MTB Orienteering Down-Under

MTBO Website of the NZ Orienteering Federation

Supported by NZOF's Silva Development Program

Latest News

Kennett and Randal Return, 1 Feb 10
Simon Kennett and John Randal regained their Ak Attack title yesterday, visiting 35 out of the 40 control points in the rugged Akatarawas and scoring 1740 out of 2010. Marty Dinniss, Dave Howard and Tristan Kramers got 675 to win the 4-hour section. Results...

Ak Attack Location Announced, 21 Jan 10
The one-day saga in the North Island will start on the Kapiti side this year, in the "serene and soulful Maungakotukutuku Valley"! There won't be much serenity once the riders set off for 4 or 8 hours in rugged bush. Entries for the 31 Jan event are still open. More...

Layabouts Win Marlborough Saga, 4 Dec 09
NZ reps Arthur Collins and Sandy Inglis from Lyttelton won the repositioned Cyclic Saga last weekend. Positioned in Marlborough for the first time (Awatere Valley) and shifted to November. Mixed Vet pair Rob Garden and Marquita Gelderman from Helensville rode outstandingly for third. With just over 100 the jury is out on the timing change but maybe distance from Chch had something to do with it. The 3+3 Son of Saga was won by Rachel Ockelford and Liam Drew. Results...

Titles at Rotorua, 16 Nov 09, links added 4 Dec
NZ reps Andrew Bott and Marquita Gelderman won the long distance races at the weekend. Gelderman also won the middle and sprint distances, but student Tom Reynolds captured both shorter mens titles. The MTBing destination attracted 100 wheel-navigators, including a big group from the South Island. Results: Sprint, Middle, and Long. You can also analyse the results on Winsplits or play riders against each other on RouteGadget

Entry Open for National Champs, 19 Sep 09
Entries are now open the the first national champs in 3 years. Being held in Whaka Forest this is not to be missed. Three races, from sprint distance (20min wintime) to long (120min for open men) over the weekend 13/14 Nov. Unlike most events this is pre-entry and you will get allocated start times. And Canterbury's long and long-running Cyclic Saga has repositioned to 28/29 Nov!

And Good Riding Back Home, 13 Sep 09
Meanwhile as the NZ Champs approaches (diary 13/14 Nov) there have been good events in both islands. A score event at McLeans Island, a recreation area near the Waimak River on the outskirts of Chch; races at Waiuku and Helensville in the same weekend which attracted riders from afar; and the final of the Wellington series at Upper Hutt. Results have been posted.

Double Gold Down Under, 16 Aug 09
NZ wasn't represented in last week's World Championship in Israel, but we're extremely pleased to note Australian Adrian Jackson scored two golds! He won the sprint and the long distance. Results are on the website, and also on RouteGadget which enables you to "play" riders against each other.

Tyranny of Distance, 23 Jul 09
Marquita Gelderman who is ranked 9th in the world, will drop today when she no longer has 8 scores to count. A year ago she placed 2nd in an event in Poland and this score will expire; in three weeks the World Championship in Israel will push off another three scores from last year. The Euro-biassed system will change to a more sophisticated one next year with 5 scores to count; but the foot-o scheme only requires 4 scores.

Auckland Weekend, 22 Jul 09
NorthWest OC has combined its next two MTBO events onto one weekend: 22 and 23 Aug. Saturday will be a 2-hour score event in Waiuku Forest, while Sunday will offer 3 fixed-order courses in "Marquita's Garden", the purpose-built MTBO maze near Helensville. Details are on the calendar.

Tale of a Triumph, 3 Jul 09
The story of the emphatic victory of the NZ MTBO team in Australia is here. Results are disappearing down the page in South Australia but have found their way onto the Orienteering Australia website. Look under "Results" rather than MTBO.

Second JWOC in Denmark, 27 Jun 09, updated 29 Jun
The second ever Junior World Championship in MTBO has been held this week near Copenhagen. About 60 boys and half that number of girls are riding for the usual nations - but Norway and Sweden have popped up for the first time. In fact Norway medalled in both boys and girls middle distance. The European MTBO Champs for seniors is on at the same time. Two Australians are riding - but only one senior Norwegian and no Swedes. Denmark (men) and Finland won the relays. More...

Flying with a Bike, 27 Jun 09
Experiences with the NZ-Australia baggage limits have been updated following the trip to Mt Gambier. When this news item disappears you can link to the information via Resources on the index.

Kiwis Beat Aussies - Again! 9 Jun 09
The narrow Kiwi victory in 2007 has been followed up with a decisive win - 13 classes to 8 over three races and seven classes! And again on Australian soil. Or rather, mud. And in yesterday's race, hail lying in parts of the forest near Mt Gambier. Marquita Gelderman and Dianne Michels totally dominated the W Open and W40 classes; Pete Swanson (M40) and Viv Prince (W50) won two of their races. Individual results...

Strong Team for Oz, 10 May 09
A very strong team of 21 riders and 3 reserves has been selected for the Australia-NZ MTBO Challenge in June. While NZ might be challenged by greater depth in the open classes, the vets is where it's decided, and many of the victorious 2007 team have been named. The competition will be held 6-8 June over sprint, middle and long distances near Mt Gambier in South Australia. The team...

Vegas for MTBO Champs, 16 Apr 09, date confirmed 23 Apr
NZ MTBO Championships will be held this year at Roto-vegas, otherwise known as Whakarewarewa Forest, Rotorua. ROC is in the process of updating its map of the extensively-tracked forest and has in mind races of long (the usual) middle and sprint distances. The date (now confirmed) is 14/15 November.

Brownie Maps on the Web, 5 Apr 09
Orienteering Hutt Valley has put pdf versions of some of its maps in a download area on its website. These include the maps for a couple of its "Brownie Events" with the courses on. When this news item disappears, find the link in MTBO Resources.

Marquita in International Magazine, 2 Apr 09
Marquita Gelderman features in the latest "O-Zine", online magazine of the International Orienteering Federation. The world-ranked rider was, unusually, narrowly beaten in Sunday's 3hr MTB rogaine in Riverhead Forest. The open winners were Fiona McBryde and Stuart Lynch. Meanwhile tomorrow's champions were just starting their careers at the Brownie event in Upper Hutt.

Experience Wins Saga, 2 Apr 09
Hamish Seaton and Justin Freeman, veterans of many a Cyclic Saga, won this year's edition held in Ashley Forest (as originally planned for last year). They were only 90 points short of cleaning the course. Organiser Rob Harrow is sounding out participants for a possible change to April or even Nov/December. He's also proposing a 2X3hr "Son of Saga" for those who aren't as fit as they'd like to be! Results and map, 3.9mb...

NZ Championship Likely, 9 Mar 09
After a gap of two years, a New Zealand Championship is on the cards for 2009. There are two possibilities, and to be fair all other clubs have been given until the end of the month to bid. The event would be later in the year. And in relation to the challenge, NZ will contest the M and W Open, 40 and 50 classes, and M60. This was the combination that saw the historic away win in 2007!

Challenge Issued AND ACCEPTED! 23 Feb 09
Australia has issued another challenge to kiwi MTB-orienteers, and New Zealand has accepted. The challenge will be based on the Australian Championships at Mt Gambier, midway between Melbourne and Adelaide. Under the rules NZ will choose which classes to contest by early March, but already 18 riders have booked their flights as part of a 10-day tour being organised by (see 6 Dec news item). There are some very good airfares on offer, let Rob know if you are at all interested!

World Stars Beaten at Coromandel, 2 Feb 09
A world adventure racing champion, former world rogaine champion, and a European MTBO champion were all beaten in the White Star MTB Rogaine near Coromandel on Saturday. Top score in the 6-hour event was posted by Neil Kerrison, Nick Harris and Tom Reynolds, just 10 points ahead of current AR champion Brent Edwards. The event was part of a weekend festival of mountain biking. Reynolds, and also course planner Marquita Gelderman, each placed 4th in a 60km X-C race next day. Results...

Attack Succeeds, 1 Feb 09, Vorb link added 5 Feb
The defenders in the Akatarawa Attack were overcome by a slim lateness penalty yesterday. Matt Farrar and Ian Paintin won the 8-hour event by 16 points from Simon Kennett and John Randal, after both grossed 1700. Craig Starnes and Tony Lines won the 4-hour section. The MTB rogaine based at Battle Hill Regional Park extended deep into the rugged Akatarawa Forest. There are some excellent stories on the Vorb website, look under "Posts". Results...

So How Much does a Bike Help? 21 Dec 08
Yesterday's Pencarrow (Wgtn) Rogaine offered a bike option - with a 10% penalty. See the story and results to find out if this created a "level playing field" on hilly (up to 180m) reverting farmland.

World Ranking Events, 8 Dec 08
The IOF has announced 31 events that will be used for world ranking in 2009. The only events outside Europe are the Australian Long and Middle Champs in June, see below. With riders counting up to 8 scores it makes it pretty tough for down-unders; foot-o counts the best 4.

Milestones, 7 Dec 08
The MTBO website has been going for 10 years. And sometime recently it clicked over 50,000 hits. Not bad for a small part of a small sport in a small country! But we also navigate on the ride much better than we should: Kiwis hold 11 Australian titles; Chris Forne finishes his first serious year of MTBO with a world ranking of 29; and Marquita Gelderman is ranked FIFTH IN THE WORLD!

Need a Long Ride? 6 Dec 08
Summer is the season for longer-distance team events. OHV rogainers are challenging bikers to compete (with a 10% penalty) around the Pencarrow Lakes on 20 Dec. The Akatarawa Attack 8/4hr MTB Rogaine is on Saturday 31 Jan. Taranaki's afterwork bike or foot rogaines continue in Febrary. And the pioneering Cyclic Saga in Canterbury is on 14-15 March. Check the MTBO Calendar

Exciting Trip Next June, 6 Dec 08
There's a good trip on offer next June, around the Australian Champs. Rob Garden and Di Michels are organising a 10 day MTBO trip including a 2 day event a couple of hours from Melbourne, a 4 day training camp on some of the best MTBO maps anywhere, leading up to the champs at Mount Gambier in South Australia. They will organise transport/accomodation and entries. Dates are 29 May till 8 Jun. Register your interest with or phone him at 021 597070.

And in the North, 6 Dec 08
Auckland activity has focussed on "Marquita's Garden", at Helensville where the two enthusiasts are continuing to develop a complex maze of tracks. The Wellington series ended on Mt Victoria right in the city, with John Randal overtaking Andrew McLellan and Lisa Walker the womens champion. Rotorua ran an event in Whaka Forest, and Taranaki's 6 afterwork rogaines attract bikers as well as footers. Full results...

Meanwhile, Back on the Mainland, 6 Dec 08
PAPO concluded the biggest series in NZ this year. Greig Hamilton won from Justin Freeman, with adventure racer Nora Audra third. The 8 events included a weekend at Hanmer. Dunedin held a weekend in the fabulous Naseby Forest, with Jim Cotter and Sasha McLeod the open winners both days. And Southland also ran MTBO at Sandy Point. Full results...

MTBO in Oz, 1 Oct 08
Kiwis showed well at the Oz Champs near Maryborough yesterday and today. Marquita had a rare loss in the middle but won the sprint and long, Dianne Michels won all three in W40, Michael Wood nearly got all three but for 3 seconds in the sprint. Jacqui Sinclair also won twice, conceding to another kiwi, Alison McDonald in the long. The terrain was pine forest, dead flat for middle and sprint, and a few contours in the long; in spite of that, plenty of route choice through a curly track system and varying ridability. Full results: Sprint, Middle, and Long.

Looking Back at the World Champs, 7 Sep 08
The 2008 World MTBO championships have concluded. 6 riders represented NZ with Marquita Gelderman always near the top, sometimes missing medal placings by less than a minute. Chris Forne showed his mapsport versatility by riding very well in the larger mens fields. Georgia Whitla was NZ's first junior MTBO rep, with a best placing of 15th. Races consisted of a sprint on a university campus, and middle, long and relay races in managed forests. Full report in the NZ Orienteering magazine, results here.. Next year's championship is in Israel.

World Mountain Bike Orienteering Relay Results , 31 Aug 08
In the final event of the World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships, New Zealand placed 9th of 13 nations in the women's relay, finishing ahead of Great Britain and Australia. In the men's relay, Chris Forne had the team in 6th place out of 25 after leg one, however New Zealand slipped down on legs two and three to finish 17th. The race culminated with Denmark holding out Russia by a mere seven seconds. More.....

Two Top 20 Places for NZ at World Champs , 30 Aug 08
Marquita Gelderman and Chris Forne continued their good form at the World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships, both placing in the top 20 in the long distance event. Gelderman (from Helensville) placed 11th, Forne (from Christchurch) 19th. In the junior women's event, Georgia Whitla secured a top 30 placing. The championships in Ostroda, Poland, conclude with the relays (for teams of three). New Zealand will be represented in both the men's and women's relays. More.....

NZ Mountain Bikers Make World Finals , 28 Aug 08, Updated 29 Aug 08
Marquita Gelderman continued her excellent form at this year's World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships qualifying second in her heat for Friday's long distance final. Most of the six-strong New Zealand team competing at the championships in Ostroda, Poland, qualified with Chris Forne 3rd in his heat and Georgia Whitla 7th in her heat of the junior women's.....more

NZ Rider Takes Fifth Place at World Champs, 27 Aug 08
Marquita Gelderman was less than two minutes away from the bronze medal at the second event at this year's World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships. Gelderman finished a frustrating 5th in the middle distance champs, after finishing 4th the previous day in the sprint. Gelderman made ......more

NZ Rider Just Misses World Champs Medal , 26 Aug 08
Marquita Gelderman missed the bronze medal in the opening event at this year's World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships by 22 seconds. Gelderman placed 4th in the sprint event at the champs being held in Ostroda, Poland. The Helensville orienteer also placed 4th at the 2005 champs in the middle distance event which is the next event on this year's programme. Best of the others in the six-strong New Zealand team was Emily Wall (Christchurch), who placed 36th, behind Gelderman, in a field of 53. More ......

World Championships start this week, 24 Aug 08
The World Championships for MTBO start this week in Poland. Comment will be posted regularly on Maptalk and the official website is here. NZ's best hopes are for Marquita Gelderman who is ranked in the top 10. NZ is also represented in the first junior WOC by Georgia Whitla.

Marquita ranked 7th ahead of World Champs, 28 July 08
Marquita is up to 7th in the world rankings, having had 2 seconds, a 3rd and a 13th in the 4 WRE events in Europe. Many of the top competitors have been attending the events in Poland as these are part of a 7 day event on very similar terrain to WOC. More...

MTB in Wainuiomata, 20 July 08
Andrew McLellan narrowly won the open mens field with John Randal and Bryce Lorcet finishing in exactly the same time for second place. Craig Starnes riding Mens Vet was..........More...

Knocked the Bastard Off, 10 Jul 08
Simon Kennett reached the Mexican border yesterday at a little place called Antelope Wells. His time 19 days, 5 hours and 2 minutes and he was 4th. Te Araroa next Simon?

Bottle Lake Reappears, 6 Jul 08
Bikers demanded water depth contours on the map at Bottle Lake Forest near Christchurch today, the result of yesterday's storm. Viv Prince and Bruce Meder laid on a sprint distance and a long. Results when available. Meanwhile Simon Kennett is facing water problems of a different kind as he reaches the last state in the Great Divide Race, New Mexico. After 15 days he's in 4th place. Blog...

Riders Brave 130kmh Gales, 29 Jun 08
Mountainbikers braved cold southerly conditions at Wellington's Makara Peak today - including an Aucklander! Claude Dabaliz flew down specially for the event, as he did for the MTBO Series opener three weeks ago. The weather was not as bad as elsewhere in the region, and planners Andrew McLellan and John Randal shortened the courses at the last minute to stay off the tops. More...

Divide and Conquer, 26 Jun 08
Wellington's Simon Kennett is 6 days into an epic ride - the Great Divide Race from the US-Canadian border to New Mexico. This self-supported solo competition covers 4000km with 70,000m of climb. Reports on his excellent blog talk about snowy passes, bears, and also high temperatures - it's summer after all! The route so far has mostly been in Montana, plus a corner of Idaho, and he's just reached Wyoming. Kennett won the Wgtn MTBO series last year and the Akatarawa Attack last year and this. Click pic for Simon's rig.

Labyrinth at Helensville, 26 Jun 08
Pete Swanson cleaned up all the controls in a 2-hour score event at Slater Road near Helensville on Saturday. Marquita Gelderman was fastest in a sprint distance (12min) and long race (70min) next day. But the event was in a forest owned by Gelderman and partner Rob Garden. The pair have created a labyrinth of tracks in the pines planted on mature sand-dune formations, with hardly a single straight to be found. Results...

Wellington MTBO Series Begins, 8 Jun 08
The southerly front that brought snow to the country fortunately went through Wellington in the night leaving a cold but clear day for the start of this year's MTBO series. Andrew McLellan and Hilary Miller took the lead in the open classes, but younger riders also enjoyed Magnus Bengtsson's riverbank courses. More...

Earlier News (from 1998)