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Orienteering Superseries: Prospects for 2004
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| Series Manager,
MAPsport Services, 5 Atahu Gr, Lower Hutt, NZ Ph (04) 566 2645 |
Going into Round 3, as at 19 Dec 03
NZ champion Penny Kane will take the start in round three,
and could foil Rachel Smith's chase of leader Marquita Gelderman. The medical student
has won the classic-distance championship for two years in a row, but missed the
first two Superseries rounds due to exams and work experience in the Cook Islands.
Smith also missed
the first round but won both races in round two and, with her 2003 Superseries win to
defend, must be regarded as the favourite. Starting her orienteering in Otago,
she also has greater familiarity with the Naseby and Waikaia terrain.
The second echelon of women who will take advantage of any slipups
consists of Jenni Adams (currently lying second), top junior Claire Paterson,
Rebecca Smith, and Seline Stadler who was certainly able to fly on the treeless Mt Ross.
There are also some unknowns who may not figure in
the final tally but by scoring can slow the progress of others: four Australians though
not highly ranked there, two Swedes and one each from UK, Finland and Switzerland.
NZ number one Tania Robinson hasn't entered.
A welcome surprise is that Bruce McLeod will run the Naseby event, shortly before his
wedding to former national squaddie Sasha Middleton. Last seen north of the Waitaki River
in 2002, on that occasion he won both the NZ classic and middle-distance championships,
and was in the winning relay team! And although the area has been remapped for this event,
he knows the Naseby terrain and could be a winner. The others should be relieved that
he won't be at Waikaia (where he has planned courses) or Overton!
Leader Carsten Jorgensen is the favourite overall, but the chasing pack is strong and the Dane has
been beaten twice in four races. Chris Forne is the hot prospect, but Neil Kerrison,
Mark Lawson and Karl Dravitzki are others with good points on the board already;
look also for Darren Ashmore and at Naseby Jamie Stewart.
There are strong runners outside this group, and especially in the intricate goldmining
terrain of Naseby with its low visibility there will be surprises from the rest of the
30-strong mens field. This includes six Swedes, some of whom cleaned up a 3-hour rogaine in
Woodhill two weeks ago, and three Australians though not top-ranked.
There's no entry from the top-ranked kiwi and Superseries titleholder Rob Jessop,
whose tussle with Jorgensen was a highlight of the last series.
In the teams competition, Southerly Storm could extend its 28-point lead by as much
100, helped by Rachel Smith's return to PAPO with effect from this round.
Northern Knights who should be the main rival
is languishing in third place, and will struggle to even catch the 20-point margin
to dark horse Central Raiders.
Raiders is starting to look quite respectable in spite of having
only two women, now reduced to one! Nevertheless, with teams scoring up to 60 points
per event and five North Island events after this, the game is far from over.