Discussion: long leg

Trying to out do spouse for best route choice leg for the year?

I recall a long leg of something like 4.5k on the first leg of the final loop of the 1996 Blodslitet (an ultra-long which at the time was traditionally held at Sedgwick). Got a break of several minutes on Grant with the route choice there but he ran me down in the last couple of controls.

I don't recall 1996.

I was at that event. I remember a massive long leg in what I imagine was the second course. My mistake was to go and watch the Eaglehawk blue hockey team after the race. My team, Eaglehawk Red, had a bye allowing me to run my first blodslitet. Turned out the Blues were a player short and I was promptly given a spare stick, spare shirt and drafted. After a 15k event at Sedwick, the best I could manage was a slow sweeper role in the back line, quite a change from my usual centre-forward. I don't think I left the goal circle. We lost to the detested Strathdale. But I did have the joy of arranging for one of their more hot-headed players to be sent off by making sure the umpire knew he had hooked my ankle with the stick... or at least tried to. Memory is that I jumped his stick but then converted that into a fall in front of the ump. I enjoyed being sweeper with him standing behind the goal fuming for the next ten minutes. He didn't really have the subtle stick skills required to get even without being pinged. After A grade hockey in Melbourne, Bendigo hockey was amusing. Yes, a very memorable day.

And no, not trying to knock off the spouse in the Golden Leg. Trying to outdo Nigel's claim to setting five courses with the least number of controls. Don't expect many more than four controls on a course.

I thought that was Colin's speciality?

Also something NSW Long Championships are often noted for (I had a 9km course with 6 controls a few years ago).

Decided I needed to prioritise course quality over minimising controls, so have ended up with 19. Still not bad for 5 courses. You could do better in terms of fewer controls.. my current draft has only three controls used on more than one course.

Re NSW... I remember vividly the first leg on Day 1 of Easter at Inverary. Three k or so with not a track. Many an Easter was shot by the first control, mine included.

Whereas the recent NSW long champs course 1 and 2 shared 14 controls and indeed legs (of 15 available on course 2).

That might be fine for the NSW Champs, but I like to think the Bendigo Bush Series aims for a superior standard.. ;-) I am even updating the map!

I didn't say it was a good thing! I make a habit of creating as few common legs as possible across courses when I set events. Needless to say my club was not happy when I had 60+ controls on a bush event I set last year (they had to collect them afterwards).

I feel guilty if I reach 40. Its an optimisation between goals of course quality and logistic efficiency.

Yes my last long course wasn't very reminiscent of a long course but it was also the first bush event I ever set so I've learned a bit from experience. I also had to put out all the controls on my own so at least I didn't drag too many people down with me (other than the course controller, who had to check them all the day before).

The Bendigo local set only has 35 controls allocated to it, so hopefully that stops our Courses setters using any more. Last weekend used 33

I have been known to borrow a few from the second set. Certainly won't be borrowing for the Sedgwick event. I may have breached the 20 threshold, but the locations mean the collectors can drive quite close to the controls in the south of the map. I think I will be borrowing for the Tarnagulla event. Its inevitable given the shape of the main area I am using - long and narrow. Its the only way to keep the track options sub marginal. But again, collection will be non-arduous.

Rumour (and Jenny's log) has it that tomorrow's NOL long event has 70 controls on course.

I can understand that if you are trying to set a long on an area like those two maps at Renmark. To my mind, neither is ideally sized or shaped for an elite long. Sure, it could be done, but with map changes and lots of controls...

If tomorrow's area is as fun as today's then I'm going to have a great time. We do have a map exchange too and a mass start.

Yes, its an interesting area. I had another commitment today, but it was cancelled after entries closed.

We wondered why you & Julie weren't here...

They have entered Broulee...

Yes, that's a given. A combination of sand dunes, AAWT food drops to pick up (if they survived the fires), Budawangs and nearby relatives will make for a varied trip.

The leg ended up at 2.8 straight line. Depending on which of the seven route choices you pick, it may be up to 4k running distance.

Sadly I won't be there next week because I'll be in Bright doing some MTB training.

You need to work on your priority setting algorithm. ;-)

Blame Joel. If not for him then I'd be in Melbourne (or Bendigo) that weekend and now instead Leigh has been forced to lengthen the MTBO course he'd set to account for more than just AWOC riders!

As it is I've had more than one person ask if I am going to the Broulee weekend until I had to point out that it clashes with the Vic MTBO champs, which are a bit higher priority for me (though I'd love to do some sand dune orienteering, particularly if NZ actually happens next year).

Looks like the Broulee NOL races will have about as many Western Australians present as the ARC will.

Is that as many as the Bendigo event this weekend. Actually had two last weekend!

Yeah that's the other thing - I'd have to run all three legs of the NOL relay to have a WA team! Of course it doesn't help that WA might go into lockdown again at any given moment (which doesn't help ARC entries either). On a similar front, we won't be seeing Craig S at the Vic MTBO Champs yet it's extremely rare for him to not travel to National Series events.

How many entrants would you have classed as WA though for Bendigo? Jill and I both entered as members of WA clubs but Todd, Elyse and Tash are all ex-WA. This weekend you *might* see Tash but you might not. She'll more likely go to the local street event if anything.

Eventor is the gospel truth. Its how event levies are caclulated.

Strangely enough I don't think Todd ever did orienteering in WA. Maybe he prefers Bendigo bush also. Anyway I'm guessing two West Aussies is two more than you'd get at a usual Bendigo local event.

So is Shayne Hill the Bendigo orienteer the same person as Shayne Hill the WA junior from late '80s/early '90s?

Yes I think the Hills (Peter, Judy and Shayne) are originally from WA.

Correct, all from WA, Shayne is a BGV member

Vic MTBO is in a similar situation with very few registered West Aussies (1) and Qlders (2) participating though it doesn't help that both of those states have MTBO events on the same day (mainly due to the change in original date of the Vic champs thanks to the NZ events that we couldn't go to).

The thread that never dies.

It's a long thread.

Going by the current ARC entry list, there will be more Kiwis than Sandgropers present.

Who let them into the country?

Whoever let Barnaby in is probably responsible.

Well, looks like you had four WA entrants today!

Word of the long legs obviously spread... ;-)