TWO experienced Bendigo orienteers raced into the placings against quality opposition at the Australian Ultra-Long Distance Championships last Sunday.
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Bryan Keely took two and a half hours to navigate around the gruelling 20km elite men's course at Mount Kooyoora and was leading several times during the race, before some small errors saw him finish third.
It was a similar story in the elite women's race, where Clare Brownridge ran strongly early, but dropped to third in the late stages of her 13.3km course.
New Zealander Nick Hann won the junior men's class and had the best kilometre rate of the four elite winners, so took home the major prize of a trip to Europe to compete in an orienteering event of his choice.
The endurance event was run in conjunction with the Victorian middle and long distance orienteering championships, with races held over Saturday and Sunday.
Bendigo club members performed extremely well, especially in the junior ranks, taking out several state titles.
The local place-getters included:
First: Glenn James (M14 middle and long); Caitlyn Steer (W12 middle and long); Karina Cherry (W14 middle); Eleanor Williams (W10 middle); Jack Wigney (M12 middle); Craig Feuerherdt (M40 middle and long); Solomon Cameron (M12 long).
Second: Michael Loughnan (M14 middle and long); Tavish Eenjes (M16 middle); Don Cherry (M50 middle); Peter Galvin (M70 middle); Bryan Keely (M21E middle); Nigel McGuckian (M55 middle); Karina Cherry (W14 long); Serryn Eenjes (W12 long); Lachlan Cherry (M16 long).
Third: Henry Cameron (M14 middle and long); Lachlan Cherry (M16 middle); Clare Brownridge (W21E middle); Louise Hall (W45 middle).