World Orienteering
champions
When the HNHS junior girls’ team
left New Zealand at Easter for their
big trip to Anatalya in Turkey, little
did they realise that they would return
home with World champion medals
around their necks. All the months of
planning, fundraising, fitness training
and orienteering were forgotten when
they achieved that goal of standing on
top of the podium at a World Championship. They had earned the right
by establishing they were the best
team in New Zealand. Then under the
guiding hand of Steve Armon, they
tackled the task of preparing as best
they could, for they were representing
all New Zealand schools.
Orienteering Junior Girls
Back Row:
Front Row:
Jenna Tidswell, Imke Kitchin, Bianca Kirk, Mr S. Armon (Coach)
Olivia Wolland, Alexandra Miller, Aishlin McIntyre
Steve had previously taken a team to Scotland in 2008, a junior and senior girls’ team, so the experience of what
was required was put to good use this time. The sightseeing of Gallipoli, Istanbul, bazaars, etc were all
accomplished in the early stages, enabling the girls’ to knuckle down to the job in hand as the big event
approached.
They were among 700 fellow competitors from 21 countries at the opening ceremony, and after the flag bearing,
speeches and parades, they were ready to go. The long distance was the first event, where the team made a massive
statement to all. In an astonishing set of results, all 5 members of the team finished in the top 8. Jenna Tidswell had
streeted the opposition by 7 minutes to win, while Bianca Kirk (4th) and Olivia Wolland (5th), both got to stand
on the podium. Alex Miller (7th) and Aishlin McIntyre (8th) both had run top 10 finishes, but their team mates
had done so well, their times weren’t included in the team result! Aishlin, in fact, was comfortably in second when
she made a late mistake, costing her greater success. The best three accumulative times gave the girls’ a lead of over
thirty minutes after the first day. English School, Ulverston Victoria High and Latvian school,
Grunzalas Pametskola were second and third.