Orienteering race 29:01 [4] **** 3.5 km (8:17 / km)
spiked:10/12c shoes: Inov8 X Talon 212
WA Middle Distance Champs at Malmalling. GPS 3.82km, not too far from straight. First half of 1st leg was along a track, but then it looked tricky across a broad, almost featureless spur. Managed to stay on bearing and hit a form-line knoll just above control. Short compass leg through green to 2. Indistinct track between 2-3 was now very clear so used it to take me within 50m of 3, then used it again to 4, which I could see from 70m away. Short uphill to 5, then a long leg which was fairly straightforward. A large clearing with bare rock midway, then either a saddle or a low hilltop just before the control. My rough bearing took me to the hilltop, no difficulty with control as it was in a large clearing. 6-7 apparently caused a few problems, but I aimed for a small spur with prominent boulders, crossed it then contoured into the control. 7-8 short leg to boulder just below a spur, no problem. 8-9 the direct route was green and rocky so went downhill slightly right and ran parallel to a plantation, good boulder attackpoint and probably got to within 10m of control. couldn't see it or match anything and as it was pretty open I thought I'd come too far into an area of open scattered trees. Started to head back but after 50m still nothing matched, turned around and there it was almost where I'd previously been standing (lost 1 minute to Joe D). 9-10 looked easy, uphill through open to a cliff behind a boulder. Found the boulder, but couldn't see a cliff and stood there for a while, then looked down at my feet and there it was wedged between the boulder and a tiny rock shelf. 11,12, finish all too easy. Fairly pleased with time, beat Joe by 7 secs and 3-4 mins clear of everyone else. Course was easier than it looked, probably could have used some of the more complex stuff to the South.
