David Melrose

Profiled May 2019

David Melrose has been a member of NWOC for many years. He was one of a group of orienteers including Ross Brighouse, Kevin Ireland, Rob Garden, Max Kerrison, John Rix and others who dominated the 21 grade in the 80’s. He was also a very fast track / road runner and once made a cameo appearance in the Queen Street Mile race ( then known as the Molenberg Mile) in 1983, racing as Superman - evidence can be seen here on Youtube.

David is the son of Ralph King who was a huge supporter of orienteering in NZ and of NWOC. Ralph supported a number of young promising athletes and competed in orienteering into his eighties. Ralph was a key player in terms of orienteering getting started in NZ and in making O maps.

After Ralph's death, David has generously supported NWOC, in memory of his father, with donations which we use to support travel for junior club members - to JWOC , World Orienteering Champs, Junior Camp or travel to Australia for the NZSS Trans-Tasman Challenges.

David is an inventor of bottle design and pasteurization technologies, holds over 450 patents globally and is recognised as an expert in his field.

We appreciate him taking some time to answer some questions for this profile:

Number of years orienteering?
Started around 1979

How were you introduced to orienteering?
My father (Ralph King) introduced me to orienteering when I was about 20.

Key orienteering achievements to date?
3^rd place in New Zealand M21A in 1981 behind 2 of our greatest Orienteers ever (John Rix and Ross Brighouse). This was before the elite grade became a ‘thing’.
Member of World Champs team in 1985 (Australia) and 1987 (France)
Team Management/Coaching at World Champs in USA 1993, Japan 2005, and Ukraine 2007.

Current orienteering project or goal?
A goal would be to organise a Corporate Teams event – David Melrose Design would have Tania Larsen, Shaun Collins, Gabe McAlpine (Henderson), Bronwen Allen, Campbell Melrose-Allen and me – I don’t think we could lose, even if we tried.

Favourite map and why?
“Tiger Country” near Rotorua – deep, dark, intricate, fast and spooky, need I say more.

Map you have yet to experience but aspire to orienteer on?
Great Mercury Island off the Coromandel.

Orienteering hero?
Dieter Wolf

Day job?
Inventor

Other interests?
Snow Boarding, Surfing, getting out on my boat!

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