ACT Championships- The Sandhills

The Sandhills an area about 13kms east of Bungendore was named after the sand extraction industry that once thrived in the area. What was left behind after mining moved on makes for complex orienteering.
The Sandhills lived up to expectations- tough physical and challenging.

Saturday ACT Middle Distance Championships- NOL race
After resisting the lure of the many shops in the Bungendore CBD, orienteers found themselves in a beautifully sunny assembly area. The air was crisp to say the least but the leisurely late morning starts meant that the chill was well and truly off the area and sun cream was being applied ( Mind you it only made it to 14 degrees but the sun trap assembly area had you looking for shorts and t-shirts.)

Maureen - deep in concentration. You can see the finish on her left

Dick in the race to control 1

Dave - "jobbling" up the start chute

Today the start was right next to the finish and everyone had a sprint of around 100m to their first control which was also a pivot control which most visited 3 times during their course. Looking at the map you can see that the loops at the end of courses made for testing navigation but it was the vague

The Pivot

areas on the initial stages of the courses that brought many undone.
Three first places was a great effort and Dick's run was a real blinder. Our Swiss Miss Linda beat home her Swiss counterpart Anita (former Uringa Member) comfortably

Day 1 map- note the pivot control 1/8/14

Plac	Name	Class	Time
1	Maureen Ogilvie	W80A	1:30:35
1	Dick Ogilvie	M70A	39:50
1	Linda Sesta	W45A	31:57
7	Dave Lotty	M70A	1:19:17
	Gayle Shepherd	W60A	did not finish

Sunday ACT Long Distance Champs- NOL Race
Now Sunday was chilly- -6 degrees over night and the sight that greeted the organisers was white, white, white. However the sun trap assembly area soon warmed up. The finish tents all had to be moved into the sun as they defrosted. The best thing about getting a good frost is that you know you will have a corker of a day and so it was.

Yes it was chilly at the assembly area. Ok not quite this cold.( well Nick and Marg in Turkey!)

This was the scene at 9am

Men Elite - check out the first leg!

Today the start was kilometre away but it was just as entertaining as there was a video feed from the start. The elites had courses ranging from 15km to 10km- man hard work. The video feed saw many of these fast of feet stand at the start for some time as they pondered their first leg. Each course had a very long leg to kick start their course.
A feature of the area was the fallen timber on the ground. Gayle remarked that it seemed impossible that all the timber had fallen at 90 degrees to the direction of travel ensuring you would trip at every step.

The vague hillsides made for tricky navigation. On my course I wandered off line but was saved by control 5 as I headed to my first control. However the brief taste of the mounds around control 9 was great. I detoured to check out the elite pivot control.
Result wise Maureen completed another double header with a resounding win in W80A. I snuck in to a 1st place- the first first for a long time! Gayle puts her disasters down to over dosing on grandchildren over the weekend. Linda had a "Barry Crocker" which let Anita sneak in for a first place. Dick climbed the podium for a third in the highly competitive M70

Plac	Name	Class	Time
1	Maureen Ogilvie	W80A	2:06:21
1	Ron Pallas	M55AS	59:06
2	Linda Sesta	W45A	1:02:56
3	Dick Ogilvie	M70A	1:09:07
4	Dave Lotty	M70A	1:20:25
	Gayle Shepherd	W55AS	mispunched

Well it was a pity to leave the sundrenched assembly area but the Bungendore CBD coffee shops were calling many before heading down the Hume to home.
Next trip into the cold will be the QB111 in Lithgow and entries close tonight Monday 25th.

State Leagues 5 and 6- Orange

It always  seems a long drive to Orange but really the dual lane work on the Great Western Highway has made a great deal of difference with only a 2km section through Lawson that is still 1 lane. Mind you by the looks of things this section could be open almost any day. However road works from the bottom of Mt Victoria - to Lithgow are now the sticking point.

And so it was a gaggle of cars ferried the intrepid Uringans up the mountains for a weekend in Orange.

Day 1 - State League 5 was at Rocky Falls just a little north of Mullion Creek a noted area during the gold rush. The weather was chilly in the shade but magnificent in the open. The forest is quite runnable but very tricky and many an orienteer returned with tales of woe. It is an area where map contact is essential. Spur gully is always a challenge and today was no exception.
From the results below you can see that a number of Uringans graced the podium with 4 firsts, 4 seconds and 4 thirds. Once more Georgia is letting the junior elites know she is around with a great result in W20A great result for Georgia in W20A. Jonathon and William had excellent runs and it was good to see Jane tagging along behind Jonathon free from injury.

1	Ant Nolan	M40A	36:05
1	Georgia Jones	W-20A	53:06
1	Maureen Ogilvie	W80A	1:34:45
1	Linda Sesta	W45A	42:10
1	Jonathan Nolan	M/W-10N	16:45
2	William Nolan	M-12A	42:24
2	Jim Mackay	M45AS	43:08
2	Margaret Jones	W45A	52:00
2	Dick Ogilvie	M70A	50:34
3	Sophie Jones	W-14A	27:39
3	Finn Mackay	M-14A	19:55
3	Dave Lotty	M70A	53:02
3	Gayle Shepherd	W45AS	50:14
4	Lawrence Jones	M-20A	46:01
4	Tim Sleath	M40A	1:07:07
4	Ian Jones	M45A	33:32
5	Jane McKenna	W45A	59:55

A number of Uringans quenched thirsts and eased hunger at Orange Ex-Services club that night. Catching a few carbs ready for the challenge of Gumble Pinnacles.

Day 2 NSW Long Championships- Gumble Pinnacles.
Located just north of Manildra, the Pinnacles have been used sparingly since its debut in 2001. One look at the map and you are sure the printer has erred as there are all these black dots all over the place. Since 2001 there has been  very few changes but the one that really made life difficult for all is that there has been a little bit of growth in the under story which means that visibility is reduced. Maintaining map contact is essential  as erring from your chosen route can be very punishing. ( I speak from personal experience dropping 10 minutes on one leg and 6 on another because I stopped concentrating). Must mention that the weather was fantastic - cold start to the morning but the sun made spectating and competition very pleasant.

This was tough for all and times on all courses were long and only 5 runners cracked the 10 min/km pace.
The mighty Mo Ogilvie backed up again for a win in W80A - I wonder how many state titles that makes for her. Linda and Georgia also topped the leaders board in their classes ( A fine double for them both).
Tim, Dick William and Finn took out worthy 2nd place badges and Ant, Maggie, Gayle ( won the chocolate leg too!) Ian and Sophie were 3rd in their classes.

1	Maureen Ogilvie	W80A	1:54:16
1	Linda Sesta	W45A	1:21:08
1	Georgia Jones	W20A	1:23:32
2	Dick Ogilvie	M70A	59:33
2	Tim Sleath	M21AS	2:18:36
2	William Nolan	M12A	42:46
2	Finn Mackay	M14A	42:59
3	Ant Nolan	M40A	1:52:07
3	Margaret Jones	W45A	2:35:53
3	Gayle Shepherd	W45AS	1:12:54
3	Ian Jones	M45A	1:10:33
3	Sophie Jones	W14A	45:48
4	Jim Mackay	M45AS	2:04:41
4	Dave Lotty	M70A	1:17:41
4	Ron Pallas	M55AS	1:05:28
5	Lawrence Jones	M20A	1:50:25
	Jane McKenna	W45A	mispunched
	Jonathan Nolan	M/W10N	completed

The gaggle of cars then headed back down the mountains in far easier traffic than in previous trips.

Next big event is the QB111 which will be based around Lithgow.  Entries close on the 25th May.
Day 1- Saturday  6th June
http://eventor.orienteering.asn.au/Events/Show/2287
Day 2- Sunday 7th June
http://eventor.orienteering.asn.au/Events/Show/2288
Day 3 -Monday 8th June
http://eventor.orienteering.asn.au/Events/Show/2289

Also a reminder
Sunday 24th may- Cancer Council Park Adventure
31st May- Great Nosh run- Uringa mans the water stop at Roseville Bridge.