Tasmania win Australian Schools Championships

Thursday, 6 October 2011

Tasmania have won the Australian Schools Championships after a consistent set of results in the relays on Wednesday. While they did not win any of the four relays, they were second to New Zealand in both junior relays, and performed well enough in the two senior relays to ensure they extended their overnight lead.

The best finish of the day was in the senior girls', where a fluctuating race between Queensland and New Zealand came down to a sprint finish between the top two individual placegetters, Heather Muir and Selena Metherell. The Queenslander prevailed by a few metres, giving her state the points to tie NSW for second place. The senior boys also saw a close finish with New Zealand overhauling the ACT on the final leg.

The Australian Relays were contested in the afternoon. As a midweek event, the fields were much weaker than usual, but there were exciting finishes in both elite classes; in both of them, substantial leads were overtaken in the last few controls. Victoria edged out New Zealand in M21E, but in W21E it was the New Zealanders who prevailed over Queensland.

Schools points: Tasmania 48, NSW 38, Queensland 38, ACT 34, SA 24, Victoria 19, WA 10.

Southern Cross Junior Challenge: NZ 61, Tasmania 48, Queensland 40, NSW 38, ACT 36, SA 24, Vic 19, WA 10.

The following Students have been selected in the School Sport Australia Orienteering Honour team for 2011

Junior Girls:

Anna Dowling  Tasmania

Lucy Flemming  Victoria

Hannah Goddard  Tasmania

Winnie Oakhill Queensland

Junior Boys:

Nicholas Collins  Victoria

Matt Doyle  Queensland

Henry McNulty  Western Australia

Ashley Nankervis  Tasmania

Senior Girls:

Jacqui Doyle  Queensland

Rebecca Freese  Queensland

Heather Muir  Queensland

Olivia Sprod  South Australia

Senior Boys:

Ian Lawford  ACT

Bill Mann  Western Australia

Oscar McNulty Western Australia