nonetheless the top three women are Tania Robinson, Marquita Gelderman (last year’s winner) and first-year senior Claire Paterson.

Leading men are Karl Dravitzki, Darren Ashmore and Chris Forne. Last year’s winer Carsten Jorgensen is living mostly in Denmark now, so the series favourite would have to be Forne.

However Oceania will inject new interest into the race, with Rachel Smith returning from Sweden (for good), and Jorgensen and partner Jenni Adams here for the carnival. So will the inclusion of a strong Australian presence. In addition to the Bushranger team, we’ll see top runners Troy de Haas and Jo Allison, and welcome back Cassie Trewin who lived in New Zealand ten years ago. About a dozen Scandinavians could also influence results. With 43 men and 23 women at mid December, it will not be possible to merely finish to score place points; you’ll have to be in the top half (women) or the top quarter (men) of the field.

Others to look out for: Michael Glowacki, a national squad member who lives in Norway. Mark Chapman, British orienteer of some ability. Jim Russell, coach of the Australian squad. And Piret Klade, Estonian elite working in New Zealand.

Disappointing absences include promising junior Amber Morrison (HB), who has been diagnosed with a stress fracture, which will necessitate a significant layoff. Likewise Andrew McCarthy (HV) is recovering from his second broken leg in two years. And previous high flyers Rob Jessop (2002 winner) and Stu Barr have not yet entered.

In the team tally, MacNut Northerners took the early lead at Aramiro. Even the trailer for the last two years Central Magic outran the previous winner Bivouac Southerly Storm. But the presence of Smith and Jorgensen could turn this upside-down and the contest may return to the familiar MacNut-Bivouac tug-o-war, over the heads of Central Magic. The inclusion of the relay is another step in the development of a more intense rivalry between the teams; in addition to team O-tops and websites. Must be time to find a suitable "log of wood" to recognise the result.