Dominant performances by our junior relay teams sealed the Australian schools orienteering shield for NSW for the first time since 2002.
But the trophy came down to how well our senior teams could do against more highly-credentialled opponents on a very warm spring day at Pomingalarna Reserve in Wagga.
The title was tantalisingly close after Sam Woolford (BB), Oskar Mella (NC) and Alvin Craig (NC) - pictured below - smashed the Junior Boys race by 12 minutes. Each was fastest for the course on their leg.
Then our Junior Girls team of Iida Lehtonen (GO), Mikayla Enderby (NC) and Nea Shingler (BF) was the first Australian team over the line - behind the two NZ teams but seven minutes clear of Victoria thanks to a blistering last leg by Nea. Iida and Nea were also fastest on their legs.
Niamh Cassar (WHO) needed to make up two and a half minutes on South Australia in the Senior Girls to grab third place after a superb second leg by Tshinta Hopper (BN). Despite dropping time to the first radio control she caught up five minutes to power home and deliver the Shield to the Carbines!
The Senior Boys were always going to struggle with Ewan Shingler (BF) hobbling the first leg after sustaining an injury yesterday. His courageous effort meant NSW had points up their sleeve in case.
The final points tally from the schools champs is: NSW 62, SA 56, ACT 53, Victoria 50, Queensland 49, Tasmania 42, WA 19. NZ Karahiwi won the Southern Cross Junior Challenge.
A huge congratulations to all our students - for most of them this is the sixth day in a row of intense competition in very demanding terrain - and our management team of coach Rob Bennett, assistant coach Damien Enderby and manager Jenny Enderby.
