The 2026 Australian Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships brought ~160 riders from all Australian States, New Zealand and UK to Ballarat and Creswick, Victoria, from 8–11 October.
Hosted by Orienteering Victoria on Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung Country, the carnival featured Mass Start, Middle, Sprint (on a new Federation University campus map), and World Ranking Events – Middle and Long Distance for Elite Classes, alongside with e-bike and Explorer classes for all Beginners.
11 ACT MTBOers travelled to Ballarat to compete for the National MTBO Titles: Ann Ingwersen and (support crew Frank Ingwersen), Cathy Hogg, Rohan Hyslop, Andrew Harmer, Kris Kleeman, Ken Young, Ariadna Iskhakova (JWOC2026 representative), Veronika Iskhakova, Marina Iskhakova, and our new ACT resident Maya Bennette (JWMTBOC2024, 2025 and 2026 representative).
The top placegetters were:
Mass Start – Friday 9 October
| Place | Name | Surname | Club | Class |
| 1 | Veronika | Iskhakova | Red Roos | W16 |
| 1 | Ann | Ingwersen | Parawanga | W80 |
| 1 | Maya | Bennette | Yarra Valley (VIC) | W21 |
| 3 | Ariadna | Iskhakova | Red Roos | W21 |
| 4 | Marina | Iskhakova | Red Roos | W21 |
| 8 | Andrew | Harmer | Red Roos | M50 |
| 10 | Kris | Kleeman | Bushflyers | M50 |
| 16 | Ken | Young | Bushflyers | M60 |
| DNF | Rohan | Hyslop | Parawanga | M50 |
Middle Distance – Saturday 10 October
| Place | Name | Surname | Club | Class |
| 1 | Veronika | Iskhakova | Red Roos | W16 |
| 1 | Ann | Ingwersen | Parawanga | W80 |
| 2 | Marina | Iskhakova | Red Roos | W21 |
| 3 | Ariadna | Iskhakova | Red Roos | W21 |
| 4 | Maya | Bennette | Yarra Valley (VIC) | W21 |
| 6 | Cathy | Hogg | Parawanga | W21 |
| 7 | Rohan | Hyslop | Parawanga | M50 |
| 9 | Andrew | Harmer | Red Roos | M50 |
| 12 | Kris | Kleeman | Bushflyers | M50 |
| 18 | Ken | Young | Bushflyers | M60 |
Sprint – Saturday 10 October
| Place | Name | Surname | Club | Class |
| 1 | Veronika | Iskhakova | Red Roos | W16 |
| 1 | Ann | Ingwersen | Parawanga | W80 |
| 1 | Maya | Bennette | Yarra Valley (VIC) | W21 |
| 3 | Marina | Iskhakova | Red Roos | W21 |
| 5 | Cathy | Hogg | Parawanga | W21 |
| 6 | Andrew | Harmer | Red Roos | M50 |
| 16 | Ken | Young | Bushflyers | M60 |
| MP | Ariadna | Iskhakova | Red Roos | W21 |
| MP | Kris | Kleeman | Bushflyers | M50 |
| MP | Rohan | Hyslop | Parawanga | M50 |
Long Distance – Sunday 11 October
| Place | Name | Surname | Club | Class |
| 1 | Veronika | Iskhakova | Red Roos | W16 |
| 1 | Ann | Ingwersen | Parawanga | W80 |
| 2 | Marina | Iskhakova | Red Roos | W21 |
| 3 | Maya | Bennette | Yarra Valley (VIC) | W21 |
| 4 | Cathy | Hogg | Parawanga | W21 |
| 5 | Ariadna | Iskhakova | Red Roos | W21 |
| 6 | Rohan | Hyslop | Parawanga | M50 |
| 8 | Andrew | Harmer | Red Roos | M50 |
| 11 | Kris | Kleeman | Bushflyers | M50 |
| 18 | Ken | Young | Bushflyers | M60 |
Photos by Don Cherry and Tash Thackray and MTBO Australia
ACT MTBOers Thank the VIC MTBO Team for organising a terrific championship!