Rookie wins Melbourne Forest Racers' Turkey Traverse

Melbourne Forest Racers organised the inaugural Turkey Traverse orienteering race over a series of three bush and park maps in Melbourne's inner suburbs.

With Victoria's elites racing in Orange, and Bruce Arthur course setting, the 12km course was contested by an evenly matched field of juniors and veterans. In a mass start, the pack took a longer route choice, with Paul Liggins going on his own and taking an early lead. He was then caught by the pack at 3, and there were 6 leaders running together through to the end of the first map.

Adam Scammell came to the front and led briefly at the Chandler Highway bridge at just under half distance. However with the most physical and technically demanding forest to come, he was always going to find it hard to hold on. Juniors Bryan and Leon Keely were looking good but would be tested in the second half by the experienced Warren Key, Jim Russell and Paul Liggins.

Liggins hit the front with 2km to go, but a poor route choice brought him back to the pack. Five were left together for the last kilometre. Everyone hesitated at the base of the large quarry for around 15 seconds. No one wanted to commit to going left, right or straight up the cliff. Eventually Key chose wisely and headed left and took a small lead.
Key, Russell and the Keely brothers all punched together at the last control, but Bryan won the sprint to take out the race.

Warren's entry for the oldest Orienteering T-Shirt competition.

1 Bryan Keely BG 0:54:55
2 Warren Key MF 0:54:56
3 Leon Keely BG 0:54:57
4 Jim Russell BG 0:54:58
5 Paul Liggins MF 0:55:20
6 Adam Scammell BK 0:59:20
7 David Brownridge BG 1:01:53
8 Andrew Baker BK 1:04:47
9 Ian Dodd DR 1:06:00
10 Thomas Top YV 1:06:44