 pete s
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Posted: 12 August 2010, 4:54 AM
I agree Bryan - Wellington is lucky to have this on their doorstep. I have been wondering where we could go to have an epic event such as this in Auckland - finally think I found it last weekend, at the Riverhead rogaine - some fantastically deep mud, and some of the best green terrain I have come across in a while (will be pulling gorse out of my skin for some weeks I suspect).
Some of the green was possibly good enough to even beat Hamish Goodwin (from who I have one of my favourite quotes - "I haven't found a patch of green I havent been able to get through yet!").
I'm extremely surprised by Jenni's comments about Aucklanders - it is SO unlike a Cantabrian to have a bias or one eyed view of things, OR to take cheap shots at anyone North of the Bombay hills (Not!) :-)
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pete s
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Posted: 12 August 2010, 4:57 AM
PS - forgot to say big apologies Bryan for not making this one after all - not due to being an Aucklander who is afraid of some steep green, rather, I shall be busy man handling 16x 8 and 9 year olds at my son's B'day....probably will have a similar level of challenge as the winter classic I suspect!
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paultheOctopus
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Posted: 12 August 2010, 6:56 AM
Awwww what a nice guy Pete. But you are completely mad.
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Bryan
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Posted: 12 August 2010, 10:06 AM
I remember having a birthday party at home with only six 7 year old boys and after 30 minutes felt like I had almost done a Winter Classic. By the end of an hour and a half (which felt like 8 hours), I vowed never again - next birthday will definitely be away from home.
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Michael
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Posted: 12 August 2010, 4:10 PM
There you are Greg, no need to travel to Europe for your training needs, or even Wellington..
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Michael
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Posted: 15 August 2010, 9:34 AM
Jamie! (Then he went off to play a game of rugby. He'll probably follow that with a kids birthday party. Watch out Chris Forne.)
And Yvette won the women. Those birthday parties again.
This message was edited by Michael on 15 August 2010, 5:38 PM
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Bryan
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Posted: 16 August 2010, 12:44 AM
Yes, Jamie won with Brent 5 minutes behind after 2 and a half hours.
Yvette won from Penny in 2 hours.
Neil Kane in an upset won the M40 Cretney memorial after the high-class field made mistakes.
Nick Hann won the M18A beating everyone on his course (and even Yvette by 5 minutes).
A tough one this year. I can tell when its tough by who doesn't finish and also that noone stays around to pick up controls (only myself and Alan - some controls are still out there).
After checking all controls (and putting out half of them), and picking up 60% of the controls on Sunday, I was bushed and still am.
I will be a zombie at work and I expect many of the competitors will be too.
Full results and race report and analysis coming soon.
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pcbrent
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Posted: 16 August 2010, 12:53 AM
Hey Bryan, thanks for a great event. Was a tough tough course. One of the most physical Orienteering races ever.
I am sore today.
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nicke
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Posted: 16 August 2010, 3:23 AM
Bryan, the whole family had a great time yesterday. I am looking forward to using that map again. I have already replied to Alan H about collecting controls this week, or tonight even.
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Bryan
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Posted: 16 August 2010, 5:48 AM
Results available on website:
http://www.winterclassic.co.nz/wc/results2010.html
Splits and full race report and analysis coming later.
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Jamie
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Posted: 16 August 2010, 10:47 AM
Hey Bryan, just to back up previous comments, thanks for the fantastic event. Plenty of orienteering challenge on a new forest map in the heart of Wellington, who would have thought!!
The extended Kane-Stewart whanau had some great experiences: Brent and myself battling it out; Penny going toe to toe with one of the best women orienteers in the world ever and (this one is definitely the highlight) Neil celebrating his retirement by smashing the best that the M40/45/50/55/60 age-groups could dredge up.
Whats that saying about men, sorting and boys?
Thanks again, the fact that you have gone in and mapped that jungle, and how long it must have taken you staggers me, we can only be appreciative of people who put unique events like this on, there are so few of them.
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Michael
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Posted: 16 August 2010, 11:51 AM
The octopus might be wondering why he got that feeling in his tentacles about the Cretney Trophy Winner. Neil's age is (you-know-what) squared.
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Jason
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Posted: 16 August 2010, 1:08 PM
I don't recall the last time I DNFed, maybe never. I caught Jamie and Brent briefly near the top of the second climb up Wright's Hill, but after a couple more climbs (having lost the leaders) I hit the wall and made the difficult decision to get out of the bush before my body started to shut down. Despite the disappointment of not finishing it was very satisfying to experience an extreme physical and mental challenge so close to civilization. Well done Jamie.
Thanks Bryan for a great event. The head-to-head race format with loops makes it one of the highlights of the year for me. Thanks especially for opening up new areas of Wellington's streets and reserves. This unique combination of accessible yet physical terrain is under-utilized. Bryan, I hope you can find the time and motivation to serve up more of the same next year-- I think Wayne Cretney would approve.
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Gavin
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Posted: 16 August 2010, 1:23 PM
From an older competitor, thanks for a great outing Bryan. Was really good to do a classic O event that is designed to be long and yet have a chance of putting in a respectable time. Running up grades at a normal event is not the same you end up with a sick looking time, the legs have too much dead running and you worry about getting back before the search comes out. I very much enjoyed the experience (Wrights Hill) of getting through the native bush in hard steep country with low visibility, a reason to be there, a map to show where it was reasonable to go, holding myself together, and leg speed not all that important. All within the city. The size of your solo effort is mind boggling, and not least the mapping. So thanks!
What's the story about all the DNFs in M21?
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Bryan
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Posted: 17 August 2010, 1:19 AM
Jason hit the wall - see above.
Bill retired injured - I think he did his knee in.
Ramash retired injured - twisted his ankle.
James ran in borrowed shoes - came back to first map change saying they were useless - threw them away in disgust and proceeded to
run barefoot up the road to Wright's Hill (at this point he was ahead of Jason) but gave it up about an hour later. He asked for some spare maps so he could run the courses later on to see how he could have gone. He's keen and one to watch.
Scott and Ramon probably picked off more than they could handle.
All in all, based on previous classics, the attrition rate is similar to past events. The course is designed to push someone hard, right on the limits with the racing head-to-head involved and often competitors will hit the wall - I remember vividly doing this several times in previous classics. It's different to the rogaine where all competitors came back after 3 hours and use a more conservative approach.
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