Five best kilometre rates – Lizzie, Brodie, Ian, Lachy, Kathryn
Brodie finishing
Lanita finishing
Ian finishing
The Ultra Long Championship event held at Creswick today provided testing courses for all age classes. Lizzie Ingham (ACT) continued her brilliant autumn of orienteering by taking out the top prize of $2,500 towards a flight to Europe for a major orienteering event. This was decided on the basis of pre-determined comparative kilometre rates between the elite and M&W20 E classes. Tassie junior Brodie Nankervis finished a close 2nd to Lizzie in winning M20E ahead of Ian Lawford and Ollie Poland. Brodie was rewarded with a new Garmin for his effort. The closest race of the day was in W20E where Lanita Steer sprinted in to win a mere 10 seconds ahead of fellow Victorian Mary Fleming.
The 26 kilometre men’s course involving 62 controls in the detailed mining terrain was won by Lachy Dow (ACT) in just over 3 hours, followed in 12 minutes later by Ian Meyer (NSW) and then Max Neve (Vic). The elite women had 50 controls in their 15 kilometre course. Lizzie took 1 hr 58 with the Victorian trio of Kathryn Preston, Aislinn Prendergast and Jasmine Neve chasing her home.
This inaugural event was the brainchild of Geoff Lawford and Jenny Bourne who set courses, organised the event and chased sponsorship. They were aided by a legion of Eureka club members. With 50 random draw prizes from Dirty D and Wildfire Sports many orienteers went home with an extra smile of their faces.