Course planner Gordon Balfour comments...
Pity we cannot control the weather, it was a bit of a wet start. If it had been a warm clear day there are good views over the Kapiti district from some of the vantage points, where I had placed controls. It was a wet and slippery course but hopefully climbing the 500 meter altitude to Maunganui, kept you warm.
I gather from the flight plans in relation to the comments after, that most competitors found the going somewhat slower than expected. (This was predicted by Greg Thurlow after checking a lot of the controls - but it's a natural tendency to think we can get most of the controls - even if we're clearly not in the elite league. Actually, I found the travel along the top ridge much faster than I am used to in the Tararuas - webmaster.)
I'm pleased that every control was visited - though #40 just 1km in a beeline from the finish only just squeaked in with 1! Most popular was #64, up the gully on the rough track that leads up to Titi. See below for the table.
Special thanks to Michael Wood for his dedication to producing a very accurate map. These events can only happen with the volunteers who offer their time. Besides helping around the start/finish they were also equipped with running gear, so in the event of a mishap they could come to your assistance. On behalf of all the runners:- Thank you Rob, Phil, Miriam, Paul, and Murray.
I do not intend to uplift the controls until after the Nationals, This is an ideal training ground for both your fitness and sharpening up your map skills. I would love to hear back from any one with the total time to visit all controls in one run.
After missing the turn onto Jans Track the first time, we climbed up to knoll 66, along the wide track to 36, then up and down to 73 between the streams (should that be down and up - webmaster?) Over to 64 the gully on the small-dash Titi track, 13 inside the corner, out to 81 on the other side of Perhams Rd, up to the road junction and into 48. Down to 46 in the stream off the sharp bend, up to clearing 12 and gully 26, and out to the southern-most #93. Back past Titi and from the main ridge down the Rollercoaster to 73. In/out to 22 and 72 on the other side; down/up to 23 the chewed-off ribbon on the rock, over to 80 on the indistinct track, and north to #43 10m below the saddle. Over Maunganui to the lookout 32, out to 71 but no time for 91. Back-tracked over the top and down to the valley via 63 and 33, and 28 on the way out.
Gerry and Ethan Whitehouse, winner 3hrs
Straight uphill to knoll 21, knoll 53, and down again via the watercourse 34. Up Robbies Track through 61 and the ribbon-less 23, left onto the ridge track and along to 43 below the saddle. Just like the 6hr winners, finished off through 63, 33 and 28.
And a mid-field 6hr team: Norilie Lopez, Laurie Gallagher and Michael Wood
South past FourX4 and up the slippery climb to knoll 66. #73 looked like we would waste less height by coming in from the north, exiting south. Across and back from #36 was level going, in/out to #64 on the Titi track, then had a chat to a coupla quad-bike drivers. Through 13 and 46, wondering how the bikers could negotiate the steep pinches, in/out to 48, passing a a set of antlers. Off the road for #12 with some needless searching when the small clearing didn't turn up as soon as we felt. #16 and then back onto the road and a water top-up at Titi. #74 looked too far down but 22 and 72 were cool. The absence of the ribbon at rock 23 lost us some time with Laurie thinking there might be some other rocks further down. But no, and on getting back to the rock there was the stump of the ribbon. Over the other side to #80, this was delightful nav as it was almost level and the markers were very few. Had a false alarm about which saddle was #43, shoulda known that it's always further than you think; time on 23 and 43 probably put the kybosh on plans to do 71 and/or 91. Over Maunganui with its small open patches and the lookout 32; and on to the Game Farm track (51 and 40) with the thought that we would pick up some littlies close to the road. But it took longer to get down than we thought, and 20 (part of a confidence course belonging to the old Teachers College lodge) was the only one we had time for. Might have managed 28, but it would have risked a lateness.