Orienteering Superseries: Prospects for 2004  
Series Manager, MAPsport Services, 5 Atahu Gr, Lower Hutt, NZ Ph (04) 566 2645

Going into Round 5 (Final), as at 30 May 04

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The final round of the superseries has attracted a great field of 30 men and 18 women, boosted by its role as a trans-Tasman test match. This has brought 12 Australians to the competition, and as all elite entrants are automatically entered in the superseries, they could affect the results by pushing others down. Nevertheless it is expected that kiwis will fill most of the top slots, with the effect being felt further down the order. There are two events in the round: a long distance race near Waiuku in the Saturday of QB weekend; and a middle distance in the sand-dunes of Woodhill Forest on Sunday.

The mens competition has already been won by Carsten Jorgensen, and even a double win by fellow PAPO member Chris Forne would leave him 14 points short.
And Forne is in turn safe from Neil Kerrison from Egmont. But Kerrison is NOT safe from those behind, particularly club-mate Karl Dravtizki, although there is some doubt about a back injury for the Taranaki dairy farmer. And Mark Lawson (NWOC) also poses a threat, particularly on the steeper first day.

Though Jorgensen has flown to Europe to prepare for the World Championship in July, the top Australians Robbie Preston and Reubin Smith could affect the points. As could last year's superseries winner Rob Jessop (who has only contested 3 of the 10 events so far) and Darren Ashmore (who has run 6). Alistair Cory-Wright (PAPO) and Bill Edwards (HV) will be steady in the lower part of the top dozen. Runners with a chance of a surprise result include Aaron Prince from the prominent Canterbury multisport family, and Stu Barr, who has moved to Auckland but chosen to see the series out as a Central Raider.

The womens class will focus on the chase set up by the departure of leader Rachel Smith (PAPO) for further orienteering experience in Sweden. North-West's Marquita Gelderman only needs 11 points to regain the lead she held in the early part of the series, and in spite of the presence of multiple NZ champion Tania Robinson and 6 Australian women she is certain to do that.


Robinson who made a late start to the series could conceivably move from 8th to 4th at the weekend, but she can't catch the third place held by Jenni Adams. Adams is the third top scorer to be heading overseas, following partner Jorgensen to Denmark where the couple's baby will be born.

The top Australian prospects are Danielle Winslow, Orla Murray, and the brilliant young Tasmanian Hanny Allston. New Zealand also has an answer to Allston, the 17-year-old Amber Morrison from Hawkes Bay, who led the field home in February's mass-start Dune Tune race. Other possibles for placings are Penny Kane, classic-distance champion in 2002 and 2003, and Swede Sara Wallen. Piret Klade who is in the Estonian national team will also appear but will miss Saturday's race.

If there's plenty of interest in the women's individual results the team competition is well and truly sewn up. Bivouac Southerly Storm has a 182-point lead over Northern Knights that has no chance of being bridged, with Central Raiders 16 points further back. Neither the home-ground advantage, nor the absence of star B/SS players Jorgensen, Smith and Adams, can enable Knights to catch Storm although they will undoubtedly win the round. Central will finish third after some promising early results. Its achilles heel is a drastic lack of women.

Well done Storm, but mind your backs next year!