So now we know- SI Units are both waterproof and buoyant!
An interesting control site choice at the foot of a jetty proved to be more than a test for competitors when the tide came in. Luckily the SI unit not only worked but also floated meaning that competitors only had to risk a little dampness around the feet rather than a full dipping in the brine to get their points at the latest Central Coast event.
Nick Dent had delivered a brand new map of Davistown for the 7th event in the Central Coast series set by Julia and Paul Prudhoe. With a point filled flatter section and a challenging hilly area competitors were hard pressed to get all the points on offer. Winner Tim Austin had the best score with a net 350 pts with Patrik Gunnarson close behind but all top 5 male runners were tempted into time penalties. Karen Blatchford shared top scores with Hilary Wood and Asya Khristosova but won with her impeccable time management, incurring no penalties. In the Open Class Michael and Elizabeth Gadiel were top scorers with 200 points.
The frontrunner for the Championship after 6 events in the Mens Open is Patrik Gunnarson with four top scores and a great average. Karen Blatchford will need to bring her best for the remaining events to take the lead from Hilary Wood whose average is lower but who has been more consistently competing in the series. The Open Class is still wide open with top scores from Nicole Sellin, Katrina Hardie and Michael & Elizabeth Gadiel putting them in joint top position with three races still to go.
The next event in the Central Coast Summer Series is on 29 January at Berkeley Vale.
Thanks to David Bowerman and Andrew Appleby for their help with this report.
