2004 AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Grapes of Rock 2004 Australian Championship Carnival Blair Trewin (VIC) The Australian Championships came to a region in central New South Wales previously best known for Easter 3-Days in 1991 and 1996. With venues closer to Dubbo than any others previously mapped, an eye was cast to 2007 when JWOC comes to the area. The busiest Carnival week yet featured, in addition to the regulars, the first Australian Sprint Championships and an AustraliaNew Zealand Test Match. For many there were six races in eight days. There were many highlights, not least being the emergence of several well-performed Juniors who will still be eligible for JWOC in three years time.
David Shepherd, a jump ahead of the rest at the Aust Champs. Photo: Bob Mouatt
NSW Champs “Ganguddy” was memorable for two things - the terrain and outstanding performances by two of those Juniors. The terrain was spectacular with many cliffs and rock domes and magnificent views from some controls. Some wondered whether the area was appropriate for high-pressure races (particularly after seeing climbing ropes in a couple of places) and the question of how we would have coped had it been wet was left unanswered. It was certainly an interesting orienteering experience, and no-one did too much damage to themselves. Spectacular performances by two South Australian juniors, Simon Uppill and Vanessa Round in their first year of 18s, set a high standard for the week. The word around was that Uppill’s running had improved over winter, but no-one anticipated the extent of
his demolition of a field including three JWOC representatives. He won by 13 minutes, against both the 18s and the 20s (who ran the same course), and his time would have put him in serious contention for a place in M21A, whose first loop was the M18 course. Round comes from the opposite background – a fast runner capable of brilliant things but not always consistent. “Ganguddy” did not seem a likely venue for her to impose herself, but she ran magnificently and, like Uppill, would have been competitive in the elite race. On another day Kellie Whitfield’s performance, one of her best in a blossoming career, would have given her a well-deserved victory, but she had to settle for 2nd place, 4 min behind Round.
The Carnival finished with the Australian Relays at “Clonalton”, an almost-open area with extensive granite.
Schools Champs ACT and Victoria tied in the Australian Schools Championships at “Tarcoola”, after a dramatic day which came down to the sprint finish for sixth place in the junior boys’ relay. Queensland’s Ben Freese held off Victoria’s Daniel Creely, preventing the Victorians from taking the title on their own. It was Victoria’s second win and ACT’s first title since 1993. Queensland took third in their best result for a decade. New Zealand, after an excellent day at the relays, won the Southern Cross Junior Challenge by a point.
The individual was a day of unexpected results. Only Ineka Booth’s win in the junior girls over Bridget Anderson and Kylee Gluskie was anticipated. New Zealander Jack Vincent comfortably won the junior boys’ race while Heather Harding won the senior girls’ event and Victorian Chris Naunton blew the senior boys’ race wide open to win by an impressive three and a half minutes from Tasmanian Louis Elson.
Sprint Champs Dave Shepherd and Nicki Taws became inaugural Australian Sprint Champions at the University of Sydney’s Orange campus. An unexpected title for Taws, given she was up against Natasha Key and Hanny Allston – both significant international sprint performers. Allston burst out of the blocks taking a 30-second lead by 7, but lost nearly all of it with a mistake on 8. From then on there was little to separate them and Taws was a single second clear of Key at the finish with Allston three seconds back. There was no close finish for the men. Shepherd won by 27 seconds, a huge margin over such a short course. Julian Dent, who might have got close, lost 20 seconds at 7 and it was New Zealanders Karl Dravitzki and Chris Forne who came through for placings.
Simon Upill (SA) convincingly won M18 at the NSW and Aust Champs. Photo: Bob Mouatt DECEMBER 2004 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 17
