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| Dave in full flight |
A small and enthusiastic group from Uringa boarded planes and ferries to head to the deep south for a week of orienteering in Tasmania. Yes folks it was cold for the entire week mind you there were a few moments when the sun made an appearance. The events were based around the scenic St Helens on Tassie's east coast. this is the 4th time that big events have been held in this area and for some of us it is like coming home.
The series of events included the Tassie Long Champs, Australian Sprint , Middle and Long Championships plus the Australian Relay Champs with the Australian Schools Champs lodged in the middle supported by a couple of public events.
So where to start- Australian Middle Champs. These were held just west of St Helens in an area of spur gully with some granite of large and small denominations tossed in for interest.
Maureen W75 and Sophie W10 were the only two to make it to the podium 1st and 2nd respectively. Mind you Dave and Dick had a great battle in M65 with only 2 seconds separating them after there 3.6km course.
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| Melissa, georgia and rebecca - Schools Relays |
It was a return to the same area for the Tasmanaian Long Champs. Oh dear there was just a bit of green around creeks which caught me good and proper ( Zuzu too) 37 minutes to the 1st control and I would still be there but for the arrival of the equally perplexed Zuzu who just happened to need a control that I had just found. This area featured ultra long water races which were used by the tin miners. They were better than tracks most of the time.
Maureen and Sophie manitained their podium status with this time both our girls achieveing 1st placings.
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| Ian - concentration mode |
So then it was off to Royal George some 80 kms west of St Helens. This was the location for the Australian Schools Champs in which Lawrence and Georgia Jones were competing.
Lawrence had a great schools carnival with an excellent 13th place in Senior Boys ( his 1st year in this class) Georgia was equally impressive with 9th in Junior Girls. Georgia's Junior Girls team came home 4th overall (3rd Australian team) Georgia was 3rd fastest on her leg. Due to an injury Larence's team did not finish but not before lawrence had a very solid run to came in 8th Fastest on his 3rd leg.
Geoprgia was awarded a place in the Australian Schools Honour Team - Junior Girls.
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| Gayle and Ron at MONA in Hobart |
A rest day in a carnival is always welcome and saw orienteers heading to all points. Gayle and I headed to Hobart to visit the world renowned MONA ( Museum of Old and New Art.). This is well worth a visit and this is coming from someone who is not a true art gallery fan. The building is multi-levelled and with much of the museum below ground. You can see the very quirky entrance in the accompanying photo.Your guide is an ipod which has gps tracking so that it tells you what your looking at before you can say "Iwish had this in the bush"
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| Ex Uringan Anita - on the rocks at Bicheno |
And so it was off to Bicheno for the Australian Sprint Championships. Cold and grey and for some rain when they started ( this brown duck started in the rain.) The map was basically a headland with the surrounding rocks and ocean mapped. It was great fun. the rocks were not what we were used to and so many were caught by the scale.
Once again Maureen and Sophie reigned supreme. I was one of many who mis-punched. 21 controls in a small space - well that was my excuse.
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| Sophie with her fellow M/12 runners 2nd place! |
The Australian Champs were held on the very flat a tin mining area a few kilometres west of St Helen's. Those who have been here know just how unforgiving this area is. It was made all the more difficult by a lot of recent rain which turn the claypans into very wet and muddy wastelands that only helped you grow taller as your shoes gained another layer or two of mud. The erosion gullies which were actually drives dug by miners as they chased the tin ore were oft times quite narrow and multi faceted. The major gullies were more often than not extremely deep and hard to cross. It was an area that was perhaps the hardest navigationally that I have run on.
Georgia joined Maureen and Sophie on the podium with a fine 1st place in W14A Maureen 2nd in W75A and Sophie scored a 2nd in W19A. Ian and Maggie Jones both had a peak at the podium finishing 4th in M45A and W45A respectively. Joining us at this event were Margaret and Ingrid Wilmott. They were in Tasmania to support Nick
who was playing hockey in a Veteran's tournament.
The final day saw perhaps the best of the weekend weather where Linda would have been down to a short sleeve thermal. The map Littlechild Creek was the venue for the Australian Relays. This map has a reputation for fierce vegetation along creek lines. The organisers put in a number of creek crossings ( I think they used napalm) The programmed suggested trying to cross anywhere else without the help of a chain saw would lead to loss of life or limb.
Perhaps the saddest part of this day was that the courses were very very difficult. The creek crossing compounded the problems. The courses were best served up as a middle event. The mass start for second leg runners was delays to enable more than a handful of 1st leg runners to get back. The third leg runners mass start had over 40 runners involved. It was not an area suitable for this event. That said it was on for young and old. Lots of mis-punches and many old heads fell for the get a drink and forget to punch at a water control!
Ian Jones in a M35 team streaked home in 1st place, Sophie Jones in M/W12 kept up her appointments with the podium with a 2nd place. Maureen was not to be outdone with a fine 2nd place in W65.
From here it was off to the planes and ferries heading home to the warmth of Sydney.
washing done- blog done now what's next Xmas 5 Days in beautiful Beechworth!
