N. Z. Orienteers Break Australian Run With Handsome Victory By RALPH KING

After three consecutive losses New Zealand, witn the elite combinaton of C. Battley, B. Walker, D. A. G. Pirie and F. Smith won the Rothmans Australasian orienteering championship and the Cerebos Cup challenge in the Pt Otakanini State Forest yesterday.

New Zealand, with an aggregate time of 9h 30m 21s won by 11m 57s from the top Australian four of R. Dominish, G. Moon, G. Latham and T. Andrews, who totalled 9h 42m 18s over the very difficult and long course of 16 controls.

Running conditions were exceptionally tough and under the extremely hot and humid weather conditions, the course was actually half an hour too long.

New Zealand also won the junior girls contest when the brilliant Tauranga College schoolgirl Jane Wood and the Waiuku College head prefect, Diane Smith, defeated the two outstanding Australians, Margaret Ophel and Rosemary Morrow, 41m 41s.

Veteran's Cup

Australia won the veterans'trophy from New Zealand by 21m 6s, I. Hassell, H. Wehner, and B. Blomstedt were a little superior for the scoring New Zealanders, A. Brown, T. Nicholls and P. Brown.

The Australian women's champion, Margaret Elcombe, not only took fastest time in the senior women's event over the New Zealand Commonwealth Games representative Mrs Val Robinson, but she also led Andrea Harris and Toy Martin to an overwhelming victory over New Zealan by 1h 7m 16s, with their total team time of 5h 4m 43s.

Mrs Robinson was the fastest New Zealander with her time of 1h 32m 8s.

Walker was the surprise in the New Zealand team. His excellent run which gave him second fastest time of 2h 5m 58s, was within 1m 22s of Battley, who took the fastest time on the day of 2h 4m 36s.

Two Upsets

Two upsets occurred in the Australian team, when Latham and Andrews came the third and fourth scoring members over more fancied members of the Australian contingent.

The Australian junior M. Ongania was the outstanding performer of the day when he led his team to a fine victory.

Results:
Team Events:
Rothman's International elite: New Zealand (C. Battley, 2h 4m 35s, B. Walker, 2h 5m 58s, G. Pirie, 2h 31m 27s, F. Smith, 2h 48m 10s), 9h 30m 21s, 1; Australia (R. Dominish, 2h 19m 25s; G. Moon, 2h 20m 45s, G. Latham, 2h 27m 17s, T. Andrews, 2h 29m 51s), 9h 42m 18s, 2.
Women: Australia (M. Elcombe, 1h 26m 32s, A. Harris, 1h 39m 6s, T. Martin, 1h 59m 5s), 5h 4m 43s, 1; New Zealand (V. Robinson, 1h 32m 8s, R. Davies, 2h 16m 41s, P. Snedden, 2h 23m 10s0, 6h 11m 59s, 2.
Veterans: Australia (I. Hassell), 1h 2m 10s, H. Wehner, 1h 35m 17s, B. Blomstedt, 1h 40m 52s), 4h 18m 19s, 1; New Zealand (A. Brown, 1h 18m 6s, A. Nicholls, 1h 27m 42s, P. Brown, 1h 52m 37s), 4h 38m 25s, 2.
Junior Boys: Australia (M. Ongania, 38m 41s, 1; H. Dalheim, 51m 16s), 1h 29m 57s, 1; New Zealand (N. Scott, 46m 56s, K. Litten, 59m 8s), 1h 46m 4s, 2.
Junior Girls: New Zealand (J. Wood, 49m 3s, D. Smith, 1h 16m 16s), 2h 25m 19s, 1; Australia (M. Ophel, 54m 7s, R. Morrow, 1h 52m 53s), 2h 47m, 2.