Uringa News: NSW Middle and Long Distance Championships

Uringa teamed up with their buddy Club Central Coast to run the NSW Middle and Long Distance Championships at Long Swamp just north of Lidsdale (near Lithgow). This event was twice postponed because of covid, had it been run in September as originally planned life would have been a lot easier indeed.

A number of things impacted on this event. Firstly, the map was ravaged by bushfires in that terrible summer in 2019/2020 and had been revised by Rob Vincent. However nature fought back and the rain in the region was substantial and with the canopy trees rather worse for wear after the fires along came prolific regrowth and all this happened whilst we were in LGA lockdown.

On top of the pagodas

The planners, Colin Price and Alice Prudhoe along with controllers Nick Wilmott and Paul Prudhoe, were able to make preliminary visits to the terrain early in the year. However, the LGA lock down meant that they were unable to return until lockdown lifted in mid-October. What they planned on paper during lockdown didn’t always work out in the field. So in a few short weeks courses were tweaked and stands put out.

Then came the rain of the last two weeks. Long Swamp lived up to its name. It had been pretty well dry for many years (there is an underground coal mine in the vicinity). With the torrential rain the swamp greatly expanded and the crossing points planned were in need of bridges. Thus, the Long Courses had to be changed again, this in the week prior to the event. Most of the courses had a leg which herded the runners over a bridge across the swamp. It is at this point we should stand and applaud the heroic efforts of Paul and Julia Prudhoe who had to go back into the terrain once more and move stands that they along with Alice Prudhoe, John Fuller, Nick Wilmott and Dave McKenna had put out only a week or two previously.

On the way in to the event

And then came the weather forecast. The weekend of November 20/21 was the weekend that a large rain cell was due to drench the east coast and central areas of NSW. Whoops forgot to mention that the access road into the forest as dirt and there was a lot of speculation as to whether all but the 4wd, all-terrain vehicles would make it to the assembly area.

It was about this time that organiser, John Fuller was pulling his hair out- what else….. Mind you the preparation of the Fire Management plan was certainly not needed as well as the detailed Covid plan as restrictions changed.

Gear was packed and lots of Uringans and Central Coast orienteers headed west. Saturday morning dawned and the rain radar showed a chance of showers. One noted BOM employee commented Saturday will be ok but on Sunday a “fire hose” will be turned on over Lithgow- and that meant us.

With many hands the set up was quick and easy. Post Saturday’s event it was a case of batten down the hatches – sides went up on the tents to protect from the mega rain. It didn’t come as the storm cell skirted us on its path into Sydney. Mind you whilst it rained consistently overnight, on Sunday when we arrived at the arena thankfully the contents of the tents were dry. Many hands completed the set up whilst it was raining lightly.

Fortunately, by mid-morning raincoats and umbrellas disappeared meaning that tents, tarpaulins etc were reasonably dry for pack up. Rather than being a stressful time the many hands of UR and CC had a grand old time folding tent sides and tent tops with lots of good-humoured banter. ( They actually enjoyed it)

Cars were packed, controls collected and cars exited down a soggy but still surprisingly firm forest road.

For the competitors the weekend was a challenge. The pagoda rock formations were large and much time could be lost if you went the wrong way around. Tal on one side and huge cliffs on the other

Day 1, the Middle Distance Champs involved a remote start and finish some kilometre and a bit north of the Assembly Arena. There were many tired bodies marching down the road. The download team handled the weary orienteers slickly and in a blast from the past in the age of technology (no phone reception) results were displayed using slats. There were many heads scratched trying to work out the last time we used slats- perhaps the 2016 NSW Schools Champs at Georges Hall and West Sydney Uni at Milperra. Slats were superseded by using screens and more recently by live casting to the internet.

A presentation was held which is another rare occurrence the last being in April at Easter. Maggie Mackay scored an impressive win in W14A which is a pretty hot class. In M35A Ian McKenzie out foxed his much younger opponents for 2^nd and Melanie Christie W45A and Serena Doyle W20A collected 3^rd place badges. Close but not close enough in 4^th place were Jono Nolan M14A, Kelvin Meng M18A, Dave Lotty M65AS, Ant Nolan M50A, Gayle Shepherd W55As and Brian Cleland in M80A.

Sunday and initially in the rain competitors had a rather short 350m to the start. Mind you, you crossed the marsh which involved a bit of walking in water. For many of the competitors they equalled or bettered their times that they had done the previous day.

Once again, the slats worked a treat and much chit chat could be heard nearby as competitors, many of whom had not seen each other for many months, caught up exchanging war stories of their respective runs.

Badges were again a feature of the presentation. Maggie Mackay W14A and Jono Nolan M14A were proudly handed the 2^nd place badge. Linda Sesta W50A and wait for it Sarah Garnett W60A finished 3^rd

Kelvin Meng M18A, Ant Nolan M50A and Brian Cleland M80A were 4^th.

And so, the NSW Middle and Long Distance Champs were finally run. The mighty team of Uringan and Central Coast volunteers were amazing from the vaccine checkers – checking double vacc certificates (it was amazing the number who had to scramble in bags etc to locate the certificate be it on phone or paper despite being warned to have it ready), to the first aiders, start teams, download teams, parking team and especially those who backed up after the event to collect controls – you were amazing. A special mention to Organiser John Fuller who did a great job pulling it all together.

Now next weekend we have the Uringa Christmas get together!!