Orienteering and mountain biking at carnival

Rotorua's Garth Weinburg is a leading contender for the Woodhill to Whaka MTBO Carnival next year. Photo/Supplied.

World champions from different sports will take on the challenge of a new code in the Woodhill to Whaka MTBO Carnival in January next year.

Chris Forne, from Christchurch, is an over-achiever in the sports world. He's the navigator in Team Seagate, the current Adventure Racing World Championship team captained by Nathan Fa'avae, and he is also a previous Rogaine World Champion. His list of foot orienteering and mountain bike orienteering results at a world and national championship level is arguably better than any other Kiwi, and he has won multiple national titles.

Forne is likely to be a top-placed competitor as part of the New Zealand team taking on the Australians in the Woodhill to Whaka Mountain Bike Orienteering Carnival, from January 4-11. The carnival will consist of six events taking place around Auckland, moving south to Maramarua, and ending up in the mountain biking mecca of Rotorua.

"A combination of brains and brawn is essential to do well at mountain bike orienteering and that's what makes it so fun," Forne says.

He's relishing the chance to compete against the Aussies and other top New Zealanders at the carnival on some exciting new terrain.

But Forne is not going to have it all his own way.

Garth Weinberg is well-known in Rotorua for his impressive record in single speed mountain biking, being a former World Single Speed champion. He has won multiple New Zealand Single Speed Championship titles and is the current New Zealand national champion.

He sees the carnival as a "chance to prove himself against great athletes in a different discipline and share some ideas with people who are actually experts in mountain bike orienteering".

The "local" factor in Rotorua may help give Weinberg an edge. He will back himself to be one of the quickest riders and should do well.

Forne and Weinberg will also be up against super-competitive Stu Lynch, a top multisporter, another former Adventure Racing World champion, and an experienced MTB Orienteering campaigner. He is now based in Auckland, having recently returned from living in the United Kingdom, and is looking forward to competing again over the New Zealand summer.

And there's some young blood coming through to take on the old wise heads in the form of rising star, Tim Robertson.

He was recently awarded Young Sportsman of the Year at the 2013 College Sport Wellington Awards for his bronze medal at the Junior World Orienteering Championships and as winner of the Australian Elite Orienteering Sprint title. Rumour has it he is also pretty handy on a mountain bike.

Woodhill to Whaka MTBO Carnival organiser, Rob Garden, is thrilled at the quality and number of competitors who have already signed up to compete in the events.

"Six events, great competition in the different age grades, fun activities, and lots of socialising as well - it's going to be a great carnival." The carnival includes the Australia New Zealand MTB Orienteering Challenge, and this is resulting in a large contingent of Australians coming over, as well as some athletes from as far away as Europe.

Garden stresses that while there are some top athletes competing in the Elite grades, there are also courses for different age grades, as well as recreational and family courses at each event. It's a great way for anyone who can ride a mountain bike to give the sport a go and ride in some different and exciting areas.