BIG FOOT SPRINTS- West Pymble

Few who have run the BG Sprints will ever forget the attack of the killer Zombies ( see article about 2 years ago) at Sydney University. Bicentennial Park at West Pymble was much quieter although a pack of Samurais were spied wielding their swords near control 3 /17 depending whether you were on Course 1 or 2. Fortunately they were friendly.

The map was a ripper with roads, tracks, creeks, cliffs etc. making it for interesting navigation. The courses were set by Mark Shingler and he did a fine job. He had a few traps out there and a number of people came undone on control 11 in Course 2. It would appear that the lure of control 12 was too much and 11 missed.

the sneaky route 11-12

 On Course 1 there is a sneaky route choice but you had to look hard to see it. Dave Lotty who mapped the area saw it so too did Gayle. Look closely at the leg from 11 to 12. Head due east around the circular bit of out of bounds and there right at the end of the rock face it turns from impassable to passable. This saved heading south around the cliff line! and back through the car park. On Course 1 would you have gone around the road from 6-7 or west through the park and up? 14-15 back over the bridge or southwest on the track.

Course 2 was slightly shorter with more climb and more option to run through the white in places.

Again the leg 5-6 posed the question around the road or along the property boundary and up?. 9-10 was interesting around the fenced off section (it was a very tempting swimming centre- people could be seen frolicking in the water) or go  lower and via control 15. I wanted to go via the top of the swimming centre but missed the gap ( London- Mind the Gap). 14-15 was down the road and then across the oval, run the little track and across the oval and straight line through green and then white (avoiding the out of bounds) and then across the oval.

The leg from 15-16 brought a few undone as the natural flow was across the bridge and then along the car park- alas you ended up on the wrong side of the creek. I deliberately chose this route and cut across the top of the creek just below the track. I didn't want to go back around-lazy.
 Winners were awarded chocolates and the rest went empty handed. Mind you as last male finisher on Course 2 I did get some chockies.
As far as results went there were 8 Uringans present.
Shane Doyle was 10th overall, Dave Lotty 40th, Jakob Doyle 41st and Ron Pallas 43rd. The females all succumbed to not finishing. Maree, Serena and Gayle mp on Course 2 and Zara did not start.

Great fun although at 36 degrees when I finished it was a little warm! (That is what you get for being 2nd last out on a chasing start!
Oh well little to do now except wait for the Xmas 5 Days in Armidale. Uringa has a reasonable sized contingent attending:

Dave Lotty

Finn Mackay

Sophie Jones

Ian Jones

Shane Doyle

Serena Doyle

Lawrence Jones

Margaret Jones

Linda Sesta

Maggie Mackay

Gayle Shepherd

Jim Mackay

Following that the club has its first event of the new year on Sunday 17th January at Carss Park. It is a sprint event and Linda has set a very interesting course. Carss park is a great venue: swimming, bbqs and a good café on the map for before and after socialising.
Best wishes to all for the festive season and how could I forget- best wishes to Catherine and Ian as they are wed on 3rd January.