MEET YOUR TEAM
Australian Team for MTB WOC 2008 compiled by Kay Haarsma
Paul Darvodelsky
Alex Randall
Adrian Jackson
MTBO strength and weakness: Strengths: Riding speed, quick descision making, keeping race momentum through tricky sections. Weaknesses: Concentration lapses, not recognizing danger signs
David Simpfendorfer
Club: Big Foot (NSW) Age: Old, not quite a pensioner O Background: Foot – over 1000 events; MTBO - 100 Riding background: 7 years - ride 10-15 hours per week, started MTB riding in 2001 and road racing in 2004. Other sports: rock climbing Best World Champs performance: 18th Middle Distance, Czech Republic 2007 Best other sporting performance: 2nd M21E Australian 3 Days foot orienteering 1989 Profession: Engineer Looking forward to in Poland: riding fast in technical terrain and nice forests; catching up with orienteering friends MTBO main strength and weakness: I have very good orienteering rhythm and am smooth; not enough speed and I think slowly Something else that we don’t know about you? I don’t like pineapple Other hobbies: no time
30 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER JUNE 2008
Club: Yarra Valley (VIC) Age: 36 years O Background: Raced Foot-O until 2000, reserve for World Cup 2000; Member of every world champs team for MTBO since its inception in 2002 – 6th team. Riding background: Mt Bike - have competed in MTB XC since 1996. Now race pro-elite class. Road - I race A-Grade for both criteriums and open stage races. Other sports: occasional golf. Best World Champs performance: Relay Bronze 2004 Best sporting performance other than MTBO: 5th in Central Australian Bike Challenge (Alice Springs) 2006. Profession: Horticulturalist What most looking forward to in Poland: catching up with our Polish MTBO friends (believe me!) MTBO main strength: Can do high pace Time Trial style efforts - perfect for MTBO Weakness: concentration/panic issues if the pressure is on
Club: Melbourne Forest Racers (VIC) Age: 25 years O Background: orienteered all my life including: 2 x foot JWOC, 3 x MTBO WOC Riding background: Mt Bike: Been riding for a long time, but started getting more serious around 2004. Road: Have been doing quite a lot of training and racing on the road in the past few years. Other sports: Apart from riding? Don’t be silly! Did do athletics and cross-country as a junior. Best World Champs performances: 2004 -Gold (Middle Distance), bronzes (Long & Relay); 2005 - Bronze (Long Distance). 2006 - 6th 2006 (Long Distance); 7th (Middle Distance) Best other sporting performances: 2008 – 1st Wildside MTB stage race; 5th Otway Odyssey MTB marathon; 10th Oceania MTB XC Champs (elite) Profession: Aerospace engineer, currently working towards PhD Looking forward to in Poland: Having at least one or two awesome races. Meeting up with all the MTBO crew from around the world again.
Club: Red Roos (ACT) O Background: Started MTBO in 2004. Haven’t done any foot-o before, but intend doing some this year to help my navigation. Riding background: Started doing both mt bike and road riding in 2003. I race in A grade in ACT crosscountry races and also do the 100 km enduro races. I do lots of road kilometres and race either A / B grade regularly. Other sports: I’ve recently started doing adventure races and have had some top 3 places in the AROC series this year. Best World Champs performance: 25th, Middle Distance, 2007 Best sporting performance other than MTBO: My team of 3 won
