Orienteering in South East Queensland

09:00 27th August 2006
"Flagstone West" 1:10,000 5m

Sorry no memories other than it was a very challenging and most excellent run.

12:00 Saturday 19th August 2006
"Wild Boar Creek" 2006 1:15,000 5m
Aramara, Maryborough, 180km north of Brisbane CBD
"Red 5" 7.5km 190m climb (2.5%)

I had a good run apart from a catastrophic 2nd leg (15 minute error) - I'm not sure where I went, but I relocated only 150m north of control 1 and tried again.

My time of 92 minutes (12.3 mpk) looks bad and was 33 minutes behind the winner in my grade but I was only half way down the field of 9.

Thanks Geoff for the map and EN-Q for the event.

12:00 Thursday 17th August 2006
"Gap Creek East" 2006 1:10,000 5m
UBD 137 H15 10km W of Brisbane CBD
"Long" 3.2km 150m climb (4.7%)

Scratchy and rugged. My time of 45 minutes (1.4mpk) doesn't look good but I had a good run and came 3rd. Routes shown in black.

Thanks Nev for the event.

09:00 Sunday 13th August 2006
"Bright View" 1:15,000 5m
About 100km WSW of Brisbane CBD
"Red 3" 6.6km 190m climb (2.9%)

I went high and left on 6>7.

Thanks UG for the event and Eric for the map.

12:00 Thursday 11th August 2006
"Samford Forest" 2004 1:10,000 5m
UBD 106 R14 16km NW of Brisbane CBD
"Long" 7 controls out of 10 3.15km 200m climb (6.3%)

This was a Scatter event. For the Long course we had to collect 7 out of 10 controls. This a very steep area, so loop choice and route choice was dominated by conservation of height, leading to great controversy at the finish.

My route is as shown (clockwise); the only minor problem was arriving at the bottom of the broad spur approaching the control marked 5 and spending a little time making sure I was in the right place.

I quickly discarded the two controls to the north because of the 6-8 contours of climb out of each one and because there was no practical way to get from one to the other. I chose 5 for reduced distance but others suggested skipping 5 and running all the way down the spur to the southernmost control, then up the streambed and back into the loop. That avoids the traverse from 5.

Almost everyone did the same second half as me, although Kurt ran anticlockwise and instead of going round the road ran direct from the rocks to the gully then the MMO.

I was second in ?53 minutes to Kurt, a quarter of my age, who took a couple less minutes.

Thanks to Jim for the event and Russell for the map.

09:00 Sunday 6th August 2006
"Toohey Forest 7" 2005 1:10,000 5m
UBD 200 H6 9km SW of Brisbane CBD
"Long Red" 5.5km 200m climb (3.6%)

A combination os steepness, greenness, scratchiness and loose rocks underfoot make this a physically challenging venue. When the course is set by a youngster you can expect a brutal grovel and that's what we got. Nevertheless the course was technically excellent and entertaining.

I took 67 minutes (12.2mpk) which gave me 4th, 12 minutes behind a young buck.

>1 along the road
3>4 entertaining because I didn't find the track leading to the control
13>14 all the way round the track

Thanks to Simon Mee and TFO for the event, Rob for the map.

12:00 Thursday 3rd August 2006
"Wivenhoe Common" 1999 1:10,000 5m
45 minutes West of where I live
"Long" 9 controls 3.75km 200m climb (5.3%)

I ran this well except for two blunders.

I took the wrong track towards the end of 6>7, I'm pleased to say I realised quickly and lost no more than a few seconds. Exiting 7 I met Rod who had made the same mistake!

I knew 8 was going to be tough and it was - I relocated at the tangle of gullies 100m north, then again at the waterfall 100m west.

Route choices:

4>5 around the track to the left
9>Finish high along the road.

We had a smaller than usual turnout, I was the youngest present, Greg was out of sorts and I won.

Matt did the course (which was excellent) and Chris set them out.