Chris Forne hits top form in Swiss Alps

Christchurch orienteer Chris Forne has raced himself into top form at the Swiss Orienteering week Six-day race, winning the last day and placing third overall.

A strong run for a win by 22 seconds on the last day's 5 km race in Gibel in the Swiss Alps was not quite enough to take Chris to an overall win as he finished with 3860 points, only three points behind second placed Swiss orienteer Andreas Muller.

"It was good to finish with a win and get my confidence up" said Chris. "I enjoyed the technical forest terrain and maps amongst the mountains."

With the World Championships looming in two weeks time, in Hungary, Forne has been living and training in Europe, looking to recapture the fitness and form that took him to dual World titles in Adventure racing and Rogaining some years ago.

He is now based in Hungary preparing for an ambitious tilt at a World Orienteering Championships title, an achievement that would make him the only person to win Orienteering, Adventure Racing and Rogaining World Championships.

While Forne has also shown top form recently in Norway, besting the Norwegians in a national race, he is realistic about competing in the Hungarian terrain.

"It's a little more subtle than Switzerland or Scandinavia, especially the tracks and hidden ditches" he commented. "With any luck it will all fall into place in the next few days".

Forne's previous 27th placing  at the Sprint distance in Japan in 2005 is New Zealand's best at recent Orienteering World Championships.

The World Championships commence on 16 August in Miskolc, Hungary, finishing with the Long-distance on 23 August.

Results Swiss Orienteering Week Six-days, 2-8 August.
Elite men, overall
1 Benno Schuler,  SUI  3944 points;
2 Andreas  Müller, SUI  3863;
3 Chris Forne, NZL,  3860;
4 Jonas Merz , SUI  3678;
5 Stefan Lombriser, SUI 3560;
6 Stefan Zingg,  SUI 17:39  3546;
7 Jouni Kahelin, FIN  3473;
8 Joakim Hederskog, SWE  3466;
9 Pekka Itävuo, FIN 3377;
10 Asgeir Mjøsund,  FIN 3359.