21 Australians have reached the A finals in the sprint at the World Masters Orienteering Championships after today’s qualification races in Bad Harzburg, Germany.

The most impressive qualifiers were Natasha Key (W40), Jenny Bourne (W55) and Geoff Lawford (M55), all of whom were second in their heats. There were three Australians in the top eight in M50-4, with Europe first-timer Tim Hatley joining regular WMOC contenders Jim Russell (3rd) and Warren Key (7th), while Ann Ingwersen (W70) and Hermann Wehner (M85) were also third.

Ted van Geldermalsen made it by the narrowest possible margin after dead-heating for 20th, the last qualifying spot, in M55. On the other side of the coin, Nick Dent missed out by one place and three seconds in M60.

The final will take place tomorrow in the medieval town centre of Goslar.

Results are available through the WMOC website.