WSSC Primiero, Italy
 Bryan
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Posted: 17 May 2011, 7:50 AM
Got a PC and internet connection? Try Skype.
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tim.a
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Posted: 17 May 2011, 10:26 PM
yep - a couple have been doing that. Thanks.
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tim.a
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Posted: 18 May 2011, 12:07 AM
Another cracker day today ! A nice and easy start to the day - slightly overcast, mild and just amazing really !
Derek and Hugh headed off earlier to the map 'Zurichberg', right beside Zurich Zoo up on a large but gentle sloping hill.
The rest of us gathered our gear for the day and headed by bus and train into the main train station in the city. There we managed to buy a couple of other zone tickets for the group and then we were off to Uetliberg - a mountain above Zurich. A great little train trip that took us to within 750m of the summit.
We climbed to the summit, and most climbed the big tower.
From here we went to the practice event on Zurichberg map. Derek and Hugh had the controls out in some very tricky country. Runners were sent out on one of two courses.
We had been lent controls from the local club and a great download gizmo It printed the splits for each runner straight from the download chip - no laptop in sight!
While people were out running we had a strange sight - 3 c.amels from the zoo walked through our start / finish area. Some great shots were taken !
After the practice, we walked through to a tram stop and went to catch the tram down to the main station. Isaac decided to go on - and the doors shut and he was off. We all caught the next tram - and thankfully found him waiting at a stop a bit further down the road.
A couple of hours wandering around Zurich was had - and then onto the train to get back to the hostel.
Tuesday's Update
The first thing done by most of the teams when we got back - a swim in Greifensee ! Only for about 15 mins, but most enjoyable.
Pizza for tea followed and currently Derek is running a breifing session for our event in Italy.
That's about it for now - more updates soon.
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tim.a
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Posted: 19 May 2011, 1:09 AM
Wednesday
Great day today - what a long one though !
We had a fantastic start to our day. The sun rose across the lake and streamed into the dining room. A very relaxed breakfast and then some swimming and chilling out. This was followed by a very early lunch at 10:30, and packing of sandwiches to see us through the rest of the day.
The bus picked us up outside the hostel - they go every half hour in both directions. We managed to negotiate 3 bus changes that got us right up a rural valley to the village of Wangen. A 2km walk then saw us in the middle of a farm map Wangangen - where the local club had set a course for us. We had access to it from 1pm - all the controls were out but no SI base stations. They had 40 blank maps printed for us as A3s. After drawing the required course onto the map each runner went off into the forest.
The courses were great - full of stinging nettle and tracks. No results will be available but the maps will take pride of place in everyone's map collection.
A very pleasant afternoon - and then off to the next event.
On the way to get the bus back at the nearest village, Derek and Tim went up a hill to look at a cave. Derek fell down and broke his crown.... and Tim come wandering after. Talk about about blood Trev ! Some very hasty first aid skills were put in place, along with pressure and a head bandage. Derek's cap didn't quite hide it all !
The bus and tram connections took us to the University central city campus, where we were guests at another club event. A sprint around the uni which was enjoyed by all those we went on it.
After this sprint, home to the hostel and a great swim before dinner, which saw us eating at 8:30.
A bonfire provided some after dinner heat and now at 10:30 every except Derek and Tim are asleep.
Nathaniel's uncle popped in to see us - he flew in from London, followed the directions via text and wlaked up the road to our 1st event today. Very cool seeing him wander up the road and it was great to see Nat recognise him as we walked along one of the forest tracks.
Well, time to sign off... we will write more tomorrow.
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tim.a
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Posted: 19 May 2011, 1:32 AM
Practice Event Results
Here are the results from the Parctice Event on the ZurichBerg Map
Long
C Herries 37.36
P Williams 37.49
L Ward 41.51
Z Tomalin 48.00
D Scott 56.21
S C-Winiata 59.56
H Edmonds 1.02.57
N Anderson 1.05.38
G Lindsay 1.07.42
N Hinton mp
Medium
M Scott 36.59
D Beckman 37.19
B Massie 38.03
I Sweetapple 38.14
V Fox 41.43
D Spall 42.06
K Rybinski 53.36
L Kaan 55.45
A Helliwell 1.01.46
A Lumsden 1.04.16
I Edmonds mp
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valerie
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Posted: 19 May 2011, 2:58 AM
Derek!!! Just COACH the team......enuf of the Von Trapping.....ok?
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roannepoi
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Posted: 19 May 2011, 10:31 AM
Hi Bri and Bee, Go hard Bri. Get those legs running hard and the brain thinking clear. Hey Bee keep away from the Stallions! Good luck to the team.
Cheers
Ro
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roannepoi
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Posted: 19 May 2011, 10:31 AM
Hi Bri and Bee, Go hard Bri. Get those legs running hard and the brain thinking clear. Hey Bee keep away from the Stallions! Good luck to the team.
Cheers
Ro
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raewyn
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Posted: 20 May 2011, 1:10 AM
Hi Tim Really enjoying following you teams travels. Have a great train trip through the mountains today. Look out for the big Marble Quarries just past Bressanone. Have an awesome time.
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PhillipH
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Posted: 20 May 2011, 7:13 AM
Results from 18/5 OLG Zurich
http://www.olgzurich.ch/pdf/rangliste_ASVZ_meist_2011.pdf
Splits
http://www.olgzurich.ch/pdf/rangliste_zwzt_ASVZ_meist_2011.pdf
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DMjunior
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Posted: 20 May 2011, 7:30 AM
Derek got sassed
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tim.a
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Posted: 20 May 2011, 8:30 AM
Thursday was our last full day in Switzerland.
We started by marking up our maps at the youth hostel for the Zurichberg map by the Zoo. Once we had done this, made our lunch and then did some packing - it was off to Zurichberg map. Using the fantastic kiwi marking device - loo paper - the kids had a difficult compass exercise across the map.
Naomi decided to annoy a ground dwelling wasp - two rapid fire stings and her exercise was over. Once again with the help of Andy we tracked down the head beekeeper expert type person at the zoo - and he confirmed that asian paper wasps in the area sting like this and she can expect burning and numbness for about 3 to 4 days.
Straight after the event we shot done to the harbour on Zurichsee (Lake Zurich) to catch the boat to Rappersvil-Jonas. A 1.5 hour very peaceful trip down the length of the lake, stopping at lots of local jetties to drop off and pick up passengers. Great views of the Alps, the villages, the hills, the fish - a great trip.
Some of the party found out the difference between 1st class and 2nd class on the boat. They headed straight up the stairs after getting on the boat and found the best seats and views on the boat, only to be curtly removed back to 2nd class !
rappersvil-Jona is an ancient fortified town dating from pre-roman times. Amazing streets, alleys, shops, castle etc... One house was built in 1452, and has had 17 renovations starting in 1620 thru' to 1979.
The group then headed back via the trains and buses to do the final packing - ready for the early departure in the morning.
We found out that as well as heading to Italy via Austria, we pass thru' Liechtenstien as well. Great - another country to add to our list !
italy - here we come !
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tim.a
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Posted: 20 May 2011, 8:34 AM
Friday - today is glorious ! fantastic sunrise, bright blue sky and kids nearly ready to leave the hostel.
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tim.a
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Posted: 21 May 2011, 9:16 PM
I am trying this next post again ! I don't no which button I pressed, but I lost all the Friday post on the last word !
Friday saw us all up, breakfasted, packed and waiting for the bus by 7:20 in the morning. We thanked Martin, our host, gave him a present and were away.
The bus arrived and 3 of us lept on and stacked all the cases - 31 large ones- into the pram area in the middle of the bus. Our 31 people joined the 5 on board already and we were off. All was fine for the 1st 3km - the bags were being held in place and we could all breath still. by the 3rd stop we had 60 in a 50 seater bus and it was getting warm. The locals had been amused as we stacked our gear in the bus, now they looked amused at all the people waiting at the stops as they saw the overfull bus.
We made it to Stettbach - eventually 10 mins late because of us ! the we took the S9 underground train to the central station. This was the tricky part - to get right across the full length of the station with 31 people 62 bags and the morning commute rush. It wasn't too bad, we had planned the route quite well.
While the adults were worried about the train connections, the kids were all abuzz with the latest craze - Planking. It had made the front page of the local paper and was all they could talk about.
The train we were catching was easy to find, so we stowed our luggage in the same carriage as we were riding in, and settled in for the 3.5 hour journey through Liechtenstein, Austria and onto Italy.
The country side kept changing, from Switzerland's rolling country through to Austria's steep and rugged alpine valleys and finally Italy's grand plain that surrounded Trento - our destination.
At Trento a bus was waiting to pick us up - and then we started the final leg to get to this competition - 1.5 hrs up the road to Primiero. The narrow steep and winding road that we started on turned into the most amazing narrow, steep and winding tunnel filled road that had unbelievable views at every corner.
We had heavy rain just before we arrived - the only real rain we have had on the entire trip so far.
We got off the bus, into our rooms and then had dinner - the hotel has a FLASH restaurant. By the time the kids had had a good look around the town it was bed time.
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tim.a
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Posted: 21 May 2011, 11:42 PM
Saturday - the other teams have started arriving !
We have had a great day - very relaxed. here are some of the highlights.
Breakfast - amazing !
Training Run - fantastic !
Lunch - Absolutely Amazing !
Getting washing done in town - what a relief !
Free Internet found in town !
Dinner - can't wait !
Good bye
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