Enough of the drama, the last shoestring for 2000 took off from the Stratton Street roadend at 6pm for a 2-hour sharpener for the 12-hour on Saturday. The field was quality not quantity, with Steve Holden and Andrew McCarthy heading straight up to Belmont Trig where the 100-pointer was, Michael Wood and Dave King up to the Old Coach Road where there was a cluster of smaller points and a tempting 90 points right down at the Hill Road- Sweetacres junction.
Dave did it again, but only just. His 690 was 20 points ahead of Andrew's, with Steve on 600 and Michael 490 (running 10min under time as course planner's handicap). See you Saturday.
Arriving late, Dave picked up a map from under the windscreen and took off into an area of big-pointers between Happy Valley and Hawkins Hill, cleaning most of them up except a 30-pointer on the Tip Track. Then he set off for the windmill, round through Brooklyn (there is no short-cut!) to Kingston Heights, and somehow he found a shortcut from there down onto Happy Valley Road and home.
With 840 points out of 1000 this outclassed the previously unbeaten Steve Holden by 190, and the rest of us who were between 490 and 600. Results: Dave 840, Steve 650, Simon Faulkner 600, David Rohan 580, Harriett Carr and Jenny Cossey 550, Michael Wood 490, Mike and Alan Lowrie and Jane Furkert, 520 - 220 lateness, Alan Horn 250 in 1.5hrs.
Next event Tuesday 5 Dec, venue to be advised. Might be a shorty in deference to the 12-hr four days later!! Enquiries to Michael Wood
There must be somthing about Mt Kaukau! Or is it course planner Toney Gazley???
At last year's shoestring rogaine the mountain was shrouded in mist and a steady drizzle greeted competitors. This year the TV tower was clearly visible but a cold southerly whipped through Wellington during the day, and although the rain had gone by 6pm the wind was still strong.
At 1 minute to 6 the two competitors were discussing with Tony what date the course should be transferred to, when suddenly a fleet of cars arrived and it was all go! Controls "upstairs" from Kaukau to Johnstones Hill, several down below including the highest score in a stream in the Karori Cemetery, and even a couple of quite big ones over on Tinakori Hill. The start/finish was in Silverstream Road, Crofton Downs.
Steve Holden again top-scored with 670 out of a possible 920, but excellent showings were made by Gillian Ingham (510 in 2 of the 3 hours) and new rogainer David Rowan (460 in 2hr 20). Ross Bidmead was officially second on 530. Other results: Michael Wood 480, Andrew and Angeline Shelley 180
Tony Gazley couldn't find his shoestrings so instead of Mt Kaukau the 24 Oct shoestring rogaine went back to the Western Hills of Lower Hutt.
The Hutt Valley OC has the complete valley in the computer, and Michael Wood was able to pull out another chunk of Lower Hutt for this week's rogaine.
Eleven people took part, including a Tasmanian orienteer over here for a holiday. Dave King won again with 512 points, but Steve Holden was close on 504. Planner Michael Wood elected to spend 2 hours on his bike instead of 3 hours on foot, and collected 471.
This page was written by Michael Wood, and updated on 26 Nov 00.