Know before you go - AdventureSmart

Kiwi orienteers Angela Simpson and Hourdan Harvey got New Zealand off to a great start in the 2009 Junior World Championships Sprint event in the small town of Mezzano in Trentino, Italy.

Angela Simpson (Rotorua) had a great race to finish 24th in the Sprint behind Jenny Lönnkvist (Sweden) who won her fourth Junior World Championships gold.

Europeans dominated the 130-strong womens race taking all but three of the top forty placings.

Best of the non Europeans was Angela Simpson, along with Australian Aislinn Prendergast (32) and Greta Knarston (Counties-Manukau) who had an excellent run for 34th.

Simpson recently won the Silva National Junior Orienteering Superseries in New Zealand and is tipped to perform even better at the Middle and Long races to follow this week.

Jourdan Harvey (Counties-Manukau) also headed the non-Europeans, with his 40th place just a fraction of a second ahead of Top Australian junior Lachlan Dow.

Harvey, who recently won the Wangamumu Wonder (short course Cape Brett Challenge) should feature in the Long distance event on Tuesday, although this will be held at altitude, suiting the Swiss runners in particular.

Swiss orienteers dominated the 170-strong mens race, won by favourite Matthias Kyburz (Sui), taking 5 of the top six placings.

Results

Women

1. Jenny Lönnkvist SWE 13:34
2= Ida Bobach DEN 14:02
2=
Tereza Novotna CZE 14:02
4. Mari Jevne Arnesen NOR 14:16
5. Sarina Jenzer SUI 14:26
6. Ingjerd Myhre NOR 14:27
...
24. Angela Simpson NZL 15:18
34. Greta Knarston NZL 15:34
56. Georgia Whitla NZL 16:21
88. Rachel Goodwin NZL 18:22
91. Kate Morrison NZL 18:38
--
Nicola Peat NZL DSQ

Men

1. Matthias Kyburz SUI 14:43
2. Milos Nykodym CZE 14:56
3. Martin Hubmann SUI 14:58
4. Florian Howald SUI 15:00
5. Søren Bobach DEN 15:01
6. Severin Howald SUI 15:04
...
40. Jourdan Harvey NZL 16:34
57. Scott McDonald NZL 16:58
58. Thomas Reynolds NZL 16:59
82. Simon Jager NZL 17:33
96. Toby Scott NZL 17:55
128. Andrew Peat NZL 19:22