Auckland Middle Distance Championships

Auckland's top orienteers were to be found in Woodhill Forest on Auckland's
West Coast today for the first day of the Auckland Orienteering
Championships. Today's Middle had a winning time of roughly 30 minutes for
most grades, and saw a good turnout from both Auckland residents and out of
towners. This event is the kick-off of a new season of events, and this year
is the first of the regional championships held from Spring to Autumn.

The race was held on a re-mapped area named with the tongue-twister "Via
Agaricorum," Latin for Mushroom Road, the road bordering the map to the
North. The event saw a fair number of the countries elites in action, with
many of the national Pinestars, ANZ and schools teams using the weekend as a
chance to warm up for the upcoming Oceania Champs in Canberra at the end of
the month.

In the men's grade, NZ legend Darren Ashmore of Taupo picked up the victory
in his first major event in over a year, completing the 5.5km course in
33:43, ahead of Jamie Stewart of Hawke's Bay, 34:19, and Mark Lawson of
North West, 35:24. Lawson takes the Auckland Middle Distance title as the
first local competitor.

Rachel Smith of Hawke's Bay was the victor in the women's, taking out the
4.0km course in 28:25, two and a half minutes clear of Penny Kane in 31:00,
also of Hawke's Bay. Local junior Greta Knarsten of Counties Manukau club
picked up a 3rd place in 33:12 along with the Auckland title.

In the junior grades, Scott McDonald of HB was the winner of M20 just four
seconds ahead of Ciaran Murphy of CM with another CM runner, Jourdan Harvey
in third place. In W20, Angela Simpson of Rotorua finished on top ahead of
local Imogene Scott of Auckland and Rachel Goodwin of HB.

Sunday sees the Long Distance champs held on the neighbouring map, with
the first starts at 10am.