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ORIENTEERING

Auckland Orienteering Middle Champs

Sunday 16 September 2007, 12:16AM

By Simon Jager

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AUCKLAND

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