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The 2012 Metroleague kicked off on Sunday at Cecil Hills and everything was a little on the big side. With a new division to take account of the large numbers of runners wanting to take part, there was plenty of competition amongst the clubs. Garingal fielded a full eight teams, and yet that was still not enough places for their aspiring team members, with nearly 20 members entering courses on the day. The results from the Enter On the Day courses showed that Garingal have some formidable depth and strength and will definitely be a team to contend with through the Metro League season.
And it was not only the teams which were on the large side. The recent rains made for incredible new growth, with competitors having to force their way through long grasses all around the course. It was definitely a day when a late start was helpful as later runners had the advantage of large elephant tracks to follow, although with so many runners and courses it was important to choose the right one. Increased insect populations had produced enormous fat spiders weaving the most incredible webs and there wasn't an orienteer who didn't have sticky lines of spider silk all over their club shirts when they got back. Two competitors lost their SI sticks, one complaining that a spider ambushed her, though this seemed rather unlikely.
The wins were shared evenly around the clubs with wins being gained by narrow margins, and in one case unusually achieving a draw (IKN and WH in Division C). Bennelong was the only club with a full sweep of winning matches but generally the wins were evenly distributed around the clubs, and some achieved with the narrowest of margin. Rookies from club training courses were out for their first taste of bush orienteering. Eric Charpentier, a recent joiner to Uringa running for the first time in the league, was quickest around the Division D 3.9km course, and the rookie team running for Uringa of Chris Barraza, Matt Nicols, Celine Samba and anchored by Jane McKenna scored an exciting win in Division E. Their win over WHO was despite the WHO team fielding the quickest runner, Daniel Smith, on the E course in 46:10. Metro League results can be found here; EOD and results by course here.
Despite being sandwiched between the first Metro League race of the season and the heavyweight Easter Carnival event up in Queensland, the first of Garingal's Moonlight Madness events for 2012 had a solid turnout. Perfect weather for night orienteering of cool temperatures and clear skies allowed the runners to tackle the score course whilst bathing in the light of the full moon. Summer Series group winners were out in force, with Steve Ryan and Glen Horrocks battling it out for first place; Steve took the honours by a mere ten points. Wendy Stevenson, who won the Summer Series championship in such amazing style, was running but was beaten by Mary Fien and Gill Fowler both in great form.
The next Moonlight Madness event will be at Cremorne on May 2nd. Full details of the series can be found on the Garingal website here
The closing date for the Coalfields Classic entries is coming up soon. Entries need to be in by 15th April so don't delay and get your entries in here. The Sprint on Saturday is on typical University campus type terrain with intricate buildings and connected pathways in a unique bushland setting. Saturday afternoon takes the racing to a new map near Pelaw Main to classic spur/gully terrain gently undulating with a complex track network and patches of mining detail. The big event on Sunday, the Long Distance, and the World Ranking Event is also spur/gully but here there is some real steepness to negotiate with erosion gully detail right across the map. The team organising the events have been out to video some of the terrain you are going to be racing on - have a look!
The Prologue was fast and furious with NSW Stingers giving some sterling performances. Josh Blatchford in his first year with the big boys in M21E came 4th on the lovely gently undulating terrain with good granite detail, similar to last years prologue in WA, but not drought bound.
Rising NSW junior star Michele Dawson showed her training is coming to fruition with a 2nd place in the W20E class. Other performances included Alex Massey in 5th place in M20E.
They augur well for consideration in the National Teams. Results and splits are available.
Hilary Wood
