Southern Sydney Summer Series Wrap-up

Uringa ran four of the eight events in the 2016 Southern Sydney Summer Series. Thanks to Adrienne Kirby, Ian McKenzie, Shane Doyle and Dave Lotty for course setting, and everyone for helping out.

The Series comprises eight events, with the best four results added for the final score and ranking.  Uringans were well represented . . . helping out at all those events (and the great socialising that goes with it on a Sunday afternoon) brings out a lot of members.

(Please don't be shy about offering to help in some way, or just asking to compare maps and route choices. The 'rusted on' orienteers sometimes get a bit carried away talking to one another because of a long shared history,)

Junior Men
1 Benoit Pecoud
4 Finn Mackay
6 Jakob Doyle
7 Michael Southwell

Junior Women
1 Sophie Jones
2 Marie Doyle
3 Georgia Jones
4 Serena Doyle
5 Maggie Mackay
6 Janine Southwell
10 Zara Doyle

Open Men
4 Ondrej Pavlu
5 Michael Weiner
11 Myall Quint

Open Women
3 Catherine Murphy
11 Clare Murphy

Masters Men
2 Own Shepherd

Masters Women
5 Jane Boland

Veteran Men
1 Ant Nolan
2 Ian Jones
7 Shane Doyle
9 Michael Warlters

Veteran Women
2 Maggie Jones
3 Linda Sesta

Super Veteran Men
4 Jim Mackay
12 Matt Peters
14 Ron Pallas

Super Veteran Women
2 Gayle Shepherd
3 Adrienne Kirby

Legends Men
3 Ian McKenzie
5 Dick Ogilvie
9 Dave Lotty
10 Terry Murphy

Legends Women
2 Mary Jane Mahony
3 Helen Murphy

Immortal Men
1 Brian Cleland

Immortal Women
1 Maureen Ogilvie

Walking Men
2 Laurent Billot
3 Ian McKenzie

Walking Women
1 Monica Brockmyre

Apologies if you were left off the list above

Big Foot Sprints

The 19th running of the BigFoot Sprints was staged on the Crimson Hill Map. Crimson Hill is the latest designer enclave just on the western edge of Lindfield and for the residents the bush surrounding the residences must be a huge attraction. There is a high school being built in the area so it should be a great area for a sprint in the future with a juicy mix of buildings and bush!

Qualifier

Anyone in the "gun runner" category must have fancied their chances for a win however all hopes were dashed when Julian Dent rode into town. Julian,  having spent some 15 years competing at international level plus living in Sweden for the past 5 years, was just too fast. His combined times for the two races of 16.44 was faster than 2/3 of the fields time for just one leg. Ondrej, in 2nd place,  mind you only dropped 49 seconds to Julian in the second race. Third placed was another ex- elite Grant Bluett.
In the women's race it was Shannon Jones from ACT who lead the field home finishing in 23.20. Paula Shingler was 2nd just 26 seconds behind. Third was Tracy Bluett.

The Chase

The leg start to 1 was interesting - do you go left or right. I went left but I wonder if left was faster?

Up and coming junior Serena had a very comfortable win on the Entree Course.

As for the Uringan brigade:
2. Ondrej 19.16
10. Shane 23.30
21. Linda 30.08
31. Ian McK 38.50
36 Maree 41.32
42. Ron 48.01
43. Dave 48.05
47. Gayle 61.49

Entree Course
1. Serena 10.14

I wonder how much closer Shane would have been to the top of the list, mind you top ten is nothing to be sneezed at, as he lost his glasses at control 5 on the first map and ran "blind" for the remainder of the race. He returned to the area and located his glasses.
The "crocs" Dave and Ron had a battle royal with Dave's superior navigation eating into Ron's first race lead and he made  his passing move between 10 /11. Alas for Dave a sprint by Ron to the finish meant he kept his nose in front overall.

Centennial Park Final Event of Southern Summer Series

Was it Centennial Park? Was it the bake sale fundraiser for Zonta birthing kits? Was it the weather? Was it just December?

Nearly ninety runners signed on for the last event of the 2016 Southern Summer Series.

Dave Lotty set a wide-ranging course.  A number of control were placed on controls in the Centennial Park permanent course, reminding runners that of that other option. (Information on the permanent course is here.)

There was a late challenging change to the map: just what film will be made at the filmset under construction (causing a control to be moved 50 metres and challenging navigation planning)?  There was the usual problem with navigation in the bushy northern part of the map (yes, bush - the park is not all lawns and ponds).

Helen Murphy and Mary Jane Mahony, supported by a band of Uringa bakers, raised over $500 to donate to the Zonta Club of Sydney Breakfast Inc towards the next Birthing Kits Assembly Day. Sugar hits from luscious cookies, cupcakes, slices and cake were widespread.

Sue Thompson (Garingal) won the first raffle prize Christmas cake and Kevin Kirby (Illawarra Kareelah) the second prize.

Christmas Party & End of Year Celebration

President's Cup winners: Marg, the Nolan  'Gong Team (cyclists), Georgia

The Uringa Christmas party is one of the club's two big annual social events (the winter dinner being the other). This year's event was yet another highly successful mix of orienteering (the President's Cup), socialising, eating, and, of course, Santa Claus. The venue this year was provided by Matt and Helen (all renovations complete), along with the pool at St. Joseph's College across the street.

The President's Cup
The traditional afternoon start (3.30pm-ish) was not a hot one this year, with the temperature moderated by a cloudy sky. The map offered a hill, water views and crossings, and St.Joseph's College campus.

The course offered 21 controls for a 40 minute score event, with a question to be answered at each. Much discussion afterwards on some of them: what is a chimney stack and how does it differ from a chimney pot? what is a goal post (when seen from a distance)? and even where is south? and, oh yes, I was distracted while I was counting the bricks.

President's Cup mugs, made by Jitka, are awarded at the discretion of the club president. (For a complete history of President's Cup awardees, go to the 2015 November postings in this blog.)

The Eating and the Socialising

You didn't have to enter the President's Cup to enjoy this aspect, though you did have to bring your contribution to the meal.

The club provides the barbecue cooked by Aldo and Ron  (meat and vegetarian options) while attendees bring a plate, coordinated by Gayle. It was a feast! Again.

Best of all was the opportunity to catch up with old friends, get to know new friends better, and start the wind-down to the end of the year.

 

And, of course, there was Santa

Cup & Saucer (Sydney Summer Series South of the Harbour)

Cup & Saucer is the newest of the Cooks River maps, and had its first outing for an event in the 26th year of the Wednesday Sydney Summer Series.

Rick Steel set a course which catered to all, not too hilly, lots of route choice (even with a river and a creek and limited crossings of each).

Those who were not among the 140 or so runners who turned up Wednesday can be forgiven. This time.

Yes, the radar said there would be a storm, and there was: set up for the event was compactly arranged within a picnic shelter and the early runner went out in the rain - but then the weather cleared and it was a lovely, cool summer evening from about 5pm onwards.

Yes, there would have been substantial traffic between north of the harbour and south of the harbour, but we know all about that - summer series orienteers living south of the harbour routinely experience it to attend the many north of the harbour events.

Watson's Bay Wow (Southern Summer Series)

Adrienne Kirby's first ever course setting for Uringa Orienteers was a wow! Great views of the Pacific Ocean to the east, while to the west Watson's Bay, Parsley Bay, Sydney Harbour - you name it. There were ups and downs aplenty - after all, Old South Head Rd runs along a narrow ridge. The views, the challenge, the sea breezes all made it worthwhile.

Cooper Park - an up and down Sunday challenge

 
 A stone's throw from Bondi Junction is the lovely Cooper Park (and environs). The park/s were their lovely selves on a Sunny afternoon, and the envrions  were, well, hilly. This map is always a challenge to navigators to minimise the ups and downs. On this outing the big points were out at the edges, and from the scores it appears not too many participants reached them. Thanks to course setter Ian McKenzie for a challenging run.