It feels like a long time since I was wearing the Black  NZ Orienteering top in the Colombian jungle. In 2013 I found WOC in Finland a struggle, it was tough terrrain, it was tough going and after 4 consecutive years I was on the verge of orienteering burnout. Coupled with this there was some added pressure with placings from this WOC helping to determine spots for the following year. I almost felt I was obligated to go for a start and almost pressured into running all four events. I struggled with the pressure, failed to perform and felt pretty embarrassed about most of it. I pulled though however and made it through a brutal lesson in Swedish orienteering at Oringen, and really enjoyed the atmosphere at the World Games.

After getting back home instead of taking a big break, I jumped right into training for the Coast to Coast and then Godzone. All this racing forced me to take a break and re-evaluate my options for the 2014 season. Orienteering went on the back burner and I lost interest a bit. The focus went totally towards Godzone 2015, in the hope that by focusing one thing and doing it well that we would get the results we felt we were going to be capable of…. that didn’t pan out quite as planned but I still wasn’t ready to go back to orienteering.

Middle of the winter I got a bit of concussion and ended up spending a quite winter at home in New Zealand with not much happening at all. Suddenly I felt I was ready to get back into it. The concussion was almost helpful in keeping me focused too, I was able to put together some good races at the Canterbury Champs and then I managed to pull one out of the bag for the South Island Orienteering Champs long distance. I had the Speed and the Navigation skills just a bit of trouble stringing it together. It was just enough to get the hunger back for Orienteering and just enough to get me selected into a much smaller looking National Squad for the coming year. I am really stoked to be back and really feel like I want to make the most of this oppourtunity to get back to my “routes”!

Senior Men: Gene Beveridge (NW), Tane Cambridge (PAPO), Chris Forne (PAPO), Nick Hann (W ), Ross Morrison (HB), Shamus Morrison (W ), Matt Ogden (NW), Tim Robertson (HV)

Senior Women: Renee Beveridge (NW), Lizzie Ingham (W ), Greta Knarston (CM), Laura Robertson (HV),  Imogene Scott (N), Rachel Smith (PAPO), Georgia Whitla (PAPO)

http://www.orienteering.org.nz/news/national-senior-and-under-23-squads-announced/