Find out more about Nattionals2019 – the 2019 New Zealand Orienteering Championships at  https://orienteeringnz2019nationals.wordpress.com/

BEHIND THE SCENES: About Linley Earnshaw (Sprint Mapper)

Q: What year did you first start mapping, Linley?
A: I’ve been mapping since college (1981), and mapping for orienteering since 2000!

Q: What are the three orienteering maps you are most proud of?
A: Earnscleugh ‘elephant gun’ rocks that made me cry blood, then Lincoln Uni where the blokes in shorts and jandals drink beer for breakfast in July, and finally, Kura Tāwhiti (Castle Hill) – where I fell in love with skinks and silence.

Q: What did you love about the area you mapped (or are going to map) for Nationals in 2019?
A: Ōamaru is unique in NZ – everything you could imagine in 4 short kilometres (including penguins and great coffee!).

Q: What are your best three achievements outside of orienteering?
Getting to the top of the hill without a parachute!
A: Finding Richard on a live-aboard boat – he was the one who made me a cup of tea after each dive.
Being kissed by an octopus on the seabed at West Head in the Tory channel.

Q: What do you do for a living?
A: School Librarian (sshhhh!)

BEHIND THE SCENES:  About Mike Harding (Sprint Planner)

Q: What year did you first start orienteering?
A: 2010.

Q: What are your best three orienteering achievements ever?
A: Convincing my boys it is fun; staying competitive while injured; and managing the 2016 NZ Secondary Schools team to Aussie.

Q: What are you looking forward to with the planning in Ōamaru in 2019?
A: To give runners a taste of Ōamaru’s heritage buildings (and perhaps a wee bit of craft beer!)

Q: What are your best three achievements outside of orienteering?
A: My sons.

Q: What do you do for a living?
A: Ecologist: working to protect New Zealand’s indigenous biodiversity.