SYDNEY SANDSTONE SLOWS SPEEDSTERS AT CAMERON'S CLIFFY CAPER
A perfect evening (for a change) saw around 180 dedicated map nags on the chew at Ian Cameron's brand new area at North Wahroonga last night. And what a great new area it proved to be, with over two thirds of the points in the bush, and a very different take on recent SSS proceedings. Many competitors had not seen the likes of it, turning the A4, first one way, then back, as they tried to get a handle on that elemental fact - the top of the map is north. This was almost a map where you could produce the Silva and not be laughed at.
And as every arriving ten bucker soon discovered, this was to be a tango of the black lines. Cliffs, cliffs and more cliffs, with a fire trail network containing them - much as a girdle might contain a large soprano. To render these multiple delights in an intelligible fashion, Ian invoked the eyebrow cliff symbol much loved by O types in the 70/80's to distinguish the vertical stuff from the trails and tracks - an excellent decision that went a long way to aiding a clear read of the terrain. This is apparently an area that emergency services use for cliff rescue training (near #28), so we are dealing with some serious material - but what fantastic material. Old SSS hands were almost weepy as they felt the Volley's wobble on the uneven ground, as they peered over 'the edge', as they held the gum branch as an aid to descent, as the scramble down was soon allied to the struggle up - reminding them of earlier programmes where the bushy stuff was a much bigger Summer Series factor.
Given we have been very urban park and road focussed recently, it is interesting to cogitate on the scoring of some of our flash Harry's with many speedsters losing time in the bush as track A suddenly went in the wrong direction, and track B didn't seem to be on the map. Wazza and Gordy for instance, low fours when their fans might have expected schooners instead of middy's. Eoin only posting 430 after getting 'stuck' at 29 is also a lower tab than normal. Heiko going a six pack over as the paths around #20 had him in a fog of discombobulation - and Larry 'Rain Man' Weiss, coming in 100 over for a very modest 280 after taking the bush option (??!!) from 20 to 25. The bush....it plays with the mind.
Most of the evenings scoring was sub five, with only a brace of stallions going over by ten bob - led for most of the print out iterations by veteran Greg Barbour. Greg's 'Instant Coffee' pinged 550 potteroonies at four over the clock, to share the leaders spoils with 'The Ink Bottle' and 'The Quill Pen' (James & Mark for those unfamiliar with Pork Pies nomenclature styling). These two old tech writing types are often nudging the top table and will be happy with the quality feed leaders get on the Tuza ride home. In perhaps unsurprising late mail, 'The Glennster' looks like he has gone ten better in his full sweep, with 600 falling to the blur of yellow in 52.29. A 520 point result, and a sensational run. Glenny is a nav man of course and knows a thing or two about sandstone and gum.
While I'm on results that might be lower than expected, several ponies took to the flog in fine style and carded above their weight. How about Steve 'The Spare Tyre' Dunlop working a brand new set of radials for 400 in SVM! Excellent running from the WHO stalwart. Nick 'Off' Dent went even better in the competitive SV's with a tidy 430 to make the trip down from Terrigal worthwhile. I think Neil 'Dipper' Hawthorne might also have gone 430 in a notable result - the Dipper beating the Doc, maybe for the first time.
OK, let's get back to the event and look inside the mind of course setter and mapper Ian 'The Camshaft' Cameron.
First take on the spread gave a distinct central/western bias with only one thirty pointer ('Roy Orbison' #30) in the east. Good loops looked possible directly north from the start and then by hanging ten as you worked the left hander to proceed much like a Blitz wagon on the fire trails. To 12,1,16,27 and up the paths to 24,20, a bit of urban to 25,7,26,23 all made sense, and then a dip into green to 22, or a reverse tuck in the pike position via the road to 2 and then 21. After all this fun, you could then work home via the handy forty points offered by #11 and 18. Variations on this proved popular, with perhaps the other take being a reverse order beginning - going 18,11,22,21,23 etc. I note here many wounded returnees losing time trying to find the track below #11 - in both ascending and descending modes. Terry Bluett missed the curve on the rise and worked below the cliffs before finding a tricky clamber. Michael Burton was a descender who couldn't find the track through the cliffs either - losing time with only twenty on board. Dan Redfern another. Not good tidings early in the run.
Runners with more petrol belted east along the road via 5 and 10 to pick off 15 and 9 before rising like north shore damp to 18 and home. Thoughts of adding the two twenties hereabouts (13/19) soon faded as you understood the portent of the brown lines. The down to 19 and then up to catch the eastern sunrise via the rather friendly looking 17,8 and 30 must have been something. I'm thinking eighty five meters, and I suspect a very low gear selection.
Some great views along the way last night. The run out via 6 and 28 to 29 was simply sensational, with the sandstone cliff forms and bare rock areas of almost sculptural shaping - and the forest cover very runnable. Also good open stuff around 24. Many reported cross country routes, especially from 23 to 22, although 23 to 21 had fans (walking wiz kid, Andrew Wiz being one collecting spider webs hereabouts). Dan 'Proceed With Caution' Redfern thought he would get in on this cross country stuff with an interesting decision to rise directly from #12 to the road above!! Despite his best efforts, Danny got stuck on a cliff and had to retreat.
Looking at the course, the obvious lonely pot to me is #4 - well out of loop. Obviously Glenn added in the east (as did fellow 600 flogster Lee 'The Moustache' Coady in 69.40), so those potties got some action. Number 14 in the west was also out of loop, but did get the odd visit - Pork Pie being one of these. There were a few sites that caused problems, with some of the tracks in the 24/20 area bringing on a pause, and the pot well clear of the cliff at 26 also seeing the finger scratch the head. Strangely, Mike Burton had trouble at #15 running south and couldn't find it. Gail collected heading north, but maybe there were two junctions? Mostly though, all was in very good order, with pots and units in good reach and clearly marked.
Looking back at a few scores, I note Junior Matty Hill again flying with 490 points. The 'Door Matt' is much emboldened of late and running freely, this time going 60 over from his 550 collect. Tommy Joss also posted 490 with a great run in OM. Steve Ryan's 'Daughter' was before the camera for 480, Anthony 'Pet Sounds' Pettersen had 440 Beach Boys over for lunch and Jeremy Fowler had to make do with 420 new basins. I note Lisa Grant was there but not sure of her score. Chief rival, Gill Fowler whacked 430 and might go gold - again! Joanna Hill looked good in JW with 270, Margaret 'The Last Ball' Waugh might have pinched the LW toppie with 250 - Bryony with fluey cough and Janet Morris out for 62.18 and rather a large penalty to card 140.
Terry Bluett made the ton with 390 in LM, with John 'Angry' Anderson (350), Ronald (360) and Heiko (310) failing to threaten. Nicole & Scarlet had fun with 310, as did Tim Cox with 250. In the 'extraodinary' events department, Jan Seeho worked (the probably non clear and checked) e stick for 350, only to cop a penalty of 8490 points! Her minus 8140 might be a SSS record, and a very worthy one too. Veteran Jeremy Longworth was also a man on a mission, carding 370 but being back 400 over for another minus score. We need more of this 'navigation is fun' stuff!
So, all in all, a great night out at North Wahroonga. Fantastic to get back to some bush running, so thanks Ian and the Garingal crew. I gather there is more map to the east, so more opportunities await. We will be back!
Next week see us up at Tania Park with 'The Putter' in charge. This is another of Sydney's sensational places with great views and an excellent track network. Joel will no doubt send us down to forty baskets, or maybe along for a game of bowls. Whatever, it will be a cracker and not to be missed. Event 21 at Crater Cove. Yes maaam! I should also mention next Monday's sprint at UTS Lindfield, also not to be missed if you like a little dancing in your running.
Finally, I hear that Chris Crane (Western & Hills Orienteers) is unwell and would like to pass on best wishes from all Summer Series fans. Chris has been with us from the start and is a great supporter of the series. We hope to see your cheery face again soon Chris.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
HILL HANDLING HILLS HIGHLIGHT OF TOUGH ROUND AT COUNTRY CLUB
An outstanding run by Junior champion Mathew Hill, was one of the highlights of last night's event at Castle Cove. Young Matty blitzed many Open & Master competitors, bagging 430 points in 42.41 in equal 8th placing, and giving new meaning to the family name. "I like 'em" says 'The Mattress' of the hilly nature of the location, as reporters gathered to question this unusual confluence of name and terrain. What a run, what a time (home over two minutes early!), what a legend.
Pork Pie has a spring in the typing finger noting such excellence, which must be understood in the context of the evening's other scores - and how tough course setter Sue 'Stir Over A Low Heat' Davis had set things up. Lets have a decko at how 'The Sooze' played her cards and how the large turn out of sun starved punters (over 200 on the paddock) enjoyed the gray but thankfully rain free evening.
The Explosives Reserve map title is at once confusing and amusing. Confusing because the explosive magazine buildings (WW2 period I think) that gives the area its name are out of sight on the eastern tip of the map down on Middle Harbour, and well out of reach of last nights pot seekers; and amusing because the light hand of 'Alberto' Contour made most performances anything but explosive (another confusion between a banned cyclist and an alluring hair product is not helping here Mr Rosscoe). And contours there were, especially to the north and to the south east, giving all but those with an aversion to upsey/downsey, something to think about.
This is our second outing from Holly Street, with Sue at least not replicating the torture of Lummo's initial flog up (and up again) from the first use assembly at last night's checkpoint #8. The Holly is sort of a mid way point in the leg of mutton shaped map and provides options in all directions - including vertiginous ones on the recently evolved dirt bike course. Plonking down the 'blue' didn't result in Banjo singing however, rather a quiet pause as the head turned left, and then right (like those swiveling fair ground faces/mouths that you placed balls in to score a tiny teddie) as you took in the width of Sue's intent. Oh dear, this looks a four, maybe a high four, but certainly not a six.
The 'mutton chop' was an act in two distinct halves. North to the bottom and back west linked into a good loop with only a couple of in/out's but involved much hill work (88 meters from #8 to #16!); while the eastern alternative seemed to need more running, but perhaps not quite the climbing - it's lowest pot (#28) being 32 meters above the waterline. There was also a good collect across the relatively flat top for those on the stopping service who were content to appear on page three. This top loop didn't occupy enough of the allotted for most runners however, meaning the escalator needed to be factored. The slight distraction of the outstanding view at #30 also figured, as the thinkers froze in string twirling indecision rather like a Rodin sculpture.
So, what to do?
Many inserted the doovis, and left for a 10,15,12 descent, breathing normally - almost too normally. Sue would have something to say to these happy flogsters, as once 21,8 and 22 were booked, constant firing with best Maitland coal was then required to enable the high ground to be regained from these rapidly slowing locomotives. 14,23,9,24 seemed the order of the day here with #7 ignored as the heavy breathers pushed on to a lovely trap around the shops and school. The temptation here was to drop again into cruise and take a breather again in bagging 5 and 25, before the decision on to #17 or the pull up to 18,13 and home via the cliff. Contours again a factor, not something the infirm were happy with after their 'Lyndon Johnson' from the other side. I particularly liked this aspect of the course though as it toyed with point temptation and potential time damage.
So much for the northerners. Others, maybe hankering for a bit of bush-o, leapt at the chance to climb a cliff and ran off to #20, shirt tales flapping, hair flopping (ah, I've got lost again, that was David Arlott describing Dennis Lilley bowling at Lords!). Most then descended again to gingerly negotiate the wet patch before a public burst of speed across the oval on the way to the track up to the 30,2,1 loop - and presumably points further east. The big downhill working on east from #19 adds sobriety, although the even more committing descent to the bush track at #4 and the superb temptations to 27 and on to 28, are what the east is all about. The opposite (29,28,27,4,17) circle is delicious stuff, with my guessing the damp/wet bush track was slow, and nagged at the mind.
Both broad options needed a bit of each other for the Flash Harry's to podium. The easterners, once back up from 26,18 and 5, had good running up high and the tempting loop to 16,24,9,25 and 15 to complete their assignments, and didn't really need any more low gear engagement. The best add-on for the northern descendants looked that circuit I mentioned (around 5,26 and 18), and probably home via 13 and 20. Hard to know which delivered the better lolly, although Glenny worked a clockwise course if that is of interest (beginning 20,13,1,30,2,19...and home via 12,15,10).
Interest during the evening was aroused by some of the control descriptions, #25 "road bend, east side" (in a tree), and #6 "NE side of road" (on light pole) were ones I saw, although I note several other 'road bends'. These descriptions had older runners going all misty eyed, as they recalled the very first orienteering event held in Australia (Upper Beaconsfield in outer Melbourne) where control's (red buckets) were placed on "the side of the hill" and "in the orchard" !!! I'm also told more than one competitor came across an orienteering stand on the route from 14 to 23, and paused to recall if this was a sportident or punch event!
I mentioned earlier that I thought this looked a toughie, and we might not see a five. The early thinking looked correct when Adrian 'Two Coats' White's 430 points held the top spot till quite late in proceedings. Few seemed to be even holding fours, with lots in the two's and mid three's. Indeed 260 points was the score posted by the largest number of horses - 18 in a mix of filly's, colts and mares, making this an item of interest to Pork Pie (who obviously needs to get out more!). However, the reliable trio from GO, and other later runners, put a better slant on the outing with about half the field ultimately going 300 or above.
At the top we see the majestic Richard 'My Dad Wore Brown In The 70's' Green working 510 in 54.30, Glenn 'The Letter Haitch' 600 in 54.46 and Steve 'Nicks' Ryan's 540 in 48.22 all waving to the crowd with perfect 500's. Excellent running from these GOers. Mark Schaefer is back three with 470, but clear of Richard 'Yards' Morris (450) and an excellent flog from veteran Greg 'Mombassa' Barbour - painting the same score. Patrik is alone on 440, James McQuillan joins 'The Paint Tube' on 430, and so on, and so forth via 'The Joss Stick' and first woman home, Gill 'Fawlty Towers' Fowler, with 420's to MW champ Mary 'Iron Ore' Fein ten back after being boxed in on the turn.
With the scores all being instantly posted last night, there is not much point doing too much here, other than to pick up the odd highlight. I've mentioned Matty Hill great run in JM, but should also note Michele Dawson working the Bell Jetranger in JW to 330 points, but suprisingly home in 40.29. No sign of Rachel last night. Dr Wazza used a special dental feature to allow extra air into the motor in winning SVM with 390, with Eoin calling in sick and Gordy twenty off after working the bruises rather too vigerously.
In the Legends Men, newcomer Andrew 'The Contract Is Out' Newsome, piled on an amazing 350 to head the walking frames. Andy is running like a much younger stallion, and was well clear of good runs from Terry Bluett (320) and 'The Trouser' on 310. Jimmy must have been distracted studying the Billabong share price and only pencilled 290, to cede ten to rivals Tim 'Now Available In Dark Chocolate' Cox and Uncle Ronald in what is close to an 'upset'!! Excellent competitive behavior amongst this group of deep wallets and strangely emergent bodily lumps.
'I'm Not Taking The' Chris Brown looks to have held ten over Wiz in the walking blokes (270/260), with Dale Thommo a similar margin over WAW rival Michelle 'The Policeman' Povah (240/230). Dale was working the elbows in a sort of flapping style, reminiscent of man's early attempts to fly, although with a better outcome. 'Haul On The' Pauline Evans and Helen Murphy look to have carded equal 100's in SVW with good runs in the Peequad. No sign of Carol this week it seems - below decks in the big sea. Also no sighting of Michael Burton. Mike did manage the Monday sprint, but might have seen a recurrence of the back problem from his fall at The Pottery. Hope this is not the case though.
Good to see Sue 'Behind The' Froude up from Cronulla running SVW with a 210 (but not by 297) for her troubles. Ian piled on a tidy 340 in SVM to remind The Sooze he's still got it. Another Illawarra orienteer noted is Sharon 'Mint Sauce' Lambert in VW - posting an excellent 330, complete with peas and mash, and in second place behind 'Chicago'. 'In' Bev Johnson worked a very neat 110 bottles of Hoogaarden in eleven over for a perfect zero, with the "Silver Foxes' nearly stealing Bev's thunder with plus twenty. Plenty of competition at this pointy end, with Kathryn Cox working an apparently broken scull for minus 310! Can this be right KC???
So folks, loads of interest up and down the scoring sheet, as we swallow event 19 and pay due homage to setter Sue (standing in for Davy 'Gravy' Gatwood) and the Big Foot crew. Thanks for another cracker, as we look forward to our next race. This will see the Tuza and Kara Kar's moving further up the Shore to a new map at North Wahroonga. Ian 'I'm Not From' Cameron's Corner has been treading the sand dunes ad spinifex, working the coloured pencils and pooter, and has been known to put up a biggie. This new area promises a touch of fire trail and maybe even a dalliance with the odd gum, in addition to a bit of real estate gawking. I like the sound of the assembly area (Cliff Reserve), maybe this is a hint. Be there.
An outstanding run by Junior champion Mathew Hill, was one of the highlights of last night's event at Castle Cove. Young Matty blitzed many Open & Master competitors, bagging 430 points in 42.41 in equal 8th placing, and giving new meaning to the family name. "I like 'em" says 'The Mattress' of the hilly nature of the location, as reporters gathered to question this unusual confluence of name and terrain. What a run, what a time (home over two minutes early!), what a legend.
Pork Pie has a spring in the typing finger noting such excellence, which must be understood in the context of the evening's other scores - and how tough course setter Sue 'Stir Over A Low Heat' Davis had set things up. Lets have a decko at how 'The Sooze' played her cards and how the large turn out of sun starved punters (over 200 on the paddock) enjoyed the gray but thankfully rain free evening.
The Explosives Reserve map title is at once confusing and amusing. Confusing because the explosive magazine buildings (WW2 period I think) that gives the area its name are out of sight on the eastern tip of the map down on Middle Harbour, and well out of reach of last nights pot seekers; and amusing because the light hand of 'Alberto' Contour made most performances anything but explosive (another confusion between a banned cyclist and an alluring hair product is not helping here Mr Rosscoe). And contours there were, especially to the north and to the south east, giving all but those with an aversion to upsey/downsey, something to think about.
This is our second outing from Holly Street, with Sue at least not replicating the torture of Lummo's initial flog up (and up again) from the first use assembly at last night's checkpoint #8. The Holly is sort of a mid way point in the leg of mutton shaped map and provides options in all directions - including vertiginous ones on the recently evolved dirt bike course. Plonking down the 'blue' didn't result in Banjo singing however, rather a quiet pause as the head turned left, and then right (like those swiveling fair ground faces/mouths that you placed balls in to score a tiny teddie) as you took in the width of Sue's intent. Oh dear, this looks a four, maybe a high four, but certainly not a six.
The 'mutton chop' was an act in two distinct halves. North to the bottom and back west linked into a good loop with only a couple of in/out's but involved much hill work (88 meters from #8 to #16!); while the eastern alternative seemed to need more running, but perhaps not quite the climbing - it's lowest pot (#28) being 32 meters above the waterline. There was also a good collect across the relatively flat top for those on the stopping service who were content to appear on page three. This top loop didn't occupy enough of the allotted for most runners however, meaning the escalator needed to be factored. The slight distraction of the outstanding view at #30 also figured, as the thinkers froze in string twirling indecision rather like a Rodin sculpture.
So, what to do?
Many inserted the doovis, and left for a 10,15,12 descent, breathing normally - almost too normally. Sue would have something to say to these happy flogsters, as once 21,8 and 22 were booked, constant firing with best Maitland coal was then required to enable the high ground to be regained from these rapidly slowing locomotives. 14,23,9,24 seemed the order of the day here with #7 ignored as the heavy breathers pushed on to a lovely trap around the shops and school. The temptation here was to drop again into cruise and take a breather again in bagging 5 and 25, before the decision on to #17 or the pull up to 18,13 and home via the cliff. Contours again a factor, not something the infirm were happy with after their 'Lyndon Johnson' from the other side. I particularly liked this aspect of the course though as it toyed with point temptation and potential time damage.
So much for the northerners. Others, maybe hankering for a bit of bush-o, leapt at the chance to climb a cliff and ran off to #20, shirt tales flapping, hair flopping (ah, I've got lost again, that was David Arlott describing Dennis Lilley bowling at Lords!). Most then descended again to gingerly negotiate the wet patch before a public burst of speed across the oval on the way to the track up to the 30,2,1 loop - and presumably points further east. The big downhill working on east from #19 adds sobriety, although the even more committing descent to the bush track at #4 and the superb temptations to 27 and on to 28, are what the east is all about. The opposite (29,28,27,4,17) circle is delicious stuff, with my guessing the damp/wet bush track was slow, and nagged at the mind.
Both broad options needed a bit of each other for the Flash Harry's to podium. The easterners, once back up from 26,18 and 5, had good running up high and the tempting loop to 16,24,9,25 and 15 to complete their assignments, and didn't really need any more low gear engagement. The best add-on for the northern descendants looked that circuit I mentioned (around 5,26 and 18), and probably home via 13 and 20. Hard to know which delivered the better lolly, although Glenny worked a clockwise course if that is of interest (beginning 20,13,1,30,2,19...and home via 12,15,10).
Interest during the evening was aroused by some of the control descriptions, #25 "road bend, east side" (in a tree), and #6 "NE side of road" (on light pole) were ones I saw, although I note several other 'road bends'. These descriptions had older runners going all misty eyed, as they recalled the very first orienteering event held in Australia (Upper Beaconsfield in outer Melbourne) where control's (red buckets) were placed on "the side of the hill" and "in the orchard" !!! I'm also told more than one competitor came across an orienteering stand on the route from 14 to 23, and paused to recall if this was a sportident or punch event!
I mentioned earlier that I thought this looked a toughie, and we might not see a five. The early thinking looked correct when Adrian 'Two Coats' White's 430 points held the top spot till quite late in proceedings. Few seemed to be even holding fours, with lots in the two's and mid three's. Indeed 260 points was the score posted by the largest number of horses - 18 in a mix of filly's, colts and mares, making this an item of interest to Pork Pie (who obviously needs to get out more!). However, the reliable trio from GO, and other later runners, put a better slant on the outing with about half the field ultimately going 300 or above.
At the top we see the majestic Richard 'My Dad Wore Brown In The 70's' Green working 510 in 54.30, Glenn 'The Letter Haitch' 600 in 54.46 and Steve 'Nicks' Ryan's 540 in 48.22 all waving to the crowd with perfect 500's. Excellent running from these GOers. Mark Schaefer is back three with 470, but clear of Richard 'Yards' Morris (450) and an excellent flog from veteran Greg 'Mombassa' Barbour - painting the same score. Patrik is alone on 440, James McQuillan joins 'The Paint Tube' on 430, and so on, and so forth via 'The Joss Stick' and first woman home, Gill 'Fawlty Towers' Fowler, with 420's to MW champ Mary 'Iron Ore' Fein ten back after being boxed in on the turn.
With the scores all being instantly posted last night, there is not much point doing too much here, other than to pick up the odd highlight. I've mentioned Matty Hill great run in JM, but should also note Michele Dawson working the Bell Jetranger in JW to 330 points, but suprisingly home in 40.29. No sign of Rachel last night. Dr Wazza used a special dental feature to allow extra air into the motor in winning SVM with 390, with Eoin calling in sick and Gordy twenty off after working the bruises rather too vigerously.
In the Legends Men, newcomer Andrew 'The Contract Is Out' Newsome, piled on an amazing 350 to head the walking frames. Andy is running like a much younger stallion, and was well clear of good runs from Terry Bluett (320) and 'The Trouser' on 310. Jimmy must have been distracted studying the Billabong share price and only pencilled 290, to cede ten to rivals Tim 'Now Available In Dark Chocolate' Cox and Uncle Ronald in what is close to an 'upset'!! Excellent competitive behavior amongst this group of deep wallets and strangely emergent bodily lumps.
'I'm Not Taking The' Chris Brown looks to have held ten over Wiz in the walking blokes (270/260), with Dale Thommo a similar margin over WAW rival Michelle 'The Policeman' Povah (240/230). Dale was working the elbows in a sort of flapping style, reminiscent of man's early attempts to fly, although with a better outcome. 'Haul On The' Pauline Evans and Helen Murphy look to have carded equal 100's in SVW with good runs in the Peequad. No sign of Carol this week it seems - below decks in the big sea. Also no sighting of Michael Burton. Mike did manage the Monday sprint, but might have seen a recurrence of the back problem from his fall at The Pottery. Hope this is not the case though.
Good to see Sue 'Behind The' Froude up from Cronulla running SVW with a 210 (but not by 297) for her troubles. Ian piled on a tidy 340 in SVM to remind The Sooze he's still got it. Another Illawarra orienteer noted is Sharon 'Mint Sauce' Lambert in VW - posting an excellent 330, complete with peas and mash, and in second place behind 'Chicago'. 'In' Bev Johnson worked a very neat 110 bottles of Hoogaarden in eleven over for a perfect zero, with the "Silver Foxes' nearly stealing Bev's thunder with plus twenty. Plenty of competition at this pointy end, with Kathryn Cox working an apparently broken scull for minus 310! Can this be right KC???
So folks, loads of interest up and down the scoring sheet, as we swallow event 19 and pay due homage to setter Sue (standing in for Davy 'Gravy' Gatwood) and the Big Foot crew. Thanks for another cracker, as we look forward to our next race. This will see the Tuza and Kara Kar's moving further up the Shore to a new map at North Wahroonga. Ian 'I'm Not From' Cameron's Corner has been treading the sand dunes ad spinifex, working the coloured pencils and pooter, and has been known to put up a biggie. This new area promises a touch of fire trail and maybe even a dalliance with the odd gum, in addition to a bit of real estate gawking. I like the sound of the assembly area (Cliff Reserve), maybe this is a hint. Be there.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
NOTHING PRIVATE ABOUT GORDY
In case my 'remote' event report below implied that Gordon 'The Blue Engine' Wilson piloted the pacific class loco into an out-of-bounds area last Wednesday, let me correct the record and state that Gordy never went into any private property to receive his fence wire 'kiss' to the thighs. Sorry GW for my incorrect take on this aspect - Porkies faithful 2B must need sharpening.
I did hear that an area that looked open was actually private land and came with an owner directing traffic. Sounds like many were caught there, but not sure of time/score implications.
Another grey day looms for event 19, but at least not raining at the moment. Perhaps a brolly with your joggers?
In case my 'remote' event report below implied that Gordon 'The Blue Engine' Wilson piloted the pacific class loco into an out-of-bounds area last Wednesday, let me correct the record and state that Gordy never went into any private property to receive his fence wire 'kiss' to the thighs. Sorry GW for my incorrect take on this aspect - Porkies faithful 2B must need sharpening.
I did hear that an area that looked open was actually private land and came with an owner directing traffic. Sounds like many were caught there, but not sure of time/score implications.
Another grey day looms for event 19, but at least not raining at the moment. Perhaps a brolly with your joggers?
Sunday, February 5, 2012
UP & DOWN IN DAMP CONDITIONS AS GORDY KISSES FENCE AT FOX
Your remote and tardy correspondent is back to briefly report (via the SSS spy network) another damp and slippery Sydney Summer Series event - this time Alan 'The Hangman' Tilley's Gordon Gecko Gourmet Gasper. Looks like around 180 hardy souls gathered at the new start venue, and agreed in nervous chatter over the pre race Bonox that it was a probably a better one than previously. Where in 2011 we began high (Alan is an old Haight Asbury man after all) and descended (on ropes and pulleys) before the ambulance ride return, this time Mr & Mrs Contour played with the mind - sending you first up, then down, then up, then down again...get the picture.
Despite the hilly nature of things, some good loops beckoned with only a fearsome (or rather, fearless) flog in the north to make the fancy colts earn them a rewarding nose tickle from Lady Potter in gloved hand. I liked how young Al posed a fifty on bush tracks to the east. A sort of starting loop for the unwary perhaps, where the 3,23,10 circle looked close, but time might have ticked, much as a bomb, if the tracks were slow. Anyway, depending on this potential start sequence, you looked likely to then add a decent western circuit that suited those that like a little highway flash, and those that like a leech. Going 12,11,7,9,1,18,4,17, highway, with map waving to passing motorists as mandatory,21,15,13,14 (forget 5),24,19,27,8,6 and home for a hot toddy. Quite a bit of the Mozart 'Uppity Downity' Sonata, but a reasonable loop if the wheelchair has a slight right hand bias.
On the above loop, checkpoint 28 is the decision point - with more ambitious flogsters needing to check the level of single malt in the hip flask before engaging overdrive in tackling this northern add-on. Things suddenly look steeper. Up and down to 16, up to 29 etc, etc. Just as well the contours are nice clear lines painted on the ground so you can tick them off as you stagger past. Unless you could bear the ignominy of returning from 16/29 back to 28, you were committed as far as I can tell. The nightmare had begun!
Anyway, looks like we had some good scoring with two sweepers taking a fifty over in clearing the table. Steve 'Davis' Ryan managing to sink the final black four seconds (!!) in front of the Horrocks Express - 49.41 to 49.45. Pretty close stuff, and very exciting racing for these two Garingal stallions. I heard of the early excitement in the Veterans enclosure that Mike Burton was a no-show (last weeks injury?) and several ponies toyed with their silks, and almost felt the touch of the podium - only to see Greg 'Sweeny Todd' Barbour fly home with a 530 and claim from 'Oh' Brad with 500. It's just not fair!
Michele looks to have another win over Rachel, and Eoin has once again 'done the doc' in SVM. Local junior Matty Hill pulled 520 to Luke's 440 in the colts - and Natalie 'King Kong' Fey scored 1,660!!! I believe this interesting score is because The Nat forgot to punch at the start, but I like her style and am now resolved to go 'no-punch' myself at the next outing. Pork Pie like to think big. Beware of the wounded pig. Speaking of wounds, I understand that Gordon 'The Blue Engine' Wilson missed his footing in a private property area and tangled with the wire - drawing the royal result and earning a rebuke from the fat controller. Hope it wasn't too serious Gords.
So, amazingly, yet another less than summery day behind us in what is shaping as the dampest series ever. Let's hope the Big Feet tribe can consult the weather man and turn on a stinker at Castle Cove. This, as you might have guessed, is our next event. Number 19 no less, and another area that has known the kiss of the contour. Listed torturer David Gatwood is on assignment, and The Feet will be thrusting forward another from their bosom to set. Could it be The Royal once again? Turn up in tights to find out, as we race towards the pointy end of another great balmy season on the nibble and enjoy a superb evening at The Castle.
Your remote and tardy correspondent is back to briefly report (via the SSS spy network) another damp and slippery Sydney Summer Series event - this time Alan 'The Hangman' Tilley's Gordon Gecko Gourmet Gasper. Looks like around 180 hardy souls gathered at the new start venue, and agreed in nervous chatter over the pre race Bonox that it was a probably a better one than previously. Where in 2011 we began high (Alan is an old Haight Asbury man after all) and descended (on ropes and pulleys) before the ambulance ride return, this time Mr & Mrs Contour played with the mind - sending you first up, then down, then up, then down again...get the picture.
Despite the hilly nature of things, some good loops beckoned with only a fearsome (or rather, fearless) flog in the north to make the fancy colts earn them a rewarding nose tickle from Lady Potter in gloved hand. I liked how young Al posed a fifty on bush tracks to the east. A sort of starting loop for the unwary perhaps, where the 3,23,10 circle looked close, but time might have ticked, much as a bomb, if the tracks were slow. Anyway, depending on this potential start sequence, you looked likely to then add a decent western circuit that suited those that like a little highway flash, and those that like a leech. Going 12,11,7,9,1,18,4,17, highway, with map waving to passing motorists as mandatory,21,15,13,14 (forget 5),24,19,27,8,6 and home for a hot toddy. Quite a bit of the Mozart 'Uppity Downity' Sonata, but a reasonable loop if the wheelchair has a slight right hand bias.
On the above loop, checkpoint 28 is the decision point - with more ambitious flogsters needing to check the level of single malt in the hip flask before engaging overdrive in tackling this northern add-on. Things suddenly look steeper. Up and down to 16, up to 29 etc, etc. Just as well the contours are nice clear lines painted on the ground so you can tick them off as you stagger past. Unless you could bear the ignominy of returning from 16/29 back to 28, you were committed as far as I can tell. The nightmare had begun!
Anyway, looks like we had some good scoring with two sweepers taking a fifty over in clearing the table. Steve 'Davis' Ryan managing to sink the final black four seconds (!!) in front of the Horrocks Express - 49.41 to 49.45. Pretty close stuff, and very exciting racing for these two Garingal stallions. I heard of the early excitement in the Veterans enclosure that Mike Burton was a no-show (last weeks injury?) and several ponies toyed with their silks, and almost felt the touch of the podium - only to see Greg 'Sweeny Todd' Barbour fly home with a 530 and claim from 'Oh' Brad with 500. It's just not fair!
Michele looks to have another win over Rachel, and Eoin has once again 'done the doc' in SVM. Local junior Matty Hill pulled 520 to Luke's 440 in the colts - and Natalie 'King Kong' Fey scored 1,660!!! I believe this interesting score is because The Nat forgot to punch at the start, but I like her style and am now resolved to go 'no-punch' myself at the next outing. Pork Pie like to think big. Beware of the wounded pig. Speaking of wounds, I understand that Gordon 'The Blue Engine' Wilson missed his footing in a private property area and tangled with the wire - drawing the royal result and earning a rebuke from the fat controller. Hope it wasn't too serious Gords.
So, amazingly, yet another less than summery day behind us in what is shaping as the dampest series ever. Let's hope the Big Feet tribe can consult the weather man and turn on a stinker at Castle Cove. This, as you might have guessed, is our next event. Number 19 no less, and another area that has known the kiss of the contour. Listed torturer David Gatwood is on assignment, and The Feet will be thrusting forward another from their bosom to set. Could it be The Royal once again? Turn up in tights to find out, as we race towards the pointy end of another great balmy season on the nibble and enjoy a superb evening at The Castle.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
DELUGE CREATES SLIPPERY CLAY AT POTTERY
Summer? Summer? No sign of it yesterday as once again Sydney Summer Series fans packed the cossie and water wings to do battle with the flooding north coast river system - somehow transported to the streets and parks of Lane Cove. Wet for most of the day, there was the odd lull in the downpours to temp runners from the Tuza, before more unrestricted shower rose behavior from above caught them once again in a state we seem to be getting used to - completely soaked!
So a very wet one at the Green, and a slippery greasy one. We have had some of our biggest roll ups here, and all prior have been fine weather to my recollection, so I guess it is the roll of the dice. But rain? More like a flood for most of the arvo. Thank goodness for the canopy that the Bennelong crew made good use of, although the start tent down on the oval made for a lonely sight at times as Barry 'The Fireman' Cole patrolled the clear and check - and probably wishing he was in the cab throwing on a P Class fire with best Maitland instead.
Darren 'The Rabbit' Slattery was our setter and early arrivals were keen to see the BNO youngster's take on this old favourite. Would he pull something special out of the hat? Would he send us down a few holes? Would this be a flog to the bottom of the golf course for a quiet one at the 19th? Could we bank on a bit of Hi Fi retail at Len Wallis perhaps? Well, all of the above actually, including that special delight of a wet day hereabouts, getting sprayed by cars passing on the Pacific Highway inner lane on the way to checkpoint 19.
The high standard of graphic presentation established here by Michael 'A Space Odessy' Halmy (coloured clue sheets) was taken another step by The Slatts, with branded and colour co-ordinated clues/maps. I gather there is a printer in the family close by, hence the notice to which we have now been put. A good looking map, but what of the deployment of weaponry? First take reveals a tidy 70 in the western shops, the usual run along the Pacific, a high concentration in the creek line and in the golf course environs - with a couple of blank areas connecting the inner 200 points to plump fruits further south to annoy the walkers. There were also four stretch pots; 7 and 14 in the south west, and 12 and 25 in the south east. The former worked in with the golfers loop, but the southern fifty needed legs, and some of Ron's beans on board, to be successfully beeped in time. There were a couple of mandatory old favourites - #10 on the high fence (I think this has been on every PG course), #1 in the alley (ditto) and #21 up in the small park. I think #14 has copped a stare from passing motorists previously - in fact Pork Pie can remember carding a thirty here a couple of years back. Dazza (the meanie) only providing four & twenty blackbirds on this occasion.
It looked a big stretch in the dry, but the wet added another dimension altogether. I'm calling this the musical dimension, with Simon & Garfunkel "Slip Sliding Away' and James Taylor's "Mud Slide Slim" tracks coming to mind. I'd guess the wet robbed at least 20/30 from our stars, which even then would have only seen low fives. A mid at the outside. As it proved for the second week in a row, Glenn Horrocks ran the lot for another win. His excellent 510 total a tenner clear of King Richard and 'The Ink' who looked to be taking the lollies until the Yellow light appeared late in the evening.
Looking again at the course, the Pork Chop is bound to report a couple of difficult ones that had runners working up a bit of steam. Firstly, the western shoppers that ran the trolley down to the 'fence' at #11 couldn't find it - especially given the circle centre opposite the small stairs. It turns out to be further west and round the back, but we got it eventually. Number 9 was also fun, actually being 'in' the thicket (as described) and not on an edge as most assumed. I also gather there were murmurings about 16 and 26 with the latter perhaps a victim of the rain in causing some dangerous creek crossing work to secure it (Wendy up to her chin - and taking on/in water!). Slipping down banks, up to your neck in the creek, getting to #26/17 with five to go. Ah, the magic of the Sydney Summer (!) Series.
A tidy 220 walking involved out to 8 and the western 70 points, up the road to 21 and then 20, 19 before back to 2,13,22,1 and reaching across the large pond to #10 and a slosh home. Runners wanting to add to this needed to continue south from 19 or to play the five iron to 5,30 and the cunning stuff to 4/27 (home via 14?) or slide down from three tens to 15 and maybe 29 and a touch of bush. 16 also seemed to involve a bit of sliding, Ken 'Done' Jacobson using the rear of his trousers to good effect here in what turned out to be a muted oil in earthy tones. A buyer is still to be found for this interesting canvas.
Glenny worked 9,28,11,8,10,22,13 before golf,4,7,14,27,15,29, an up down movement in the creek to exit at 17, coast in a medium gear to 25, before a high road return along the highway, finishing 21,1. Pot #3 looks the nuisance here, and may have gone lonely for those that like a touch of eucalypt with their golf - but not too much. 25 and 12 probably didn't figure in too many download print outs, although running the road to these babies often appeals on wet nappy days to those who are slowed in the bush tracks - especially as the gloom gathers as it must have for last night's late starters.
Numbers were down, perhaps understandably given the conditions, to 118 entries with only two groups fronting - probably our lowest group turn out. Another interesting feature of the evening were the late back times, some 'overs' being well past their normal bed times. Try David 'They Came By Water' Stitt back twenty two minutes late, Lee Coady (no doubt struggling in his wet jeans) doing a Glenn but 29 minutes over for 310, OW stayer Freya Hewitt collecting sixty but taking various weather readings for 30 minutes over to card a superb minus 240! - and Hugh & Lou working the Si card for a tidy 230 - but thirty one late for minus eighty, and an appointment with the principal. The 'sorry I missed the train darling's' (we know you were in the pub) continue to fascinate. Ernest was wide 13 minutes, Ross 'The Typographer' Emslie set up a beautiful 430 in Times Bold, only to be pinged 200 by Terry and his machine, and Johhny 'O'Keefe' Buhlman had the frogs shouting as he lingered in the creek for his 160 penalty.
Continuing the theme, I note 'The Freight Train' and 'LBW' falling across their stumps in MM with minus 70's, and a gaggle of mares and filly's (Rachel 'The Home Unit' Merton, Rochelle 'The Chocolates' Cox and Linda 'Not Steig' Larsen) taking a fourteen penalty. Up on the 'pode' at the other end we see excellent and timely work from 'The Oyster' (470), Adrian 'Dead Finger' White and Mark Schaefer (460's) and 'The Wrist Plate' (Steve Ryan, who still loves his bike) with 450. Young Duncan piled it on for 320 and a win in the JM's (and taking somewhat dangerous neck high water torture work at 26 as part of his boys own adventure) from Miles Patterson's 310 and Aidan on a modest 230. The junior women were well led to the weight check by a great run from Michele Dawson (300), well clear of leading junior Rachel Noble, back on the scene after rescuing the French economy, but jet lagged last night. Jim 'Jams' Merchant had the stripy flannels with loose tie cord well deployed in going big in the Legends (350), as Heiko dropped a shot, Ronald being worried too much about his zuccini's to focus, and 'The Trouser' not fronting.
Gill carded 420 in a fine display of OW wet weather racing, well clear of Lisa Grant's 350. Eoin raced clear of 'The Rear End' after Wazza had a fall in the creek at 26, finishing with his cylinders knocking and needing a premium unleaded top up (which The Longueville duly delivered). I heard Michael Burton had a fall and hurt his back, which is not a good thing to report. Hope 'The MB Tin' is ok. 26 again?? Finally, the Crackling Chomper can report a nice rails run from James 'Suzy Wong' Lithgow - working the skirt for 360 in SVM and denying reports that he is William Holden re-incarnated. And great to see Don Burnett out on the paddock (first time this year?) with a 140 initial offering to the scoring gods. The Don has been one of our great supporters since SSS inception and it was excellent to catch up. In the rain!!
Scores are already on the SSS web site, so you can all dig deeper there, as the Sussex Street Surgeon settles back with the programme - and shapes a few words of 'come-on' for our next event. No. 18 no less, and back up the Shore in the red rattlers to Gordon and a touch of the bat dropping. This is a reprise of the Flying Fox event last season (hills anyone?), but starting on the east side at Darnley Oval - and according to setter Alan 'The Tilley Lamp', giving an entirely different take on thingamejiggamies. You wouldn't want to miss this so pop a little reminder under the tongue - and breathe normally.
Correspondent Porkie has been a serial disappointment this season with several no shows, or hopeless displays of walking wounded-ism, and is once again (!) off to NZ and will miss big Al's run. Not sure if I will be able to post, although various spies may well be found in forward mode after the event. If nothing, just re-read the old 140 odd messages in the strangely titled 'News' section. Hopefully there is a giggle in there somewhere. And where are our commenters? Fly on the Wall? We need you.
Monday Sprint is a corker at Callan Park. Another must event. Cheers.
Summer? Summer? No sign of it yesterday as once again Sydney Summer Series fans packed the cossie and water wings to do battle with the flooding north coast river system - somehow transported to the streets and parks of Lane Cove. Wet for most of the day, there was the odd lull in the downpours to temp runners from the Tuza, before more unrestricted shower rose behavior from above caught them once again in a state we seem to be getting used to - completely soaked!
So a very wet one at the Green, and a slippery greasy one. We have had some of our biggest roll ups here, and all prior have been fine weather to my recollection, so I guess it is the roll of the dice. But rain? More like a flood for most of the arvo. Thank goodness for the canopy that the Bennelong crew made good use of, although the start tent down on the oval made for a lonely sight at times as Barry 'The Fireman' Cole patrolled the clear and check - and probably wishing he was in the cab throwing on a P Class fire with best Maitland instead.
Darren 'The Rabbit' Slattery was our setter and early arrivals were keen to see the BNO youngster's take on this old favourite. Would he pull something special out of the hat? Would he send us down a few holes? Would this be a flog to the bottom of the golf course for a quiet one at the 19th? Could we bank on a bit of Hi Fi retail at Len Wallis perhaps? Well, all of the above actually, including that special delight of a wet day hereabouts, getting sprayed by cars passing on the Pacific Highway inner lane on the way to checkpoint 19.
The high standard of graphic presentation established here by Michael 'A Space Odessy' Halmy (coloured clue sheets) was taken another step by The Slatts, with branded and colour co-ordinated clues/maps. I gather there is a printer in the family close by, hence the notice to which we have now been put. A good looking map, but what of the deployment of weaponry? First take reveals a tidy 70 in the western shops, the usual run along the Pacific, a high concentration in the creek line and in the golf course environs - with a couple of blank areas connecting the inner 200 points to plump fruits further south to annoy the walkers. There were also four stretch pots; 7 and 14 in the south west, and 12 and 25 in the south east. The former worked in with the golfers loop, but the southern fifty needed legs, and some of Ron's beans on board, to be successfully beeped in time. There were a couple of mandatory old favourites - #10 on the high fence (I think this has been on every PG course), #1 in the alley (ditto) and #21 up in the small park. I think #14 has copped a stare from passing motorists previously - in fact Pork Pie can remember carding a thirty here a couple of years back. Dazza (the meanie) only providing four & twenty blackbirds on this occasion.
It looked a big stretch in the dry, but the wet added another dimension altogether. I'm calling this the musical dimension, with Simon & Garfunkel "Slip Sliding Away' and James Taylor's "Mud Slide Slim" tracks coming to mind. I'd guess the wet robbed at least 20/30 from our stars, which even then would have only seen low fives. A mid at the outside. As it proved for the second week in a row, Glenn Horrocks ran the lot for another win. His excellent 510 total a tenner clear of King Richard and 'The Ink' who looked to be taking the lollies until the Yellow light appeared late in the evening.
Looking again at the course, the Pork Chop is bound to report a couple of difficult ones that had runners working up a bit of steam. Firstly, the western shoppers that ran the trolley down to the 'fence' at #11 couldn't find it - especially given the circle centre opposite the small stairs. It turns out to be further west and round the back, but we got it eventually. Number 9 was also fun, actually being 'in' the thicket (as described) and not on an edge as most assumed. I also gather there were murmurings about 16 and 26 with the latter perhaps a victim of the rain in causing some dangerous creek crossing work to secure it (Wendy up to her chin - and taking on/in water!). Slipping down banks, up to your neck in the creek, getting to #26/17 with five to go. Ah, the magic of the Sydney Summer (!) Series.
A tidy 220 walking involved out to 8 and the western 70 points, up the road to 21 and then 20, 19 before back to 2,13,22,1 and reaching across the large pond to #10 and a slosh home. Runners wanting to add to this needed to continue south from 19 or to play the five iron to 5,30 and the cunning stuff to 4/27 (home via 14?) or slide down from three tens to 15 and maybe 29 and a touch of bush. 16 also seemed to involve a bit of sliding, Ken 'Done' Jacobson using the rear of his trousers to good effect here in what turned out to be a muted oil in earthy tones. A buyer is still to be found for this interesting canvas.
Glenny worked 9,28,11,8,10,22,13 before golf,4,7,14,27,15,29, an up down movement in the creek to exit at 17, coast in a medium gear to 25, before a high road return along the highway, finishing 21,1. Pot #3 looks the nuisance here, and may have gone lonely for those that like a touch of eucalypt with their golf - but not too much. 25 and 12 probably didn't figure in too many download print outs, although running the road to these babies often appeals on wet nappy days to those who are slowed in the bush tracks - especially as the gloom gathers as it must have for last night's late starters.
Numbers were down, perhaps understandably given the conditions, to 118 entries with only two groups fronting - probably our lowest group turn out. Another interesting feature of the evening were the late back times, some 'overs' being well past their normal bed times. Try David 'They Came By Water' Stitt back twenty two minutes late, Lee Coady (no doubt struggling in his wet jeans) doing a Glenn but 29 minutes over for 310, OW stayer Freya Hewitt collecting sixty but taking various weather readings for 30 minutes over to card a superb minus 240! - and Hugh & Lou working the Si card for a tidy 230 - but thirty one late for minus eighty, and an appointment with the principal. The 'sorry I missed the train darling's' (we know you were in the pub) continue to fascinate. Ernest was wide 13 minutes, Ross 'The Typographer' Emslie set up a beautiful 430 in Times Bold, only to be pinged 200 by Terry and his machine, and Johhny 'O'Keefe' Buhlman had the frogs shouting as he lingered in the creek for his 160 penalty.
Continuing the theme, I note 'The Freight Train' and 'LBW' falling across their stumps in MM with minus 70's, and a gaggle of mares and filly's (Rachel 'The Home Unit' Merton, Rochelle 'The Chocolates' Cox and Linda 'Not Steig' Larsen) taking a fourteen penalty. Up on the 'pode' at the other end we see excellent and timely work from 'The Oyster' (470), Adrian 'Dead Finger' White and Mark Schaefer (460's) and 'The Wrist Plate' (Steve Ryan, who still loves his bike) with 450. Young Duncan piled it on for 320 and a win in the JM's (and taking somewhat dangerous neck high water torture work at 26 as part of his boys own adventure) from Miles Patterson's 310 and Aidan on a modest 230. The junior women were well led to the weight check by a great run from Michele Dawson (300), well clear of leading junior Rachel Noble, back on the scene after rescuing the French economy, but jet lagged last night. Jim 'Jams' Merchant had the stripy flannels with loose tie cord well deployed in going big in the Legends (350), as Heiko dropped a shot, Ronald being worried too much about his zuccini's to focus, and 'The Trouser' not fronting.
Gill carded 420 in a fine display of OW wet weather racing, well clear of Lisa Grant's 350. Eoin raced clear of 'The Rear End' after Wazza had a fall in the creek at 26, finishing with his cylinders knocking and needing a premium unleaded top up (which The Longueville duly delivered). I heard Michael Burton had a fall and hurt his back, which is not a good thing to report. Hope 'The MB Tin' is ok. 26 again?? Finally, the Crackling Chomper can report a nice rails run from James 'Suzy Wong' Lithgow - working the skirt for 360 in SVM and denying reports that he is William Holden re-incarnated. And great to see Don Burnett out on the paddock (first time this year?) with a 140 initial offering to the scoring gods. The Don has been one of our great supporters since SSS inception and it was excellent to catch up. In the rain!!
Scores are already on the SSS web site, so you can all dig deeper there, as the Sussex Street Surgeon settles back with the programme - and shapes a few words of 'come-on' for our next event. No. 18 no less, and back up the Shore in the red rattlers to Gordon and a touch of the bat dropping. This is a reprise of the Flying Fox event last season (hills anyone?), but starting on the east side at Darnley Oval - and according to setter Alan 'The Tilley Lamp', giving an entirely different take on thingamejiggamies. You wouldn't want to miss this so pop a little reminder under the tongue - and breathe normally.
Correspondent Porkie has been a serial disappointment this season with several no shows, or hopeless displays of walking wounded-ism, and is once again (!) off to NZ and will miss big Al's run. Not sure if I will be able to post, although various spies may well be found in forward mode after the event. If nothing, just re-read the old 140 odd messages in the strangely titled 'News' section. Hopefully there is a giggle in there somewhere. And where are our commenters? Fly on the Wall? We need you.
Monday Sprint is a corker at Callan Park. Another must event. Cheers.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
LOOKING GOOD AT LOOKING GLASS - THE 'GLENNSTER' SWEEPS CLEAR AS OPEN STARS GO DOCTOR DOCTOR
On a warm sunny evening, over 250 Summer Series tragics fronted the Banjo. Many were clutching pages of rhyming verse, others with dog eared drafts of intending first novels; only to be swooned by a public reading of Mulga Bill's Bycycle - or more likely unnerved by Graeme 'The Man From Ironbark' Dawson's compelling and challenging course. This novella being a single sided A4 sheet, colourful but silent, and allowing the reader to ponder - and then to chew the stub at the poetic lesson ahead.
And so dear reader, another big rollup to Rosscoe's incoherent mix of literature and health - otherwise known as the Sydney Summer Series! 222 actual entries is the count, with a large contingent of Groupies and an incredible 54 e-stick hires. Brisk and busy business at this classic SSS location ensued, and, with our Open stars Andy Hill and Steve Ryan both suffering recent running/biking accidents (hand injuries), Glenn 'The Horror Movie' Horrocks shot through to claim on an evening where route choice mattered less than sheer fitness and speed.
Great weather for the second week in a row, something to crow about as competitor numbers build and the age group competition starts getting serious. Let's have a look at what 'The Door' put up and how the punters fared.
First impressions are always illuminating, and Graeme had a suprise in store with a distinct westerly take on proceedings - and only minimal involvement with the NSW Department of Health. So, we got a stretch all the way to Morrisons Bay from the neglected pool, and a dose of in-out work to annoy the loopsters along the way (rather like catching the Central West Mail and doing a bit of pick up shunting at Bathurst and Tumulla sidings). This was a big hand print at 1:10 scale and looked a toughie. Probably too tough, with the two westerly potteroonies (14,28) and maybe even #22, being quickly eliminated from the majority of string twirling calculations. The top score of 520 gives this first reading currency.
Graeme and Aidan had set an impressive course from the eastern side of the hospital grounds a couple of season ago, so it's a natural to want to change the offer. Punters who have enjoyed the fine quality feed within the hospital walls will also get another go here when Jim Merchant 'Of Venice' produces a Shakespearan sprint course from this very spot in a couple of weeks time. Monday Sprints? also classsic fun in the sun, and not to be missed - but I digress.
So a big wallop to the west, but a tight 150 in the hospital that probably had to be factored. The exit routes looked easy enough, with the main two being well trod (21,20 etc in the east, with 10 added initially by some - and 6,15,24 in the west). There was the odd western route of '15 first' also noted. Interestingly, of the easterners (or Victorian racing nags), most worked a 21,20,8,23 collect before taking their leave via 13 - ignoring the recently cleared fence corner at 11. This latter twenty pointer probably didn't compute for those intent on building an impressive CV in the west, although Open Women super star Gill 'Manuel' Fowler, bagged the poolie in her healthy night on duty and 500 biggies.
There was a natural route on hospital exit up to the (about to be closed off) bottle-O #27, on to 4 and then a laundry bag of goodies in the 28,12,19 area. Many went 27,4,30 to get access to 25 and 29 and friends, before the return and nervous clock watching. The 'Larry's' mentioned (ie. 9,17,26 15) not helping the smooth transition of: intention, electric signal to muscles, deep breathing, and subsequent forward and back leg motions in the Dunlop Volleys. If getting caught short by diverting to 9 (never go off line for a Tenner says Gordy) or 17 was bad enough, think of that fatal glance at the Accelator when well committed to 22, and only two or three to go. Oh whoa is me!
I think the immediate west and the mid west worked very well, with large numbers posting similar scores. The small differentiators so desperately sought, proved just too out of reach, with #1, #7 and #3 well qualifying for our lonely pot awards. I'd probably go #1 as the winner, because those on premium fuel could work a 30,3,25 loop if time was easy and the hard jubes were tasty. But then again, what about #7? Jeez, this is a lonely bugger if ever there was one. Splits will reveal all of course, but all these babies had at least one 'ping' - The Glenny passing in a blurr of yellow (why am I thinking Donovan all of a sudden!).
Runners familiar with the hospital grounds will have noted a bit of clearing - especially approaching #8 from the north, and the aforementioned pool. The ruins at #20 are also much more open now than in the past, but still quite evocative, as are all the walls and history here. History lessons on the run. That's the Summer Series!
Enough of the course, how about the punters. As many will already know, results and splits are airborne already, so all can be revealed by a little screen time. As mentioned, our 'all stations' runner Glenn Horrocks ran the 600 in 52.55 to win outright from a couple of strong 500's (Gill 'Bo' Fowler in OW, 'On Your' Mark Schaefer in OM and Mal Bradley 'Harvey Oswald' in VM). Mal pips the mighty Burton M here (a 470 claim after carding an unusually high plus six), Michael running early in the heat and leaving the scene of the crime for a 'strategy session'. Mmmm.
Some good high fours to note. Lisa Grant losing forty from her 510, Pete 'Of London' Annetts holding 470 hair dryers, as did the fast finishing MW mare, Barbara Hill (a westerly circuit for 480 and a 19 second penalty). One 480 to note is that of Lorenzo 'Olive' Calabro, one of Australia's great young orienteers down from Queensland and working an 11 free easterly start. Good to see the 'Oil Man' doing a bit of time at the site of an old oil factory (Meggits Ltd, for those interested, had their edible oil factory on this site, sheds, wharfs etc. Hard to believe now). Patrik 'Russian Iron' Gunnerson and Jeremy 'Vitreous Enamel' Fowler also are noted with 480's - matt and glossy results respectively!
In the junior ages, I note exceptional 460's from Dan Hill and Adam Halmy. I noticed Daniel chasing mum Barbara during the event, Danny taking a ten less though so as not to cause family tensions. Adam's equally speedy sister Bethany, looked 340 in the JW eye and may have gone gold. I noted Sophie 'The Grocer' Jones on a tidy 280 with Rachael Noble, our early leader, unsighted this outing (sister Deb played 'four of a kind' in OW though - a nice reward from one of our greatest). Going back to significant leg hair and body eruption territory, some good super vet and legend scoring. Wazza pulled off a win over 'The Bren Gun' (450/440) with the old dude home three early and Eoin over by 24 seconds. An upset to be sure - as they licked their pints. Terry 'The Sanitorium' Bluett, Jimmy and Ken 'Done' Jacobson pencilled (more likely, colour penciled) 380's, while Ronny went ten better after pondering 'bean' theory and the strange feeling of early arrival. The big news in the Legend Men however, is John 'Stobie Pole' Anderson's sensation 420 point win in this competitive class. John has speed to burn of course, with legs well concealed in secret weapon trousers rather like a James Bond accessory from 'M'. His route mirrored Warwick's (21,20,8,23, to the west, and home via 28,19,9,17,24,15,6) except The Pole ran right passed 28! His mind was on this South Australian state feature no doubt, hence the 30 point lapse - but an exceptional run from JA despite this. He grabs 100 and stirs the pot. The Pork is still injured (and walking like some sort of retired dance instructor) and Heiko saving himself for a late flog - this is a wide open run. Great stuff amongst the pensioners indeed.
Bry Nylon looks to have posted 100 over Sue in LW, with Janet Morris piloting grandchild (Richard's?) for a modest post in the same revered category. I also note Carol Jacobson taking more silk with a 340 ticker in SVW. CJ seems to have this one almost won, and should podium. Last weeks (excellent) course setter, Matt 'St' Peters, seems to be off leash lately with a sensational and very handy 460 in VM. 'The Railway Station' has definitely picked up pace and could medal at his rate. Go Matty.
Lastly, the Zero award; to Linda & Madelynne Chan this week, for an unselfish 90 points and nine minutes late! I also celebrate Sandra 'The Tank Engine' Thomas, once again our longest in the field contestant, with her 69.21 minute outing shrinking a tidy 280 by 250. Sometimes, the Sydney Summer Series has this effect - a mystery rather like 'night starvation' - something the children of the 50's will never forget.
So, in wrapping event 16, another grand roll up and some good scoring. The spread was probably a little wide but we'll take 520 and the Chicken & Chips at The Hunters Hill ($12.50) any day. Thanks Graeme and the Dawsons, and particularly Ross Duker for working the scoring lappie. The download desk was a busy affair (with lots of new records to enter) and there is always pressure here. The Door and The Duke did a great job. And if you like 'fry's with that', how about the last parking spot across the road from Banjo's Cottage, being taken by Rodney Parkin! Sydney Summer Series? Horoscopes on the run are just the beginning!
Next week sees us back at another favourite - Pottery Green in Lane Cove. This has been the venue of some very large turnouts in the past, and some excellent setting. The 'Slatts' is putting aside the willow and commentary duties, and will work the flannels and pots in winning manner. We get highway running, shopping centre malingering, a few rounds with the 7 iron, and some nice cool bush/creek material. Parking here is always at a premium, especially with the busy adjacent pool use, so take a bus, or be prepared for a little on the pins prior. Also don't forget the Loungeville Hotel (also adjacent) for a post race download and dinner. Sounds like a plan to me.
Robin Hood asked me to also mention the Metrogaine coming up shortly. This is always great stuff and worth the long restorative bath afterwards. Details from the Rogaining NSW web site. And finally, the Monday Sprints, now well underway - and classy racing stuff that is a nice contrast to the SSS - and the Western Summer Series events each Sunday. More 45 minute floggeroonies out west with many new maps. Why wouldn't you?
Many other excellent scores across the board
On a warm sunny evening, over 250 Summer Series tragics fronted the Banjo. Many were clutching pages of rhyming verse, others with dog eared drafts of intending first novels; only to be swooned by a public reading of Mulga Bill's Bycycle - or more likely unnerved by Graeme 'The Man From Ironbark' Dawson's compelling and challenging course. This novella being a single sided A4 sheet, colourful but silent, and allowing the reader to ponder - and then to chew the stub at the poetic lesson ahead.
And so dear reader, another big rollup to Rosscoe's incoherent mix of literature and health - otherwise known as the Sydney Summer Series! 222 actual entries is the count, with a large contingent of Groupies and an incredible 54 e-stick hires. Brisk and busy business at this classic SSS location ensued, and, with our Open stars Andy Hill and Steve Ryan both suffering recent running/biking accidents (hand injuries), Glenn 'The Horror Movie' Horrocks shot through to claim on an evening where route choice mattered less than sheer fitness and speed.
Great weather for the second week in a row, something to crow about as competitor numbers build and the age group competition starts getting serious. Let's have a look at what 'The Door' put up and how the punters fared.
First impressions are always illuminating, and Graeme had a suprise in store with a distinct westerly take on proceedings - and only minimal involvement with the NSW Department of Health. So, we got a stretch all the way to Morrisons Bay from the neglected pool, and a dose of in-out work to annoy the loopsters along the way (rather like catching the Central West Mail and doing a bit of pick up shunting at Bathurst and Tumulla sidings). This was a big hand print at 1:10 scale and looked a toughie. Probably too tough, with the two westerly potteroonies (14,28) and maybe even #22, being quickly eliminated from the majority of string twirling calculations. The top score of 520 gives this first reading currency.
Graeme and Aidan had set an impressive course from the eastern side of the hospital grounds a couple of season ago, so it's a natural to want to change the offer. Punters who have enjoyed the fine quality feed within the hospital walls will also get another go here when Jim Merchant 'Of Venice' produces a Shakespearan sprint course from this very spot in a couple of weeks time. Monday Sprints? also classsic fun in the sun, and not to be missed - but I digress.
So a big wallop to the west, but a tight 150 in the hospital that probably had to be factored. The exit routes looked easy enough, with the main two being well trod (21,20 etc in the east, with 10 added initially by some - and 6,15,24 in the west). There was the odd western route of '15 first' also noted. Interestingly, of the easterners (or Victorian racing nags), most worked a 21,20,8,23 collect before taking their leave via 13 - ignoring the recently cleared fence corner at 11. This latter twenty pointer probably didn't compute for those intent on building an impressive CV in the west, although Open Women super star Gill 'Manuel' Fowler, bagged the poolie in her healthy night on duty and 500 biggies.
There was a natural route on hospital exit up to the (about to be closed off) bottle-O #27, on to 4 and then a laundry bag of goodies in the 28,12,19 area. Many went 27,4,30 to get access to 25 and 29 and friends, before the return and nervous clock watching. The 'Larry's' mentioned (ie. 9,17,26 15) not helping the smooth transition of: intention, electric signal to muscles, deep breathing, and subsequent forward and back leg motions in the Dunlop Volleys. If getting caught short by diverting to 9 (never go off line for a Tenner says Gordy) or 17 was bad enough, think of that fatal glance at the Accelator when well committed to 22, and only two or three to go. Oh whoa is me!
I think the immediate west and the mid west worked very well, with large numbers posting similar scores. The small differentiators so desperately sought, proved just too out of reach, with #1, #7 and #3 well qualifying for our lonely pot awards. I'd probably go #1 as the winner, because those on premium fuel could work a 30,3,25 loop if time was easy and the hard jubes were tasty. But then again, what about #7? Jeez, this is a lonely bugger if ever there was one. Splits will reveal all of course, but all these babies had at least one 'ping' - The Glenny passing in a blurr of yellow (why am I thinking Donovan all of a sudden!).
Runners familiar with the hospital grounds will have noted a bit of clearing - especially approaching #8 from the north, and the aforementioned pool. The ruins at #20 are also much more open now than in the past, but still quite evocative, as are all the walls and history here. History lessons on the run. That's the Summer Series!
Enough of the course, how about the punters. As many will already know, results and splits are airborne already, so all can be revealed by a little screen time. As mentioned, our 'all stations' runner Glenn Horrocks ran the 600 in 52.55 to win outright from a couple of strong 500's (Gill 'Bo' Fowler in OW, 'On Your' Mark Schaefer in OM and Mal Bradley 'Harvey Oswald' in VM). Mal pips the mighty Burton M here (a 470 claim after carding an unusually high plus six), Michael running early in the heat and leaving the scene of the crime for a 'strategy session'. Mmmm.
Some good high fours to note. Lisa Grant losing forty from her 510, Pete 'Of London' Annetts holding 470 hair dryers, as did the fast finishing MW mare, Barbara Hill (a westerly circuit for 480 and a 19 second penalty). One 480 to note is that of Lorenzo 'Olive' Calabro, one of Australia's great young orienteers down from Queensland and working an 11 free easterly start. Good to see the 'Oil Man' doing a bit of time at the site of an old oil factory (Meggits Ltd, for those interested, had their edible oil factory on this site, sheds, wharfs etc. Hard to believe now). Patrik 'Russian Iron' Gunnerson and Jeremy 'Vitreous Enamel' Fowler also are noted with 480's - matt and glossy results respectively!
In the junior ages, I note exceptional 460's from Dan Hill and Adam Halmy. I noticed Daniel chasing mum Barbara during the event, Danny taking a ten less though so as not to cause family tensions. Adam's equally speedy sister Bethany, looked 340 in the JW eye and may have gone gold. I noted Sophie 'The Grocer' Jones on a tidy 280 with Rachael Noble, our early leader, unsighted this outing (sister Deb played 'four of a kind' in OW though - a nice reward from one of our greatest). Going back to significant leg hair and body eruption territory, some good super vet and legend scoring. Wazza pulled off a win over 'The Bren Gun' (450/440) with the old dude home three early and Eoin over by 24 seconds. An upset to be sure - as they licked their pints. Terry 'The Sanitorium' Bluett, Jimmy and Ken 'Done' Jacobson pencilled (more likely, colour penciled) 380's, while Ronny went ten better after pondering 'bean' theory and the strange feeling of early arrival. The big news in the Legend Men however, is John 'Stobie Pole' Anderson's sensation 420 point win in this competitive class. John has speed to burn of course, with legs well concealed in secret weapon trousers rather like a James Bond accessory from 'M'. His route mirrored Warwick's (21,20,8,23, to the west, and home via 28,19,9,17,24,15,6) except The Pole ran right passed 28! His mind was on this South Australian state feature no doubt, hence the 30 point lapse - but an exceptional run from JA despite this. He grabs 100 and stirs the pot. The Pork is still injured (and walking like some sort of retired dance instructor) and Heiko saving himself for a late flog - this is a wide open run. Great stuff amongst the pensioners indeed.
Bry Nylon looks to have posted 100 over Sue in LW, with Janet Morris piloting grandchild (Richard's?) for a modest post in the same revered category. I also note Carol Jacobson taking more silk with a 340 ticker in SVW. CJ seems to have this one almost won, and should podium. Last weeks (excellent) course setter, Matt 'St' Peters, seems to be off leash lately with a sensational and very handy 460 in VM. 'The Railway Station' has definitely picked up pace and could medal at his rate. Go Matty.
Lastly, the Zero award; to Linda & Madelynne Chan this week, for an unselfish 90 points and nine minutes late! I also celebrate Sandra 'The Tank Engine' Thomas, once again our longest in the field contestant, with her 69.21 minute outing shrinking a tidy 280 by 250. Sometimes, the Sydney Summer Series has this effect - a mystery rather like 'night starvation' - something the children of the 50's will never forget.
So, in wrapping event 16, another grand roll up and some good scoring. The spread was probably a little wide but we'll take 520 and the Chicken & Chips at The Hunters Hill ($12.50) any day. Thanks Graeme and the Dawsons, and particularly Ross Duker for working the scoring lappie. The download desk was a busy affair (with lots of new records to enter) and there is always pressure here. The Door and The Duke did a great job. And if you like 'fry's with that', how about the last parking spot across the road from Banjo's Cottage, being taken by Rodney Parkin! Sydney Summer Series? Horoscopes on the run are just the beginning!
Next week sees us back at another favourite - Pottery Green in Lane Cove. This has been the venue of some very large turnouts in the past, and some excellent setting. The 'Slatts' is putting aside the willow and commentary duties, and will work the flannels and pots in winning manner. We get highway running, shopping centre malingering, a few rounds with the 7 iron, and some nice cool bush/creek material. Parking here is always at a premium, especially with the busy adjacent pool use, so take a bus, or be prepared for a little on the pins prior. Also don't forget the Loungeville Hotel (also adjacent) for a post race download and dinner. Sounds like a plan to me.
Robin Hood asked me to also mention the Metrogaine coming up shortly. This is always great stuff and worth the long restorative bath afterwards. Details from the Rogaining NSW web site. And finally, the Monday Sprints, now well underway - and classy racing stuff that is a nice contrast to the SSS - and the Western Summer Series events each Sunday. More 45 minute floggeroonies out west with many new maps. Why wouldn't you?
Many other excellent scores across the board
Thursday, January 12, 2012
MASSIVE MORT MUSTER SEES THIRSTY RUNNERS IN DRY DOCK
On a perfect Sydney summer evening, and at a perfect harbourside park location, cunning running fans from all points of the compass went the ten bob tango in large numbers, very large numbers. However, without any current data, Pork Pie is nosing the trough for leads, but will probably have to move into porcine fiction mode in compiling this report.
But let's begin by saying it was a great evening with a very big roll up - possibly a record. Dr Matt and the Uringa crew pitched camp in the delightful Mort Bay Park, where one Lotty, D was soon dispensing maps with both hands - such was the pressure from intending SSS addicts. Early arrivals grabbed the parking with those later on the scene having to circle, and circle again - the Tedster being one of those working the Subaru into ever dizzying orbits. The early arrivers however, were thwarted in their plans for a quick despatch of the pots and subsequent delivery into the hands of Dr Resch, by the late arrival of the clue sheets, and final setting up of the beeping bunny rabbits.
The Doc soon appeared though, and by five we were in business. So much so, that an hour later the 220 pre printed maps had all sold! This must be some sort of record in speedy selling, although The Lottery Ticket reported a large number of group entries that bought multiple maps, hence the quick depletion and need for the later 'used map' registration queue. I'm sure we would have had at least 250 nags on the paddock, the place was swarming with non smokers eager to do their bit of inserting for the sake of the nations health. Given the weather and this attractive destination, it's probably not a suprise that we have gone big, after all, what else on the Sydney Festival programme can compete with this. Cunning running in historic Balmain - what a blast.
Many of you might have noticed your correspondent in unusual guise and of hobbling gate. Running full pelt into a metal fence at Monday's Sprint Series event rendered the Porkface a mere bystander yesterday, although he managed to accompany Gail and grandson Toby into a nice 190 point circle - so has some flavour of the event to report. And a map of course, recycled via Neil 'The Mountain' Hawthorne. So, as mentioned, not much on the results front to analyse, with no print outs that I saw. No matter, let's look at the 'MP's' course and what confronted the many ponies at MBP.
First impression is a much better 'scatter' than last year. This is the second outing here, and Matty worked in the southern areas of Balmain this time, presumably keeping the classic Ballast Point Park material for the Sprint event here in a couple of weeks. The distribution was fully across the area, and would have been a toughie except for one thing - the map was 1:7500 scale. This made things much more do-able, and I am thinking it might have gone 600 for the flash types. Or very close to it.
Darling Street almost cut the map, and the points, in half - with 220 on offer north of the Govenor and good collections to the east and to the south. The western circuit had a nice arc of thirty's, but was more spread and probably didn't get the visitation the east and south did. Apart from the inner trio of 5,6 and 26, there was a ring of no scoring residential that had to be worked through. Admiring the many classic old houses helped pass the time while on your way through this dead zone, although many late running returnees seemed to be in overdrive hereabouts and probably didn't see a thing. Funny that!
Discussions in the Dry Dock later on revealed almost a universal clockwise flog, with the starting line up (9,10,15,16) being as rote inspired as the two times table. Mid four scorers went the full monty to Darling Street wharf, turned west at 30, wondered about the chimney at 18, ripped past the Water Police bagging 28, paused to admire the about-to-be-demolished large white shed on the way to 'The Copse' (love that word) and the graffiti enclosure at 27, pushed on south (much as Robert Falcon Scott had done) to the old container depot, now apartments, at 13, bagging 24 and 3 before catching the return tram. Some good variations worked here, with high threes pulling up at 27 and climbing home via 25 and a nice flat white at The Little Marionette.
I note a trio of Supers, arriving on the 433 - and leaving with 460. Wazza, Gordy and Eoin are our SV's in question, and I think all ran the same eastern loop. Warwick discarded #5 as he pushed home via 12,4,25,26 and 6 in 44.39, whereas,' The Beecroft Bandit' pencilled #5 but ran three over to be twenty back from his peers. Jim 'Jim Falls' Merchant might have taken another ton with 420 in the Legends (to Ron's 370 and four minutes early??!!), and might have been one of the few to work the west. The 'Jumbo' began 26,6,5, pushed out the old right turn bus indicator (with a clank), worked the Leyland up to 23, 2 and 21 (somehow missing #1 in the process), popped in for tea at young Duncan's before taking the level route to 11 and 25, dropping to 12,3,24, reversing the trolley pole and (in notch one) coaxing the R1 class tram to a loop home via 27, 28 and the old Colgate factory. An excellent circle.
I don't have many scores, although Wendy put up 500. She ran all except #22, but was caught wide on the turn by a Hong Kong mare and took the photo seven minutes late. The confused location/description of #11 not helping our bus conductor (along with many others I gather). Malcolm Bradley did a Glenn, working the full thirty pots in fifty two for a 530 claim. Not sure of his route though. With 'The Shopping' Mal on 530, I would have thought Andy or the king might have gone close to a full card, but maybe just short - in which case, what superb setting! All will no doubt be revealed when chief Uringa 'pooter guru, Ronny 'Buckingham' Pallas, moves the results from A to B by royal coach. Watch this space.
Not sure how I might suggest a lonely pot. 22 needed commitment and might qualify, as just about all other worked in a series of loops and probably had multiple visitations (rather like Ron in the vegie patch, when he heard a mysterious calling..."come unto me my bean"). Yep, lets give the nod to number 22, with maybe #1 as the other outlier.
So, despite not feeling the personal bite of the road and lane, the snarl of the traffic, the envy of the sandstone or the sensational views on offer, I think it looked a cracker. Good scatter, good looping, plenty to see - and best of all, The "Dry Dock Hotel" adjacent to #6 with Reschs on tap. Very, very acceptable said the patron ordering a weak shandie.
A big thank you to Matt and the UR crew, who will soon be reprising things with the Monday Sprint hereabouts. One not to miss.
With SSS event 15 behind us, we now move back to the northside and another favourite for the view and history buffs. The delightful Banjo Patterson Park is a bonza spot to work the string line as we eye off the multiple delights of Gladesville Hospital and its old sandstone walls and buildings. No doubt Aidan and Graeme Dawson (our setters) will pull on an east/west stretch in addition to the hospital work, to allow jockeys to deploy a bit of whip work on the slower ponies. Plenty for all speeds of course, including our elusive club of negative scorers. Who was it this week? Who will it be next week? Head on over to the Banjo on Wednesday the 18th to find out. Another 'must see' venue of course - this time with lots of parking!
On a perfect Sydney summer evening, and at a perfect harbourside park location, cunning running fans from all points of the compass went the ten bob tango in large numbers, very large numbers. However, without any current data, Pork Pie is nosing the trough for leads, but will probably have to move into porcine fiction mode in compiling this report.
But let's begin by saying it was a great evening with a very big roll up - possibly a record. Dr Matt and the Uringa crew pitched camp in the delightful Mort Bay Park, where one Lotty, D was soon dispensing maps with both hands - such was the pressure from intending SSS addicts. Early arrivals grabbed the parking with those later on the scene having to circle, and circle again - the Tedster being one of those working the Subaru into ever dizzying orbits. The early arrivers however, were thwarted in their plans for a quick despatch of the pots and subsequent delivery into the hands of Dr Resch, by the late arrival of the clue sheets, and final setting up of the beeping bunny rabbits.
The Doc soon appeared though, and by five we were in business. So much so, that an hour later the 220 pre printed maps had all sold! This must be some sort of record in speedy selling, although The Lottery Ticket reported a large number of group entries that bought multiple maps, hence the quick depletion and need for the later 'used map' registration queue. I'm sure we would have had at least 250 nags on the paddock, the place was swarming with non smokers eager to do their bit of inserting for the sake of the nations health. Given the weather and this attractive destination, it's probably not a suprise that we have gone big, after all, what else on the Sydney Festival programme can compete with this. Cunning running in historic Balmain - what a blast.
Many of you might have noticed your correspondent in unusual guise and of hobbling gate. Running full pelt into a metal fence at Monday's Sprint Series event rendered the Porkface a mere bystander yesterday, although he managed to accompany Gail and grandson Toby into a nice 190 point circle - so has some flavour of the event to report. And a map of course, recycled via Neil 'The Mountain' Hawthorne. So, as mentioned, not much on the results front to analyse, with no print outs that I saw. No matter, let's look at the 'MP's' course and what confronted the many ponies at MBP.
First impression is a much better 'scatter' than last year. This is the second outing here, and Matty worked in the southern areas of Balmain this time, presumably keeping the classic Ballast Point Park material for the Sprint event here in a couple of weeks. The distribution was fully across the area, and would have been a toughie except for one thing - the map was 1:7500 scale. This made things much more do-able, and I am thinking it might have gone 600 for the flash types. Or very close to it.
Darling Street almost cut the map, and the points, in half - with 220 on offer north of the Govenor and good collections to the east and to the south. The western circuit had a nice arc of thirty's, but was more spread and probably didn't get the visitation the east and south did. Apart from the inner trio of 5,6 and 26, there was a ring of no scoring residential that had to be worked through. Admiring the many classic old houses helped pass the time while on your way through this dead zone, although many late running returnees seemed to be in overdrive hereabouts and probably didn't see a thing. Funny that!
Discussions in the Dry Dock later on revealed almost a universal clockwise flog, with the starting line up (9,10,15,16) being as rote inspired as the two times table. Mid four scorers went the full monty to Darling Street wharf, turned west at 30, wondered about the chimney at 18, ripped past the Water Police bagging 28, paused to admire the about-to-be-demolished large white shed on the way to 'The Copse' (love that word) and the graffiti enclosure at 27, pushed on south (much as Robert Falcon Scott had done) to the old container depot, now apartments, at 13, bagging 24 and 3 before catching the return tram. Some good variations worked here, with high threes pulling up at 27 and climbing home via 25 and a nice flat white at The Little Marionette.
I note a trio of Supers, arriving on the 433 - and leaving with 460. Wazza, Gordy and Eoin are our SV's in question, and I think all ran the same eastern loop. Warwick discarded #5 as he pushed home via 12,4,25,26 and 6 in 44.39, whereas,' The Beecroft Bandit' pencilled #5 but ran three over to be twenty back from his peers. Jim 'Jim Falls' Merchant might have taken another ton with 420 in the Legends (to Ron's 370 and four minutes early??!!), and might have been one of the few to work the west. The 'Jumbo' began 26,6,5, pushed out the old right turn bus indicator (with a clank), worked the Leyland up to 23, 2 and 21 (somehow missing #1 in the process), popped in for tea at young Duncan's before taking the level route to 11 and 25, dropping to 12,3,24, reversing the trolley pole and (in notch one) coaxing the R1 class tram to a loop home via 27, 28 and the old Colgate factory. An excellent circle.
I don't have many scores, although Wendy put up 500. She ran all except #22, but was caught wide on the turn by a Hong Kong mare and took the photo seven minutes late. The confused location/description of #11 not helping our bus conductor (along with many others I gather). Malcolm Bradley did a Glenn, working the full thirty pots in fifty two for a 530 claim. Not sure of his route though. With 'The Shopping' Mal on 530, I would have thought Andy or the king might have gone close to a full card, but maybe just short - in which case, what superb setting! All will no doubt be revealed when chief Uringa 'pooter guru, Ronny 'Buckingham' Pallas, moves the results from A to B by royal coach. Watch this space.
Not sure how I might suggest a lonely pot. 22 needed commitment and might qualify, as just about all other worked in a series of loops and probably had multiple visitations (rather like Ron in the vegie patch, when he heard a mysterious calling..."come unto me my bean"). Yep, lets give the nod to number 22, with maybe #1 as the other outlier.
So, despite not feeling the personal bite of the road and lane, the snarl of the traffic, the envy of the sandstone or the sensational views on offer, I think it looked a cracker. Good scatter, good looping, plenty to see - and best of all, The "Dry Dock Hotel" adjacent to #6 with Reschs on tap. Very, very acceptable said the patron ordering a weak shandie.
A big thank you to Matt and the UR crew, who will soon be reprising things with the Monday Sprint hereabouts. One not to miss.
With SSS event 15 behind us, we now move back to the northside and another favourite for the view and history buffs. The delightful Banjo Patterson Park is a bonza spot to work the string line as we eye off the multiple delights of Gladesville Hospital and its old sandstone walls and buildings. No doubt Aidan and Graeme Dawson (our setters) will pull on an east/west stretch in addition to the hospital work, to allow jockeys to deploy a bit of whip work on the slower ponies. Plenty for all speeds of course, including our elusive club of negative scorers. Who was it this week? Who will it be next week? Head on over to the Banjo on Wednesday the 18th to find out. Another 'must see' venue of course - this time with lots of parking!
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