December 24th 2012

World Cup orienteering attracts athletes to Hawke’s Bay

Representatives from 20 different countries will make their way to Hawke’s Bay for the final two races in the Orienteering World Cup series.

The World Cup will be raced in New Zealand during January for the first time since 1994 and has attracted 115 entries. An Oceania series will run in tandem with the World Cup which will help to swell the total number of competitors to over 1000.

The final two World Cup events will be held on farmland near Puketapu west of Hastings on Sunday 13th January, with a middle distance prologue in the morning followed by a chasing start race in the afternoon. The Oceania series will have event six of their competition at Smedley Station on Saturday 12th January and event seven at Puketapu on Sunday 13th.

Event Director Graham Teahan says “New Zealand Orienteering has only once ever hosted a World Cup orienteering race and that was in 1994, when the men's race was won by a New Zealander. We have high hopes of a kiwi featuring in the placings in 2013, following the recent win by New Zealander Mathew Ogden in the Middle Distance Junior World Orienteering Championships in Slovakia [first time for NZ]. New Zealander Tim Robertson won the 2012 Australian men's elite long distance title.”

Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule says “The Orienteering World Cup is the major event on the competitors’ calendar and it will be an exciting time for the sport in New Zealand. It’s the first time in 19 years that the World Cup has come to New Zealand and I am sure that the variety of terrain which has been chosen for this event will test the skill and fitness of this quality international field.”

“The two events combined will bring over a thousand competitors plus officials and supporters to Hawke’s Bay and that will be a great boost for tourism facilities throughout the region. Having such a large number of visitors in the region should also be a massive boost for accommodation providers and retailers.”

By the numbers (as at 24-12-2012):

Over a 1000 competitors from 25 countries will compete in the World Cup and Oceania series combined

926 individual entries in the Oceania Championship

115 entrants in World Cup races

25 World Cup competitors from New Zealand

23 World Cup competitors from Australia

268 entries from Australia in the World Cup and Oceania Championship

1 competitor each from Belgium, Italy, Russia, USA and Japan will enter the World Cup races

The Orienteering World Cup begins in Horowhenua with a middle distance race in the sand dunes at Waikawa Beach. The sprint final is held in suburban Wellington and then it’s onto Hawke’s Bay for a prologue event and a chasing start race.

Seven events make up the Oceania series which starts in a sand dune forest near Bulls and finishes with a race in gully/spur country near Puketapu in Hawke’s Bay.

More information on the Orienteering World Cup and Oceania series is available at www.oceania2013.co.nz
ends

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