Thursday, March 11, 2010

HANGMAN'S NOOSE SNARES SUGARBAG SPEEDSTERS

David 'Gallows' Gatwood deployed the Pentridge effect last night, with a perfect ring of controls around the central assembly point. Arriving runners, having got off the tumbril, were confronted with a circle of control points with seemingly only one way in and out. It looked a daunting loop, but there were too many points to discount it, no obvious alternative, and so the Circle Line tube it had to be. Many stared at the map, unsure if they would make it, and then just sort of surrendered and shot off - perhaps hoping it would come to a quick and painless end.

In addition to this 'Ring of Fire', there was a tight bunch to the north for those that had more petrol in the tank. And petrol you needed, especially for the sobering leg 13-29-7. One that lives on in the memory. The totality looked very tough, with Michael 'The Freemason' calling Glenn to be ten over for the lot (a suprisingly accurate call with The Glenny actually home in 54.46 for 500 points).

As I said, most stuck to the noose, with their only options being how many 'home' points to go for, and/or if they could take in the Loyal Henry Park ticklers (15,8,17). 27 was too hard to ignore and many began there - and found themselves buggered before they had got out of the gate! Checkpoints 3,1 and 11 were lodged in the 'if I have time' slot, which few seemed to have and were infrequently visited. One startling route that did a bit of early 'home cooking' was Simon Barr beginning with 1, 11 and then down the creek to 26! Ronny 'Out of Africa' Junghans, on hearing of this audacious beginning, thought he would give it a go too - only to find the green really was green and lost much time. His day was over before he hit Lady Game.

The ringsters mainly went east first (16, Loyal Henry, 20, 25 etc), hoping to do a bit of bush on the way back (in-out 23 worked for many). Going the other way held out the hope of adding the 24/14 at the end of the run if the legs were still pumping. Those that planned to add northern points needed to be aware of the track not joining the road at #21. Bashing out worked apparently, but trying to find the way in was a different story (Michael Burton lost much time here). Going anti clockwise probably was the way to go for the stallions - with several ignoring 23, 12 and 5 in their sweep to fame and fortune. Many competitors lost time at #25 (either moved of incorrectly placed) and #9 (in the next watercourse south early on). I think all the #25 prospectors were paid the lolly, thank goodness. Not sure about 9 though - I know Heiko was discombobulated here and lost time.

Anyway, how did the scoring go? Well it looks like Richard Green might have gone gold again (reported as 530 and home early! - cruel I know), with Andy Hill posted as 520 and Kar-Soon with Glenn on 500. All incredible scores given the slower running in the bush, and not forgetting the contours. Back in the fours we find Dave 'The Omelet' Heggarty flying with 490, and nosing out brilliant runs from Peter Annetts and Sister Wendy with 480 apiece. Eoin Rothery must have liked the bush as he carded a fantastic 470, in front of the oil on the boots man, Malcolm 'McLaren' Bradley (450), Michael Free (440), Davey 'Crocket' Bray (430) and the head of Westpac, Tom Joss (420). In gaining his 440, the flying Freedom Fighter worked a loop that saw him coming home from #9 - up the cliff directly to #3!! Something about local knowledge. Amazing. Gill 'Gumboots' Fowler popped onto the board with a sensational 450 - and so is popped onto the blog right here! Good running Gill.

There seemed a goodly bunch around the 400 mark, with Mary Fein and Rod 'Knee' Clark posting just that, although aging speedster Steve Flick and Waz 'The Pluviometer' Selby were reported as ten better. Mel Cox startled the official tent with an arrival yell to rival 3801's departure whistle on the Central West sleeper. Mel pulled 390 to head a posse of 380's - all pouring down the finish steps like hot gold. Jim McLean, Aidan Dawson (junior men and holding dad Graeme to account with the same score), Darren 'The Venetian' Slattery, Nils Bown and Joel 'Snow' Putnam were the culprits. Steve 'No' Cassell, Phil 'After Lunch' Morris and Chris Brown had 370's, while Anthony Petterson, Cath Chalmers (sans pram) and Shane Henry had to settle for 360's.

Giving the World Masters body a final work out before Clandulla, Nick Dent flew down from Terrigal to pencil 350 - and a chance to podium with the gorgeous Dale Thompson and Carolyn 'Ch Mob' Haupt. 'Jesse James' Jessup was ten back, but led in Julian Ledgers legendary white Tee (330) and the two Rachels (Noble and Merton) on 320. I've got Vicki at 330, I've got Larry and the silent car with 410, I've got Michele at 310, and I think I've also got Ian McKenzie with a perfect zero after walking the entire course to be back exactly 60 minutes late (tell me it isn't true Ian).

In the Legends, Ken Jacobson was well back for 120 (uncharacteristic I have to say), Malcolm Gledhill on 230 and Heiko on 310. I think Ron was less than this after his creek route, but not sure of the final. In the LW's, it looks like Sue Thomson has ten over Janet (180/170), with Anne Stewart back on 110. Viv and Robyn put up 180 walking, as did Lee Lowe. Steve Dunlop chomped 290, to head Rosscoe 'Count Dracula' Duker and Judge Murphy (260's), but allowed Selwyn 'Professor Plum' Roper to slip through for 310. Hilary Wood posted 230, a tenner under fellow coaster David 'Blue' Bowerman, as she too warmed up for the Kandos fun to come. Great to see 'Tensing' in Sydney. Yes siree, good stuff indeed.

On the right hand board, we have to report 'Untitled' with twenty points, and a clutch of perfect zero's - Bates, Bates & Turner being one of them, or maybe an architectural practice registering for the wrong conference. Good to see no matter what the score, and we hope they enjoyed the afternoon. There seemed to be many new faces by the way (boys in blue T shirts), with Dave McKenna indicating that the individual entry number is fast approaching 1,000!!! Blimey, imagine if everyone turned up at once.

Many more interesting scores of course, with quite probably other high ones. But correspondent Pork was under starters orders and had to make a mercy dash to Pyrmont. The word is, to get noticed - run early!

To wrap then (slurping on a Coopers in the semi dark), a tough take and a different take on this area by course setter Dave, with many enjoying the chance to do a bit of bush track work (Lotty, the main fan of the off road offering, appeared to not be there. A pity as 'The Envelope' would have loved it). The additional stuff around 26 was fun - including the pot on top of the cairn (18). Things will be even faster when the boardwalk is finished (on the way to #12), so we might factor another gig here next summer - maybe from Loyal Henry.

With event 23 now astern, we focus on Steve Flick and his promise of new material at Drummoyne next week. This looks like under the bridge at one end and under one again at the other end. No matter what, Steve knows how to set a puzzle and will have us hanging out for a Guinness and tatey after this one. Only three more chances to pull clear of your rivals, so get the runners oiled as we take in yet more Sydney Harbour, Sydney real estate - and Sydney running fun, in flogging the skin off the sausage at Five Dock Bay. Be there!

3 comments:

Fly on the Wall said...

Great to see some more bush tracks added to this very hilly area, although for plodders there wasn't a great deal of route choice. Left 3-1-11 for the end but never got there as I arrived exactly on 45:00. Bummer. Not sure about the call to pay #25 - it was exactly where it said when I ran past there about 5.50pm and very easy to spot. Happened across Andy Lumsden moving #9 to the correct spot after being tipped off by a runner passing in the opposite direction, so no worries there either. But #19 had been moved from a tree to the corner of the ruin, to long grass near the corner of the ruin and out of sight from the approach.
If I hadn't run the first 20 mins with my 13yo son I would have knocked off the extra 40 points for an 82%. Running home clockwise from #26 I could only pick up 50 points (9-12-5-4) in about 2.2km - very harsh course-setting indeed! Had I run alone I would have either grabbed 3-1-11 or perhaps started 2-4-5-23-6-21 then seen if I had enough time to do all of Loyal Henry and a possible 400-440. Oh well. #21 was curious - in previous events here, Lady Game Drive north of the roundabout near was OOB as the road has no shoulder at all.
Still, we should know by now not to expect any mercy from Big Foot!

Chris Brown said...

Super super fast SummerSeriesSolutions! I forgot to bring my file home so wont add the climbing until Friday pm. Conecting #21 to Lady Game Drive. Undecided about 12 to road above...?

Unknown said...

#25 brought me completely unstuck. It might have been where it says, but if you approached from the road from 28, I think the cliff line begins a lot closer to the residential area than is mapped. If you followed the cliff line from that entry point - there was no pot to be seen! It wasn't till I got home that I noticed the track off the road bend hidden under the red ring - that would have made a much easier entry point. I think that a shade of green for that area might have been more appropriate too! Otherwise, enjoyed the rest of the course and the bit through Lane Cove park. Thanks to the person who tipped me off about #9.

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