2009 Silva Superseries Orienteering

Round two of the 2009 Silva Superseries Orienteering gets under way this weekend with three Waitangi Weekend races in Palmerston North and Wairarapa.

Racing commences with a spectator-friendly Sprint race at Massey University, Palmerston North on Waitangi Day, with elites starting from 1pm.

Longer courses have been set in the Wairarapa on Saturday and Sunday 7 and 8 February at Te Wharau and Masterton; these are also selection trials for New Zealanders wishing to compete at the Junior World Orienteering Championships in Italy.

Defending champion and top ranked New Zealander Lizzie Ingham already looks set to take out the series with a large lead after the initial four races at the Oceania Orienteering Championships where her three Oceania titles and a second place (Naseby) gave her 57 points from a maximum of 60.

With 10 races remaining it is not impossible for the trailing elite women - currently Lara Prince, Rita Holmes and Tania Robinson - to overtake Lizzie but it looks a daunting task.

The elite men have yet to show their hands with World Adventure Racing champion Brent Edward leading from Michael Adams by only two points, and last years Silva Superseries champion Chris Forne yet to race.

Oceania Sprint champion Jamie Stewart will be the hot favourite to win the Massey University sprint race which will advance him to the top 5 in the standings.

Carsten Jorgenson, Silva Superseries 2008 runner-up, is likely to move up from his current placing of 16th this weekend, after missing three of the first four races at the Oceania Championships due to mapping and course-setting involvement.

Inghams's dominating start to the series was not enough to give her team Herd Homes Central Magic a lead; currently Bivouac Southerly Storm have the closest of leads of one point over MacNut Northerners.

This may be a short-lived lead as Herd Homes Central Magic have the home advantage this weekend and Lizzie Ingham, Amber Morrison and Todd Oates are all expected to feature.

The Junior Silva Superseries leaders are Scott McDonald form Hawkes Bay and Georgia Whitla from Canterbury, who will both be racing for selection in this years Junior World Championships team this weekend.

A further seven races take place at the New Zealand National Championships in Auckland over Easter, and the Queens Birthday events in Central North Island, as a domestic buildup to World Championships in July and August.

Silva Superseries 2009

Individual standings after 4 races (best 9 results to count from 14 races)

Elite men.

1. Brent Edwards RO(Northerners) 31 points.
2. Michael Adams PP(Southerly Storm) 29.
3. Thomas Reynolds NW(N) 27.
4. James Bradshaw CM(N) 24.
5. Keith Agmen NL(S) 23.
6. Darren Ashmore TP(N) 21.
7. Bill Edwards HV(Central Magic) 21.
8. Todd Oates WN(C) 21.
9. Simon Jager AK(N) 17.
10. Tane Cambridge DN(S) 16.

Elite women.

1. Lizzie Ingham WN(C) 57.
2. Lara Prince PP(S) 35.
3. Rita Holmes DN(S) 32.
4. Tania Robinson CM(N) 27.
5. Amber Morrison HB(C 24.
6. Greta Knarston CM(N) 22.
7. Penny Kane HB(C 22.
8. Sarah Gray NL(S) 19.
9. Rebecca Smith TP(N) 17.
10. Georgia Whitla PP(S) 16.

Junior Elite men.

1. Scott McDonald HB(C) 28.
2. Thomas Reynolds NW(N) 26.
3. Simon Jager AK(N) 21.
4. Jourdan Harvey CM(N) 17.
5. David Wright PP(S) 15.
6. Tim Farrant PP(S) 14.
7. Toby Scott AK(N) 13.
8. Conal Boland-Bristow PP(S) 12. .
9. Gene Beveridge NW(N) 12.
10. Jack Vincent HB(C) 11.

Junior Elite women.

1. Georgia Whitla PP(S) 35.
2. Greta Knarston CM(N) 25.
3. Kate Morrison HB(C) 22.
4. Angela Simpson RO(N) 22.
5. Rachel Goodwin HB(C) 19.
6. Imogene Scott AK(N) 19.
7. Nicola Peat CM(N) 12.
8. Jaime Goodwin HB(C) 4.
9. Alina Smirnova AK(N) 4.

Team standings after 4 races (best 10 results to count from 14 races)

1. Bivouac Southerly Storm; 242 points.
2. MacNut Northerners; 241.
3. Herd Homes Central Magic; 179.