Tasmania have won the Australian Schools Championships after a consistent set of results in the relays on Wednesday. While they did not win any of the four relays, they were second to New Zealand in both junior relays, and performed well enough in the two senior relays to ensure they extended their overnight lead.
The best finish of the day was in the senior girls’, where a fluctuating race between Queensland and New Zealand came down to a sprint finish between the top two individual placegetters, Heather Muir and Selena Metherell. The Queenslander prevailed by a few metres, giving her state the points to tie NSW for second place. The senior boys also saw a close finish with New Zealand overhauling the ACT on the final leg.
The Australian Relays were contested in the afternoon. As a midweek event, the fields were much weaker than usual, but there were exciting finishes in both elite classes; in both of them, substantial leads were overtaken in the last few controls. Victoria edged out New Zealand in M21E, but in W21E it was the New Zealanders who prevailed over Queensland.
Schools points: Tasmania 48, NSW 38, Queensland 38, ACT 34, SA 24, Victoria 19, WA 10.
Southern Cross Junior Challenge: NZ 61, Tasmania 48, Queensland 40, NSW 38, ACT 36, SA 24, Vic 19, WA 10.
The following Students have been selected in the School Sport Australia Orienteering Honour team for 2011
Junior Girls:
Anna Dowling Tasmania
Lucy Flemming Victoria
Hannah Goddard Tasmania
Winnie Oakhill Queensland
Junior Boys:
Nicholas Collins Victoria
Matt Doyle Queensland
Henry McNulty Western Australia
Ashley Nankervis Tasmania
Senior Girls:
Jacqui Doyle Queensland
Rebecca Freese Queensland
Heather Muir Queensland
Olivia Sprod South Australia
Senior Boys:
Ian Lawford ACT
Bill Mann Western Australia
Oscar McNulty Western Australia
Oliver Poland ACT