Sydney Summer Series

H MEN CONQUER CLONTARF AS WALKERS SEEK ICE CREAM AT 'KIOSK'

A fine and cool evening saw Summer Series fans out in force at this beautiful harbourside venue - the peaceful surounds belying an interesting bit of Sydney history as Prince Alfred copped one here from that mad bugger O'Farrell. Course setter Robert 'I' Spry ignored the monument and went landscape on us, producing a good handspread that included a fair dollop of the Spit to Manly walking track. Results on the night went the full gamut, with another zero on show (young Gail this time), and scoring all the way to the top - with our 'H' men Andrew 'Yabba's' Hill and Dave 'Dinner Ale' Hegarty, posting 600's in an outstanding evening of racing. Dave took the schooner in 42.12 to Andy's 43.15, although Richard 'Tom Jones' Green was a late starter and might have sung his way to another win. There were plenty of other high scores - Mark Schaefer for instance, going down ten for 590 in another sensational run.

The course looked a beauty, especially if you had recently had your eyes checked and could see the tracks! This looked one for Sherlock Holmes, with many competitors new to the venue not able to easily discern the paths on the map, setting off in a fog of trust and muttering the Rosary. Although the tracks were hard to see, the contours immediately engaged the eye, and had competitors reaching for the puff-o-meter. There was going to be some heavy breathing required on the outward journey before hitting one of the 'snakes' on the return to the serenity of the assembly area. After only a brief scratch of the head with the question 'when do we engage low gear', punters poured it on - running at the impending slope much as the P class charged up to Valley Heights.

So, looking at Rob's offer, we see a northern beginning with the escalator from 9 to 29/19 being tempting, and we also see the southern circuit with it's greater variety of upsey options being hard to ignore. I suspect the south had the greater number of adherents, with good points on the full track run for the flash types (23,13,14,5), but also good scoring for the mid pack runners by exiting from 22 and then either working up to 25 and swimming lessons with Tania, or the easier loop via 7,8,20 and some western bagging. There didn't seem to be any central temptation as I recall here from previous outings (converting #10 to a 30 for instance). North & South it was, much like the Kiwi magazine.

Despite the contour 'prow', once you were up the top (and you had to get to the top to really score), there was quite fast and flat running around the eighty point central core (20,8,18,28). Tania Park added another seventy, with #24 a beautiful distraction in the north east. The easy babies to drop were 7 and 10, and this is probably reflected in the number of 580 scores noted on the velcroe. Probably our lonely pot would be one of these two. Of interest is Dave Hegarty's route. 'The Art School' had planned to go 580, dropping 7 and 10, but looped them back in from the top when timing began to look in his favour. Dave worked 1,11,21 and the Spit track pots to 5,25 and Tania, 24,18,28,8,7,10,20, the north west circuit and home via 27.

Nice big pots again from Bennelong, and some fantastic views and pot locations. All the Spit track stuff was just a buzz, and how about #30 on the cliff top. Simply sublime potty work Rob. Great setting and good running, and nice to be back after five years.

As many runners might have seen last night, 'Pork Pie' has produced a 'Call of the Card' flyer that analyses the many exciting contests within each age category as we count down to the final event. In case you missed the paper copy, it will be posted on the website - hopefully sometime today. It might be a trend! Given this then, and last night scoring - has anything been revealed!? Let's look at some of the scoring.

I've mentioned Mark's 590, and also the 580 brigade. This included Wendy 'The Bendy Bus', Mike 'Bert & Ernie' Burton, Steve 'The Last Man' Ryan, 'Eric' Gill Fowler and, outstandingly, Pete 'The Key' Annetts. Incredible running. Back a half head we find a quartet of tasty stallions (Kar-Soon, Mal Bradley 'Harvey Oswald', Pete Fallows and Tommy Joss 'Stick') all with 570's, Cath 'Eter' Chalmers working the saline line to pip her pet patient Eoin 550 to 540 and Warwick Selby using the Six Foot Track singlet as a sail for 550 also. Huh? 550 Wazza, when all your competitors were a hundred adrift. I think we might check what's under his skirt.

Young Aidan ripped along with 490,and probably held the junior gold. Claire Winnick also put on 490 in OW, Dale belted out 'Chest Fever' by the Band for 390, Bruce 'Juice' Stanley squeezed 290 and I'm sure someone got 190. Gail became discombobulated looking for the corner shop 'Kiosk' at 29, and came home late for naught, where 'In' Bev had the brew foaming for 120. Jo & baby walked 220 steps, Georgia 'On My Mind' Jones sang for 320, and Dan 'DHL' Redfern had the saddlebags full for 420. There were plenty of players in the fours and plenty happy to take home a three. Bryony carded 340 to claim from Sue, although Angela 'Fitzgerald' might have come through like the Irish cricket team and gone gold. Ted looked to have worked the Mulherin 'Mullet' to hold Ron to another week of vegetables (420/390), with 'Kettle Chips' back ten.

Ernest 'The Dingo' Windschuttle ran 360, Chris 'Freight' Frain didn't stop as required for 460 and Robyn & Viv enjoyed the evening for 260. Other random scoring to catch the 2B stub were Tim 'Opening Night' Cox enjoying twenty over Ken 'The Viking' Jacobson (340/320), Lisa Lampe switching on for 380, Sharon 'The Roast' Lambert asking for more spuds with 430, and Clare 'Valley' Hanna paying $340.00 for a rare riesling. I also note Ian 'The Spaniard' McKenzie walking a 240 tango, and maybe taking the walking points as I didn't see Jim 'The Trouser' Merchant or Melvin 'Tage Brut' Cox on the paddock.

Lots of excellent scores, with many suprises - including Ian 'The Sauce Bottle' Jessup, covering the Big Ben with an incredible 500. Must be one of Ian's best outings. Thanks Robert and the BNO crew - and the weatherman for some relief from recent steam engine impersonations. Good to be out in the cool of a Sydney summer evening as the SSS blurb used to say.

Next week sees another new area and map, as Jim Merchant has us lined up in front of the firing squad at Croydon Park. The 'Canals' map features the western meanderings of the Cooks River, west of Canterbury Racecourse, and will be a very different outing to Clontarf. Not too many brown lines, but lots of riverside park and track running. Could be an out-and-back sort of flog, with Jimmy working the pots to draw you just that one further away than sense dictates. Should be fast and fantastic - and what's best, it's all new! Another notch in the belt for SSS addicts, and another opportunity to point up the leader board. Don't miss it!

I'd also like to mention the Minigaine that summer series setter Ted 'If He Couldly' Woodley is in charge of on Sunday arvo March 20th. This is a three hour number with a rolling start window set around Browns Waterholes and using a bunch of O maps. Check out the Rogaining website for more details of what should be an enjoyable event.