Michele shines with junior elite win at Easter

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Last Updated: Wednesday, 23 April 2014 09:10

Michele Dawson was the star of the big Easter carnival hosted by ONSW, taking out the junior women's elite section by a minute and three seconds.

Michele (Garingal) recorded two firsts and two seconds to pip Victorian Lanita Steer for the gold medal. Newcastle's Nicola Blatchford was third overall, just five minutes behind Michele, thanks to four consistent runs.

Nicola and Michele were later named in the Australian team for the junior world champs in Bulgaria in July. It will be Nicola's second JWOC and Michele's third.

Michele was 2m32s in front entering the Long Distance event on Sunday but dropped six minutes to seemingly surrender the title. But a brilliant run in very steep terrain on Monday - and two sizeable errors by Lanita - saw her emerge in first place as she tore across the final stretches of the cherry farm (pic, left).

In the open women'e elite our best performer was Bennelong's Marina Iskhakova in 13th place, just ahead of Big Foot's Tracy Marsh. Former world champ Hanny Allston won by 18 minutes to signal she is back to peak condition.

Newcastle's Rob Preston was sixth in the men's elite class, a fantastic second placing on the final day a reward for his efforts. Dave Meyer (SHOO), Alex Massey (NC) and Ian Meyer (SHOO) finished in the top dozen overall.

Angus Roberts (NC) was our best in the junior men's elite in seventh placing, closely followed by Aidan Dawson (GO, 9th) and Toby Wilson (GO, 12th). Daniel Hill (GO) may have ended up the highest placed NSW runner had he not recorded a DNF on the Long course on Sunday after taking ill.

The Dawsons (pictured) also took out the family relays on day 1. 

Each of the 4 days was also a National League (NOL) event. As a result the NSW Stingers continue to lead the junior women's section, with Michele atop the individual standings and Nicola third.

More than 800 competitors were blessed with beautiful autumn weather at Rylstone Common and Clandulla State Forest. A huge thank you to the dozens of people who helped put the carnival together.  

NSW orienteers who won their age class overall were:

M21A - Daniele Guardini (BF)
M35AS - David Messenger (NC)
M40A - Greg Barbour (BF)
M45AS - Peter May (NT)
M45A - Peter Annetts (GO)
M75A - Basil Baldwin (GS)
MOpenB - Sam Rogers (BF)

W10A - Nea Shingler (BF)
W21AS - Margaret Peel (NC)
W45A - Jenny Enderby (NC)
W55AS - Jane Watt (NT)
W60A - Lyn Dabbs (WH)
W65A - Toy Martin (NC)
W70A - Jean Baldwin (GS)
W80A - Maureen Ogilvie (UR)
WOpenB - Petrina Baldwin (UR)

Click here for a full list of results, splits, routegadget etc.