2010 NZ Middle distance Orienteering Championships

"Rocketman" Ross back on top at Nationals.

It was business as usual for Hawkes Bays Ross Morrison at the Nationals as he picked up his third elite National Orienteering title in his third championships, over the 4.5 km Middle distance at Bannockburn in Central Otago.

Losing time with navigational mistakes early in the course would be the end of most athletes hopes for a win, but for New Zealands talented youngster, winner of International Performance of the Year Award in 2008 and two times Long distance National champion, it was the incentive he needed to step up and perform.

After throwing everything at the Sprint course only to lose to former World Champion Joergensen on Friday, Morrison reasoned that he had to both maintain his focus and speed up over the longer Middle distance course - consisting of incredibly detailed gold diggings, dotted with schist tors and hidden gullies.

Ross then flicked the turbo-boost switch.

"I managed to get my act together and was really focused" Morrison said. "After the early mistakes I had a great race".

So good was Morrison's return to winning form that only one elite New Zealander challenged his time, defending champion Darren Ashmore, with the rest of the field two minutes back and more.

Ashmore, after steady running to take third place in the Sprint, was aiming to go harder in the faster sections of the Middle.

"I only had one gear today though" he commented. "I couldn't speed up on the faster sections where I should have".

With seven National titles behind him, Ashmore's supreme mapreading skills and sure-footedness on the rocky ground was enough to win on a normal day.

But this time Ashmore was left 19 seconds behind the speedster Morrison, who was described by Joergensen as "running out of his skin, and having the race of his life".

After a win in the Sprint, and a rest day as mapper of the Middle, Joergensen is set to return to the fray with fresh legs to defend his 2009 title over the 15 km Long course against Morrison and Ashmore .

"It will be fun" Carsten noted. "It's all about controlling your speed between the open stuff and into the rocks, where the detail is".

Also having fun on the rubbly and rocky ground was Wellingtons Penny Kane, picking up her 7th National title in the Womens elite grade.

"I was really happy with my run" she enthused. "The maps were wicked - the gold tailings were very detailed".

With recent training including rock-hopping tramping trips, Kane found that she had the strength to handle the uneven ground with ease, and she sped around the course in complete control, apart from a navigational hiccup in front of the spectator control crowd.

"It suited me today" she said. "Tomorrow, the Long distance, looks like being a runners course though. It'll be a challenge."

The womens battle for placings, two minutes back, was between Sprint champion Lizzie Ingham, Rita Homes and Sprint runner-up Lara Prince.

Ingham, 2009 World Games representative and Silva Superseries champion reckoned that a "good clean run was enough to win".

But after losing a minute in the hidden gullies at control 2, Ingham had to lift her herself to the next level - 'Rocketman' style - to recover her race at speed.

It almost worked.

"I blew it 3 controls from the end" she said. "I was standing above the control for a minute and a half without seeing it"

It was enough for Homes to slip ahead by 59 seconds for second place, and Prince to take third by just 21 seconds, ahead of Ingham in fourth.

Also showcasing the fine balance between speed and navigational control was standout junior Angela Simpson who returned to top form with an emphatic win in junior elites, over three minutes ahead of the top 3 in the previous days Sprint.

Simpson had been leading the elite women in the Silva National Superseries until Inghams Sprint win.

A speedy start in the junior Sprint on Friday gave Simpson a promising lead, but two navigational errors totaling six minutes and it was gone, with the time never to be regained.

But she showed she had learnt how to control her speed in the complex gold diggings of the Middle distance the next day, picking up her third junior elite National title.

Junior World Championships teammate Scott McDonald was also in winning form, heading Matt Ogden and Gene Beveridge by a minute for a win in the junior elite men.

The Long distance race will be held on Sunday April 4 in the famed Naseby forest with its intricate sluicing detail and water races.

Results. 2010 National Orienteering Championships. Middle distance. Bannockburn.

Elite men. 1 Ross Morrison (Hawkes Bay) 32:25; 2 Darren Ashmore (Rotorua) 32:44; 3 Bryn Davies (Red Kiwis/Manawatu) 34:44.

Junior elite men (M20). 1 Scott McDonald (Hawkes Bay) 30:55; 2 Matt Ogden (NorthWest club / Auckland) 32:09, 3 Gene Beveridge (North West club / Auckland) 33:41.

Elite women. 1 Penny Kane (Wellington) 36:38; 2 Rita Homes (Hawkes Bay) 38:40; 3 Lar Prince (PAPO Christchurch) 39:19.

Junior elite women (W20). 1Angela Simpson (Rotorua) 32:34; 2 Laura Robinson (Hutt Valley) 35;53; 3 Kate Morrison (Hawkes Bay) 37:25.