St Ives Showground was the setting for the running of the XXIV (24th) Big Foot Sprints. The format is simple. Sprint 1 determines your starting position in the Chasing Start Sprint 2.
The map was a real mix of big open areas, open bush, green bush and tracks big and small.
Course planner Paul Marsh set two quite different courses.
Sprint 1 featured the first 6 controls in the bush including a big climb (4-5) followed by a longish track run (5-6). From there on we headed into the open ovals and on to the finish.
Ewan Shingler completed the courses which was 2.6kms in 13.18 with Alastair George a hare's breadth away in 13.23. Nea Shingler was the first woman home in 16.28.
Uringa had 12 starters in the first race.
11th - Kelvin 16.58, 13th Ant 18.42, 28th Shane 21.00, 37th Serena 23.20, 39th Ori 23.54, 55 Jim 28.04, 57 Maggie 28.48, 62 Ian McK 30.28, 69th Jonathan 31.22, 74th Melanie 34.59, 79th Ron 39.31, 83rd Gayle 44.12
After a brief respite as the day was certainly warming up the positions in the chasing start were publish with Alastair starting just 5 seconds behind Ewan. As you looked down the list there were a few clusters of starters setting off with 1 or 2 seconds of each other.
Sprint 2 was marginally shorter at 2.4kms with 1st control highly visible across the oval. It was interesting to see that the majority left the start and went to the right... Ewan consolidated his 1st ranking heading Alastair home by 12 seconds (11.42 - 11.54 respectively). Nea was unchallenged as the first woman home in 14.49.
Only 10 Uringans faced the starter and it was getting hotter. Ant came home in 16.59 in 18th, Serena 19.25 28th, Jonathan 21.43 41st ( great rune by Jono!), Kelvin was 46th home in 23.57, Shane 53rd 26.22, Ian 27.44 in 56th, Maggie 28.04, 60th beat home Jim who was 63rd in 29.25. In 70th place was Gayle 36.27 and filling 73rd in 40.28 was Ron. ( went bush from 9-10 and ended up on the other side of a very tall fence and had to take the long way around!)
And so to the final results. Here the tally after the two races is the deciding factor. Ewan was 1st followed by Alastair with two of our up and coming juniors Sam Woolford and Cooper Horley barking at their heels. In the womans Nea had a 3 minute gap over Emily Sorenson with Lilja Lehtonen (another up and coming junior) in 3rd.
For Uringa Ant was best placed in 12th, Kelvin 28th, Serena 31st, Shane 40th, Jonathan 46th, Maggie 53rd, Jim 55th, Ian 58th Ron 70th and Gayle 71st.
Whilst it was hot as you finished there was a coolish breeze coming in from the NE which tended to reduce the sweating.
The winners received their traditional chocolates and as a bonus there was a majestic Big Foot Cake celebrating the 40th Birthday of Big Foot
