Sydney Summer Series

Burning up the course at The Incinerator

In cool conditions last night, several summer series stars lit the afterburner and joined the 600 club! As well as the guns, many other high scores were recorded as competitors found ways to work the intriguing pot spread on John Anderson's Willoughby wonder. Numbers looked good, with the sales department ringing up over two hundred dings on the SSS till - excellent stuff.

Proving the Porkies crystal ball skills need a rework, John avoided the drop zone to Tunks Park, and instead delivered a tour of St Leonards and Aratarmon. The spread didn't look wide enough at first blush, and so it proved with Glenn 'The Hormone' Horrocks, claiming the lot in 38.40 minutes - a sensational run. Despite the tight spread, and maybe the flatter nature of the area adding to speed, working out a loop kept many scratching their heads before presenting to the green flag. The outer loop, both east and west seemed to flow, but how to link in the tempting points in the middle? One excellent run took off south to #4 and #29 (the Bang & Olufsen route) before working 9, the footbrdge, 13, 27, 7, 16 and then the west before adding 19 and 12 and recrossing the freeway to the eastern loop. A variation doing 13, 12, 19 and 27 as the mid core would have yielded the through route via 24 directly to 18, 26 and the east if you had the legs (as several fancied stallions obviously did).

Lots of other runners took off east to 22 and points south, coming home via the middle grouping - also an excellent way to collect the numbers. Leaving off the east (as I did) proved to be a big mistake. As usual, there were lots of variations and plenty of interest in routes over the subsequent schooners of James Squire at the Bridge View! Good setting, and good fun.

Looking at some of the scores, we celebrate the 600 club - Andy Hill (in his last SSS run before departure to the UK) 40.42 a second behind Mark 'Close Shave' Schafer 40.41 and Richard 'Broom' Green 41.50 keeping the OM flag flying from the outstanding efforts of Glenn and Tim 'Wilko' Rogers (42.06) in the masters category. Pork Pie also notes the 'value for money' award going to recently returned orienteer, Ian 'Singha' Christopher, who enjoyed 79.40 minutes of pure heaven for minus 110 points! Good one Ian, you are a SSS legend in the making.

Other notable scores were the excellent run by Selwyn 'In the Study' Roper (SVM) with a fantastic 470 points. Selwyn has been threatening with the All Black Jumper and must have pulled on a quick Haka to scare the rest of the SV's (apart from Warwicks clean 500 - another excellent run by the singlet) into submission. Good running Mr Togood. Jim Merchant was also clean with a nice 450 under the belt. From the MW camp, Wendy 'Patricks' Stevenson, scored a blinding 580 to lead the women home, 30 points clear of OW star Sue 'Platform Shoes' Davis (550). Alison 'Prime Minister' Curtin also found herself on the left hand magnetic board with a sterling 470, well clear of Sue 'Wood is Good' Login's 340. The SVW's battle continues to fascinate, with Dale on the wander at 210 (must have gone for coffee!), leaving the run home to Carol 'Pasta Bee' Jacobson (380) shading Sue 'Theatre Tickets' Thomson on 340. Sue will be pleased with the point allocation here!

In the Junior men, Huon 'The Axe' Wilson managed to reverse last weeks result, jumping Ben 'Shark Bait' Tuminello 490 to 480 and keeping this series as another 'all the way' contest. Ben certainly is flying recently. Finally, the Legends. This time Ted 'The Teddyboy' Mulherin took the carrots from Ron, 450 to 430, clear of Malcolm (400) and Tim 390. Heiko must be in there somewhere, but not sure of the score. This is a great contest as the retirees flog the walking frames in an all out ding dong race for the badges.

All in all, another great evening of 'navigation on the run'. Next week sees us over at Seaforth / North Balgowlah at a new area mapped by Terry Bluett with course setting by Mike 'Hula' Hooppell. I imagine there might be a bit of the Manly Dam bush reserve at play here, as well as a bit of fun in the creek tracks and hidden parks. Should be a goody with hopefully a big crowd going for the lollies. New map? - always a drawcard! Be there.