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

Going into Round 4, as at 20 Apr 05

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If orienteering was like a huge adventure race with the teams running together and we were in a helicopter over the self-sown pines of Acheron, sometime on Saturday we would be able to see Bivouac Southerly Storm overtake the MacNut Northerners. Partly this is the result of a good home-town entry for the Canterbury Champs, but it has an impressive depth of runners particularly in the women. MacNut is sending quality in the form of Tania Robinson, Rebecca Smith, Mark Lawson and Rob Jessop (who now lives in Christchurch) but it is unlikely to hold onto its 9-point lead. Central Magic can't even manage the four men and two women who will count and will still be in the trees when the other teams are sprinting for the line.

Sunday could be more interesting though: stormtrooper Chris Forne is the planner for the SI Challenge event, and this may give MacNut a fighting chance. Top junior Martin Peat is also on the list for Sunday and could figure in MacNut's tally. Rather than the vague moraine contours of Acheron, runners will have to distinguish the circular depressions of the Craigmore upland, and maybe the discontinuous reentrants disguised by scattered scrub on the flanks. Rumour has it that winning times will be a little longer than the 30min implied by the middle distance.

In the individual stakes Tania Robinson and Rachel Smith will continue their tug o' war for the womens lead, while Claire Paterson tries to keep ahead of the quartet just behind. Sara Wallen is the most likely to bust through; the others are Penny Kane, Rebecca Smith and Lara Prince.

Regardless of his place on Saturday Chris Forne is going to draw ahead of the absent Karl Dravitzki. But again there's a quartet vying for third place, with Mark Lawson leading Jamie Stewart, Rob Jessop and Neil Kerrison.

Following the weekend Stewart and Kerrison will lead a Development Squad camp assisted by Rebecca Smith and Lara Prince. A noble effort, since their work will eventually see the next intake of elites threaten their own positions!