Orienteering Australia is pleased to announce the team for the Australia – New Zealand Challenge that will be held in conjunction with the 2023 Oceania Championships. Orienteering Australia’s ANZ Challenge selection panel has made the selection for the age group classes and the HPMG group have made the selection for the Elite classes. Classes to be contested in the Challenge are:

M16

• Sprint – Euan Best, Alex Woolford, Eckart Bosman
• Middle – Euan Best, Alex Woolford, Eckart Bosman
• Long – Euan Best, Alex Woolford, Eckart Bosman
• Relay – Euan Best, Alex Woolford, Eckart Bosman

Junior Elite 20 Men    

• Sprint – Alvin Craig, Sam Woolford, David Stocks
• Middle – Alvin Craig, Sam Woolford, David Stocks
• Long – Alvin Craig, Sam Woolford, David Stocks
• Relay – Alvin Craig, Sam Woolford, David Stocks

Junior Elite 20 Women

• Sprint – Nea Shingler, Milla Key, Erika Enderby
• Middle – Nea Shingler, Mikaela Gray, Erika Enderby
• Long – Nea Shingler, Mikaela Gray, Erika Enderby
• Relay – Nea Shingler, Mikaela Gray, Erika Enderby

Men 21 Elite    

• Sprint – Angus Haines, Aston Key, Patrick Jaffe
• Middle – Alistair George, Aston Key, Patrick Jaffe
• Long – Alistair George, Aston Key, Patrick Jaffe
• Relay: Alistair George, Aston Key, Patrick Jaffe

Women 21 Elite  

• Sprint – Caitlyn Young, Grace Crane, Shannon Jones
• Middle – Caitlyn Young, Grace Crane, Lanita Steer
• Long – Caitlyn Young, Grace Crane, Aislinn Prendergast
• Relay – Grace Crane, Lanita Steer, Aislinn Prendergast

W45

• Sprint – Kirsten Fairfax, Rachel West, Tracy Bluett
• Middle – Kirsten Fairfax, Meredith Gray, Tracy Bluett
• Long – Kirsten Fairfax, Meredith Gray, Rachel West
• Relay – Meredith Gray, Cathy McComb, Clare Hawthorne

M50

• Sprint – Steven Craig, Craig Dufty, Matthew Stocks
• Middle – Steven Craig, Craig Dufty, Matthew Stocks
• Long – Steven Craig, Craig Dufty, Grant Bluett
• Relay – Steven Craig, Craig Dufty, Matthew Stocks

M55

• Sprint – Steve Cooper, Mark Freeman, Geoff Lawford
• Middle – Steve Cooper, Mark Freeman, Geoff Lawford
• Long – Steve Cooper, Mark Freeman, Geoff Lawford
• Relay – Steve Cooper, Mark Freeman, Geoff Lawford

W55 

• Sprint – Jennifer Enderby, Karen Wild-Allen, Nicola Dalheim
• Middle – Jennifer Enderby, Karen Wild-Allen , Nicola Dalheim
• Long – Jennifer Enderby, Karen Wild-Allen , Nicola Dalheim

M60

• Sprint – Tony Woolford, Mark Shingler, Jim Russell
• Middle – Tony Woolford, Mark Shingler, Jim Russell
• Long – Tony Woolford, Mark Shingler, Jim Russell

M65 

• Sprint – Jeff Dunn, James Lithgow, Noel Schoknecht
• Middle – Jeff Dunn, James Lithgow, Peter Cusick
• Long – Jeff Dunn, James Lithgow, Peter Cusick
• Relay – Jeff Dunn, James Lithgow, Rob Vincent

W65 

• Sprint – Jenny Bourne, Debbie Davey, Carolyn Jackson
• Middle – Jenny Bourne, Debbie Davey, Carolyn Jackson
• Long – Jenny Bourne, Debbie Davey, Carolyn Jackson

Australia’s Challenge Team Manager will be Ted van Geldermalsen. Ted can be contacted via tedvg@bigpond.net.au

Ted will be responsible for organising the team and any co-ordination matters of the relay teams if there are any injuries to selected team members.

Good Luck to all!

Additional info for team members
Australian team jerseys
Usually team members are required to wear an Australian team jersey. This time, due to the
late announcement of the teams and limited stocks of jerseys, team members are encouraged
(but not required) to wear an Australian jersey.
If you have represented Australia before please bring you Australian jersey / O-suit/s with
you.
If you don’t already have an Australian jersey we’ll have some available for purchase at $55.
See me at one of the events. I plan to arrive early at the sprint race on Saturday. There is
limited availability, particularly of larger sizes, so sorry in advance if some people miss out.
Team changes
Please let Fredrik or Tash (for elite classes) and me (for other classes) know asap if you have
to withdraw from a race in which you’ve been selected. Team changes can only be made
with agreement of the opposing team’s manager and only in exceptional circumstances such
as an injury.
Relay running order
Please decide your preferred running order with your other relay team members and let me
know during the week, and in any case by Wednesday 11 Jan (at the Middle distance).
Team composition
In case any eagle-eyed regulars are wondering about the selections, the OA and ONZ Boards
have agreed to some variations to the AUS-NZL Challenge rules to allow more flexibility in
team selections.
Some of the classes that are normally “mandatory” are not being contested.
Some classes are only being contested in the individual races and not the relay.
The rule requiring the same three runners in a class to compete in each individual challenge
and the relay challenge has been waived.
The rule that each team member may only be nominated for one age class has been waived.
These variations only apply for this 2023 challenge.

Ted van Geldermalsen – ph. 0416 257 485