QLD MTBO Championships 2025 – NSW Highlights
The Queensland MTBO Championships, held from 15–17 August 2025 around Stanthorpe, featured four stages: Mass Start, Sprint, Middle Distance, and Long Distance. Riders tackled granite rocks, pine plantations, school campuses, and farmland, with technical navigation and fast riding making for exciting weekend. NSW riders, representing Uringa Orienteers, Newcastle Orienteering, Garingal Orienteers, and Bennelong Northside Orienteers, delivered standout performances across all stages. The event was set in the picturesque Stanthorpe region with a mix of terrains with perfect weather. The Mass Start at Passchendaele Forest featured semi-free order racing on granite slopes and pine plantations. The Sprint used two school campuses and a sportsground for fast urban racing. The Middle and Long distances held at Harslett Farm (Amiens forest) combined open fields, lakes, pine plantations, and granite features, challenging riders with technical navigation and endurance. The 2025 QLD MTBO Champs were part of the National MTBO Series Round 2.
NSW Rider Results
|
Name |
Club |
Class |
Mass Start |
Sprint |
Middle |
Long |
|
Alon Gudes |
Uringa Orienteers |
M14 |
Late start |
2nd |
2nd |
2nd |
|
Andrew Power |
Newcastle Orienteering Club |
M60 |
1st |
miss -punched |
3rd |
2nd |
|
Carolyn Matthews |
Newcastle Orienteering Club |
W60 |
1st |
2nd |
1st |
1st |
|
Malcolm Roberts |
Newcastle Orienteering Club |
M60 |
2nd |
2nd |
1st |
1st |
|
Michael Halmy |
Bennelong Northside Orienteers |
M60 |
3rd |
3rd |
4th |
3rd |
|
Michael Ridley-Smith |
Garingal Orienteers |
M50 |
1st |
1st |
2nd |
1st |
|
Ori Gudes |
Uringa Orienteers |
M40 |
Late start |
1st |
1st |
1st |
Highlights
- Carolyn Matthews (Newcastle Orienteering Club) dominated the W60 class, winning three golds (Mass Start, Middle, Long) and adding a silver in the Sprint for one of the most consistent performances of the weekend. Well done Caroline!
- Newcastle Orienteering Club: Malcolm Roberts and Andrew Power dominated M60 with Malcom getting 2 firsts & 2 seconds. Andrew stood on the podium in 3 events but mispunched in the sprint.
- Garingal Orienteers: Michael Ridley-Smith claimed gold in M50 Sprint and Long.
- Bennelong Northside Orienteers: Michael Halmy took podium finishes in three of the four stages in M60.
- Alon Gudes achieved three consistent 2nd places in M14. and
- Uringa Orienteers: Ori Gudes secured victories in Sprint, Middle, and Long (M40).
Overall, NSW riders won 9 gold, 9 silver, and 4 bronze medals. Outstanding effort!
What next? some of those riders will fly to Western Australia in 2 weeks’ time to compete at the Australian MTBO championships. Onwards and upwards…
