Sydney Summer Series

Manly Boys make a splash at The Worm

A feature of last night's excellent event at Manly has to be the 'Manly Boys' - James, Ned, Luke and Finn - who went for a 15 minute swim at #27 in competition time, racing home for minus 80 points! Great stuff. They were one of several groups that fronted the green flag (Lisa 'The Lampost' piloted another group) at Ian 'The Sauce Bottle' Jessup's Manly/North Steyne outing, perhaps our biggest roll up of group runners and new kids. Fantastic to see so many young ones twirling the pencil.

Ian posed a 'clover leaf' challenge, with distinctive groupings north on the Queenscliff hill, south on the Havranek hill and west to the flatter area past the golf club. Maddeningly, there were controls that didn't neatly fit the circle dudes, demanding much cogitation and fiddling with the string. The Manly Lagoon cuts through the map, with only three crossing points, and a reputation for the 'nasties' (it was reported Glenn Horrocks waded 4-14, so we hope he had a good scrub down with the Dettol). This water feature was the main northern route choice decider, with Ian's cunningly placed #30 making many a non gambler open their wallets. To stay low for the 60 points, or to jog the high contours for the same score. A no brainer for the less fit of course.

Many runners heaved into action with a norwest exit to 24, 23 and up to 21. # 12 didn't compute for many, and was later reported stolen. Confusingly 12 was actually 13, and visa versa. Michael Free did the opposite, with an exit via 5 and the upsey to #15. Porkie passed the damp grey T shirt at #9, presumably after the M&M's had cleared the hill.

Several competitors liked the comfort of late points and went clockwise, aiming for the Havranek Hill bag on the way home. The sculpture (26) rewarded, and gave height to a nice route home via 25 and 15 - with 16 in the out tray. Others, puffing along with their beach bags after searching for #27 (a strange lonely sight when I arrived, just the pot sitting on the sand), dashed west to 16, encountering a surprise hill! Given that they were up a bit, they pushed on to power box at 25 - perhaps hoping for an infusion of electric therapy. It made for a good final loop, and many joined in the action.

Other points to note, were the splash to 17 (worth it) and the rock run to the wormhole tunnel. A fantastic feature that tempted young Sam Rogers (Tim's son) to run through it, negotiate the boulders on the Freshwater side before climbing the steep Queenscliff hill from the north for #19 - which he didn't find! The nice flat route via 2, 3, and 4 with the sculpture controls was a another nice touch.

Given the hill work required, it didn't look like 600 - although Richard Green (530) forgot to collect #24 as he ran past. This would have given him 560 big ones - a terrific score. It's reported we had a 540, but not sure whose legs these were. The Glenn chomped the lot for 530, 7 minutes over. Other toppies of note were The Bradle Paddle with 520, Mike Free's 510 and Anthony 'Pet Sounds' Petterson's neat 500. In the OW class, Mary Fein was once again all class for 490 - a sensational run and well clear of strong work from Deborah 'No Dad' Noble (400) and Carolyn Haupt's 380. Bronny Steele carded 350 in the same class.

Other speedster of note included Masters stars Kar Soon and David Bray (490/480), Mark 'S On Paper' Schaefer (480) and Tim 'Buck Too' Marshall (450) - both open nags - and a couple of excellent super vet runs, Warwick 'The Glove' Selby (480) and Ian McKenzie with 460 in the can, and no sign of the achilles flaring. Ian's looking dangerous folks! Eoin Rothery once again had the OAWA colours on the fly with 440, joining Tom Hutton, James Lithgow and Jamie 'Ted' Kennedy with these Chinese lucky numbers. Unusually, The Pork upset Steve Flick and Gordy with a slender 10 pointer, with that other SVM star, Neil 'The Brown Hoops' Hawthorne only posting a modest 380. Could be one of those scores waiting to go 'non-bold' after event 12.

In the more senior and sedate racing, Heiko had the wood on Ronny (430 to 340), with Mal cranking up the engine with 370. Robin Cameron punched 400 (hope she got her car keys back), a touch behind the 'racing lovebirds' Sue 'The Log' and Pete 'The Cupboard' Hibberd -420 each - and a great run from Rachel Best 'Practice' with 450 potty points. Sue Thomson might have had the SVW to herself, and made early work of 290 before being press ganged onto the start desk. I also noted Jimmy 'The Finger' Merchant stretching out after a lay off for 360, Larry carding 230, Andrew Lumsden 'Dy Cinema' making headlines with minus 40! And let's not forget Team Maple (110) and that great duo from Normanhurst, Viv and Robyn, holding hands for a tidy 240 - and hoping Gail might join in soon.

My take on the 'lonely pot' would have to be #1, but no doubt Dave's analysis will prove me wrong. This one didn't fit the loopy running, but may have been taken as stiff medicine by those, finding themselves at 30 (and confusingly joining in the training group there) with five minutes to go said 'Crikey', home James, but don't forget the cairn! I have to say, Ian's control locations were some of the most interesting and varied we have seen to date. Take note all you power pole setters!

Finally, I must report Wendy 'The Stevedore' Stevenson on the flog home from #25, ran uphill to the dead end at 'B'! You have to admit it does looks like an 8! Comiserations Wendy, I wonder how many other runners were distracted and puzzled by this strange Garingal club competition feature? The letters represented the Havranek and Jessup house locations it seems.

Next week sees us back at East Killara under instructions from the tube of White paint. Adrian has a bit more bush and fire trail action to play with up there, so we may get a little orienteering skill reward. He is sure to set a cracker at 'The Bushranger', so don't miss it.