The first regional FootO championships in 2025, the Oceania Orienteering Championships, begin in New Zealand on Friday.
Four races await over four days, Sprint, Middle, Long and Relay in that order and alongside the seniors, Junior and Youth Champions for Oceania will also be crowned.
All races take place on the lower North Island. The sprint will be run at Massey University, while the forest distances are held in the coastal terrain on the west coast, which offers mainly open pine forest and lots of contour details.
New Zealand’s experienced Lizzie Ingham has a string of titles to defend. She won the sprint last year on home soil, when the in the first sprint-only Oceania Championships, and she was also fastest in the middle and long distances two years ago in Tasmania.
Lizzie Ingham on her way to secure 10th place for New Zealand in the Sprint Relay at WOC 2024. Photo: Kristina Lindgren
In the men’s event, Joseph Lynch (NZL) is ready to defend his sprint title from last year, while Aston Key (AUS), the defending champion in the middle and long distances from 2023, will not be competing.
Joseph Lynch on his way to the 2024 OOC Sprint title. Photo: Evalin Brautigam
The winners of the individual forest distances can look forward to securing a starting spot at this summer’s World Orienteering Championships, which takes place in Finland from 7 – 12 July.
Australia won both forest relays at the 2023 Oceania Orienteering Championships.