New Zealand Schools Team Makes it Four in a Row

New Zealand made it four wins in a row at the Australian Schools Orienteering Championships, defeating the eight Australian state teams and therefore retaining the Southern Cross Trophy won in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Held near Perth , Western Australia , New Zealand , with 29 points, completed the individual's day holding a reasonable 5 point lead. But Queensland with 24, ACT 22, Victoria 19 and Tasmania 18 stood poised to take advantage of any NZ mistakes in the next day's relays.

On day two, NZ went on to defend its lead but not without some high drama.

New Zealand led from start to finish in both junior grades with Duncan Morrison, Matthew Ogden and Scott McDonald winning the boys' race by a couple of minutes. Jaime Goodwin, Laura Robertson and Kate Morrison were more comfortable winners in the girls' grade.

Kate Rea led out for the senior girls, who led after Emma Watson's second leg. Nicola Peat held on, vitally, for third, as the drama unfolded in senior boys.

Meanwhile, the senior boys were building up a healthy lead, firstly through Thomas Reynolds, and then Simon Jager who handed over to Jack Vincent with a comfortable buffer. Then disaster struck when Jager's run was invalidated due to a mispunch. Jack Vincent had the fastest run of the day and expected to be greeted as part of the winning team as he raced to the finish.

When the dust settled, a protest was lodged over the placement of controls and Jager was somewhat fortuitously reinstated, which gave NZ a third relay title, and a handsome win in the overall contest for the Southern Cross Trophy.

In the previous day's individual championships, NZ won both the senior and junior boys' grades, and finished 2 nd in junior Girls and 3 rd in senior girls.

Outstanding Individual performances came from senior boys' winner Thomas Reynolds (Auckland) and placegetters Emma Watson (Hawkes Bay) 2nd senior girls, Scott McDonald (Hawkes Bay) 2nd junior boys, and Laura Robertson (Hutt Valley) 3rd junior girls.

Another seven New Zealanders finished in the top ten of their grade led by Jack Vincent (Hawkes Bay) 4th snr boys, Simon Jager (Auckland) 6th snr boys, Matthew Ogden 6 th jnr boys, Kate Morrison (Hawkes Bay) 7th jnr girls, Andrew Peat (Counties-Manakau) 10th snr boys, Nicola Peat (Counties-Manakau) 10th snr girls, and Duncan Morrison (Hawkes Bay) 10th jnr boys.