West Pymble teen Lucy Mackie has ridden a fantastic Middle Distance race to finish fifth at the MTBO junior world championship in Valongo do Vouga, Portugal.
Younger brother Fergus, just 15, came 15th in M20. Coincidentally each was 5 minutes off the winner's time in their age class in temperatures in the low 30s. The Big Foot siblings are the first NSW orienteers to compete at a junior world MTBO championship.
In Monday's Sprint opener in Cantanhede, riders battled through oppressive 40C heat. Fergus was only two minutes off the winner; his time of 22m35s enough for 17th place out of 48 in a tightly packed field on the 8.1km course.
Lucy, 18, was well off the pace on her 6.1km course to finish 22nd in 26m14s. The Czech winner flew around in 14m12s. Check out all the maps.
The remaining events are the Long distance on Friday and Relay on Saturday.
