Racers choose a path to victory

AUSTRALIA’S top orienteers are heading to Hobart to take part in a three-day national carnival.

More than 600 competitors will spend their Easter break in southern Tasmania competing in a sprint race and three-day carnival vying for the title of National League Champion.

The sprint race is a world ranking event and, with results counting towards international rankings, competitors from Hong Kong and the UK will be competing, including British elite orienteers Mark Purkis and Charlotte Watson.

Mr Purkis, who has been serving as southern Tasmania’s orienteering coach-in-residence since October, said just over 100 of the competitors were among Australia’s orienteering elite and would vie for selection in the Australian junior team.

“I’m training for the world championships in Latvia this year. I’m also hoping to be selected after this weekend for the European championships in Switzerland,” Ms Watson said.

Top junior Joseph Dickinson will be a hot favourite for the men’s junior elite race tomorrow. An engineering student at UTAS, his local knowledge could help him navigate the tricky buildings, paths and parklands across the campus.

Sprint race organiser Catherine McComb is looking forward to a day of fast and furious racing. “Unlike traditional orienteering, which takes place in the forest, sprint orienteering takes place in urban, built-up areas,” she said. “University campuses are ideal because they provide for complex route choices which must be made in a split second while running at high speed.”

The competition will move to Melton Mowbray for two days of forest races. Families interested in orienteering can try the Map Run around Battery Point over the weekend. Go to eastertasmania2018.net.au.