YORK orienteer Matt Speake will be part of a rejuvenated British squad which travels to Vasteras in Sweden next month for the World Orienteering Champion-ships.

The hopes of British orienteering fans were lost in the woods last July after a dismal set of results at the European Championships, in Denmark, so it now falls to the 21-year-old Eborienteer, from Haxby, and his team-mates to retrieve them.

Speake joined the senior squad for the first time this year and has already finished fourth in the Forest of Dean World Rankings as a result of third and fifth place finishes at the UK Cup 11 and JK International respectively.

He will compete in the sprint and middle distance races at the World Championships.

That is a strategic decision he feels will give him the best overall competitive opportunities.

"I felt my best chance was in these two races," he said. "If I went for the long, I may not have had enough in the tank, if I needed it for the middle distance."

His place for the sprint was confirmed when he came in a strong second at the trials for the event.

Speake's father, Barrie, himself a former England orienteering reserve, feels his son's attitude to preparation will enable him to stand out in Sweden. He explained that Matt has been training periodically at the Hallsberg-based club OK Tisaren for the last nine months.

He said: "His accommodation and food are all provided by the club and we get a grant from Sport England."

The York-based Eborienteers are holding their annual White Rose Weekend at Dalby Forest beginning on Saturday August, 28. The races start at 10.30am and anyone wanting more information can find details via the club's website at www.eborienteers.org.uk

Updated: 11:53 Saturday, August 14, 2004