Thursday, January 14, 2010

Biting off too much at Granny Smith

This was the refrain of many returning runners at last nights 'Devlin's Downpour', as they found themselves seriously overtime getting back from far flung high point tempters. And spare a thought for the later starters. Finding #29 in good light was a trick (especially coming from the east), but the 6.30-6.45 brigade (and there seemed lots) would have flogged off into the bush here in the gathering gloom only to find the heavens open and the T Shirt going into serious droop. Always a great Summer Series combo, the gloom and doom scenario!

Course setter, and Summer Series Veteran superstar Mike 'Just Do It' Burton, was in charge (perhaps not of the weather), and crafted a huge spread of controls from tiny Ray Park (and the Granny Smith apple tree) to all points of the Epping/Beecroft map. The first glance said 'tough' - and subsequent study confirmed the opinion. In fact, so cunning and devilish was Michael control deployment, that the string brigade got more and more puzzled trying to work a loop, bringing on headaches and a sense of deep despair. Eventually, even the most composed competitor just said 'bugger it', and launched off on their run - hoping there might be a McKillop moment somewhere along the way that would create a sensible route.

The big points were mostly at the extremities, creating the need to add more distance than experience suggested was sensible. How to begin? Many liked the northern exit via 29 and 30, and then 'something' over the freeway. The loop back via the south east worked, although you had to do the odd in/out to capture both 28 and 20. Others began with the friendly 50 points (2,12,11) that led to the south east from the other direction, with the nice string northwards from 27 to 25 making sense. Those with more ambition charged further north to grab 18 and 24 before the bush track work back to the interesting stuff under the M2. Yet others racked their brains in trying to get the bevy of shy twenty pointers to the west (13,14,15,16) into bed (VM Larry 'The Ratcatcher' Weiss managed this with his 29,30,25,north,17in/out,6,15,16,5,14,13,22 route and it's fast flog home via 4 and 3).

Unbelievable as it sounds, several competitors forgot to bag #1 (including Pork Pie - who thought it would be a nice finisher, but lost the notion in a blurr of late running desperation charging home from 29). At 51.10, there were enough seconds left to do the tango with Granny, but..... Always next week I hear you say.

Looking at the course, it's hard to find a lonely pot, as all seemed to be on someone's radar (a sign of excellent course setting of course). There seemed to be plenty of runners everywhere, many with that grim look that comes with the sobering realisation that "I'm going to be late"!!! Maybe the two western 30 pointers (22/23) didn't get many licking the 2B, but we will have to await the McKenna analysis to be sure. All in all, a real puzzler with low scores the order of the day - but lots of pressure orienteering decision making, planning and then re-planning adding to the event satisfaction. Well, course setter satisfaction!

Because I vamoosed just as the storm broke, my score recording is very incomplete. However, the following give some picture of proceedings. Rob Mason 'Ic Temple' had the robes flying in Open Men for 500 points - a fantastic run that must have seen him to all parts of the map. Not far off this pace were a brace of Masters, including John 'The Strangler' Havranek carding 470, Michael Free (440) and Pete 'Poselthwaite' Annetts enjoying the wide screen for 420.

In the older categories, Wazzo posted 330, behind an excellent run from Ian 'Doc' Cameron (350), and a goodie by Dave 'Mr Orienteering' Lotty with 320. I have a report of Warwick, with time on his hands, running an extra 130 points and taking twelve minutes to do it. This would have to be about the lowest conversion rate he has ever run and may be celebrated in years to come as 'doing a wazza'! These nags are all Super Vets of course and we know they are just filling in time before the real Wednesday purpose - going for a pie, peas and a Resches!

I also note Legend Barry Cole, burning up the map shouting 'Ole, Ole' for 200 nice ones, Angela Murray putting on twenty more (220) to shade Sue Thompson's 170 in the SVW's, and Karin and Robin trading blows in the Veteran Women's stakes (with 'Special K' holding ten over the 'Bin Liner' - 270 to 260). In the juniors, the Dawson brigade were out in force with Aidan impressing with 310 and Michele on fire with 330. Fantastic scoring from both the junior Doors. Others noted before my rain sodden departure, was a nice 340 by Paula Shingler, Mel Cox working the eastern sector for a neat 400, Dad Dawson bringing in the Airbus for 380 points (mystical) and Simon 'Build it and they will come' Barr upsetting the old man at last with 310 to his feeble 290.

James 'The Ghost' Lithgow made a rare appearance and ran up 390 plus five for a 340 score - and wondering (like many I suspect) why it took so long to get home from 19. Good to see the Mack Truck back, although he is off again next week, so the VM rivals can 'rest easy'. I also have a note of MW Rachel Merton posting an even 300, and MM Shane Henry emptying the Treasury coffers for a well run 380. Oh, and I also saw Kathy Cox had plonked down 170 in the walkers comp.

Not many scores I'm afraid, and not sure who 'won'. I noted Glenn Horrocks was there but didn't see his score. It will be interesting to see his all points route and time when the results are posted - maybe not that pretty! All will be revealed soon.

So a great outing at Beecroft/Epping, and a different take to the usual Cheltenham Oval assembly area (both with crappy parking which I must note). With event 15 now behind us, we now turn to #16 at Breakfast Point where Dr Matt Peters will have the large hypodermic out as he works the outing on this fantastic harbourside area. This used to be the old AGL gasworks site, and it's subsequent transformation into residential building and parkland gives lots of opportunities to plan a cunning course. Matt is an old Summer Seres hand and is sure to make this a cracker. Mostly level (a nice change!), this should be a crowd pleaser. Get the runners oiled up and make it a date!

2 comments:

Also Ran said...

A very well set course, I thought, providing plenty of food for thought and proving that a course doesn't have to have a 590 winning score to be a good one.

Fly on the Wall said...

What a confounded course indeed!
Although, my philosophy is that a low winning score means plodders like me automatically rule out chunks of the course pretty much at first glance - which surely defeats the purpose of setting. And I ran the last 25 minutes in rain and gloom, some of it in the bush so doubly difficult.
I ran 1-29-30-26-25-18-24-8-7-6-15-16-5-4-3-2-12-11 for 330 in 44mins. Realised afterwards I could have gone 6-17-16-15-5 etc for anither 20 points in about another 2 mins and run faster elsewhere for 350. The bush section of this map is fantastic - just a pity the road bits were so far-flung. The ego gets used to high 300s and low 400s! Next week should be a very fast map and a 7,500 scale if it's like 2 years ago.

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