Friday, December 9, 2011

WET TRACK AT LUNA

Although the 'summer' in Sydney Summer Series continues to prove elusive, 170 odd bedraggled and soggy joggers defied the conditions and enjoyed another excellent outing at Kirribilli. To cope with the slippery track (Tim Winton's The Riders comes to mind, 'even the damp was damp'), racing slicks were the order of the evening, with the dry tyres put away till next week. We hope!

So, another wet one, a sorry saturated kind of evening, track work ready horses peering out from the Kara Kar and hoping Gai Waterhouse will overlook them - but as compensation, a great assembly location (that offered its own damp and misty greeting) and a fantastic and testing course from Rod 'The Mustang' Eckles.

Let's look at how Rod worked the V8.

First impressions are always indicative, with the portrait format, even spread of pots and the generous inclusion of the checkpoint clues on the map getting a nod from the 'Just For Funsters'. There was a nice dollop of Luna boardwalk, a good stretch to the north that promised a bit of low gear work, a couple of front row seats at The Ensemble Theatre, a Kirribilli haul that needed a bit of 'Larry', and a scatter across the North Sydney CBD. High fives maybe, but then Caroline the Contour Queen tapped the shoulder, and you started to re-think. High fours. Mmmmm, high fours. Definitely not a six, especially given the rain and ever present danger of the slip and pavement kiss.

Many of the routes demanded effort - and concentration. The northern pots needed careful road and laneway work. Up from 28 to 19 was smarter with the direct south/north approach to 19 than the split road and its down/up demand. Pork Chop went this latter way, only just avoiding the split road dead end and needing the 'puff-o-meter' fully engaged. Working these thirty points from below also saw some head scratching, although the 19,28,17,24 home flog was popular - and after dipping in the dripping at 28, you only had that last climb before a flat to downhill roar home. A flyer indeed.

Sewer vents were a popular feature, as were several of the dreaded 'bottom of steps'! - the down and back to #28 probably being the classiest of these. Not too much discombobulation reported, with many loops being easily arrived at - and attacked with the slight caution that comes from the wet. A great sight was the competitor well into her course near checkpoint 10, running under an umbrella! Classic.

Many began 5,25. Others, liking a spoon of view in their diet, began 1,11. Getting the inner Kirribilli's to work was difficult, although 24,18,3 was a nice earner on the fly home. Many did in/outs at 18 on the run from 23 to 12 and 14 and card work further north before the choice of middle or westerly (highway crossing) return. It appears many runners might have inadvertently run OOB if they made this east/west crossing from the tempting mid map crossing point (17 to 26 or visa versa), with the main highway bridge clearly marked as crossable, but, strangely, not the Pacific tail as has previously been the case here.

I note Andrew Hill ignored #8 (see course comment below) and that could be our 'lonely', although I'm slightly more inclined to nominate #6 - at the top of the steps and on its own-some. No way I'd go up to this baby for only a tenner. I think most of the others got a good going over, although #9 didn't fit the more rewarding higher circle of 19,22,29,13 and may have had a cold night. Probably a measure of a good course is the pot visitation, and the difficulty of nominating a LP. This one scores highly.

So, given the conditions, it's all the more reason to celebrate Andy Hill sguelching to victory with a superb 530 post after racing to 550 in 46.31. Andrew has been used to going three figures most Wednesdays in the past, but this season 'The Paint Tube' and 'The Hangman' have pushed him hard so the win will be very welcome. Adrian 'Chalk' White was only twenty back at 510, and I think the only other nag to top five, with Steve quieter in the rain for a 480. So well done Andrew, a great win.

The 'Hillman Hunter's' route bears noting, with a 24,15,5,25 opening before working the gear lever into third around Lavender to 6,16,26 and North Sydney, before 27,22,29 and a confusion of up/down, in/out work, tea with Quentin (23), city views at eyes left, and an uphill finish from the sculpture (21). Andy's clockwise route seemed in contrast to many others who did a 1,11 or a 5,25,21,1,11 before hunting the beeps in Kirribilli and further north and returning via the popular #24. Glenn did the lot from the 1,11 beginning, but like Andrew, finished up the grassy slope from the sculpture after his broad anti clockwise sweep. 58.04 said the download station, although I thought they should have been kinder given the weather.

Other scoring briefly noted. The Veterans going the biff, with Michael Burton well over time for a 480 pencil, just shading a tidy 470 from Mal Bradley. The Supers pushing up heart rates with 'The Owen Stanley Ranges' once again upsetting Wazza (rather fetching last night in black tights!) 450 to 430, and both in just under time - Eoin 44.44, Warwick 44.34. Sounds like Housie Housie night at a rest home for the bewildered. Lisa ' The General' Grant was in similar scoring territory with 450 after a well timed 16 second over - and I think, our first woman home to a warm bath and slippers. Jimmy 'The Possum' Merchant worked the sopping white T Shirt to hold ten or twenty from arch rival and fellow Amigo 'The Ronson Lighter' Junghans, in the Legends - with Heiko well back after a poor tyre change. Luke 'Lele' Petterson strummed a nice 400 in JM to take a badge, whereas Legendary women, Bryony and Sue couldn't be separated by the photo - each taking a ton for their 270's. This contest is on!

Wiz walking continues to amaze with 320 heralding another win. Also in the 'amazing' stakes (as the Sydney Summer Series is sometimes referred to), Garingal's Dave 'Ealing Studios' Stitt and Neil 'Dipper' Hawthorne both went 'long' on the night, carding course times around the sixty two minute mark. Although this 'getting your moneys worth' is well demonstrated by these two Goers, Sandra 'The Beach Towel' Thomas leaves them for dead with a sightseeing tour of enviable proportions. Sandy had the bucket and spade at work for 96.05 minutes! On of the greatest 'overs' in SSS history and well worth our celebration. Although Sandra cleans up here, many others mistimed returns, especially the wet glasses brigade who ran blind and on instinct, hoping that Big Ben's cousin (Si) would be kind. Malcolm 'The TF' Gledhill was one-such, uncharacteristically 10.11 over, and heavily penalised on the night.

So, in conclusion. Great course, great location, great turn out, but oh, the weather! Let's hope Chinamans Beach can deliver our middle name. Speaking of Bok Choy... Our next event (SSS#11 at the old China) sees us at a mostly new (75%) location that takes in the northern section of the Balmoral map and adds much new material around The Spit and into Middle Harbour. I hear from mapper Terry Bluett, that the event and tide timing allows some rock platform work which should add to the fun. Terry also mentions the 'S' word, but argues the puff-0-meter work will be well rewarded with spectacular views 'from many of the control sites'!! I'll also pass on some transport tips, and note, while there is plenty of parking at Chinamans Beach, it is metered at $7 for two hours. If driving, access the beach via Cyprian Street, off Parriwi Road. Coming from the south means going all the way to the bottom of Spit Hill lights before the right turn to Parriwi. If by bus, the last three stops before descending Spit Hill are all within walking distance of the assembly area.

If good weather, bring your cossie. There are showers at the beach, and Marina has you in her sights! Don't miss this one folks, the first of our spectacular Christmas double from the boys and girls of Bennelong Northside.

Two final items. Firstly, the lost property department reports a blue Masters Games jumper and white shorts left at the Kirribilli event. Our kind retriever will bring same to Chinamans so make yourself known to assembly people to reclaim. And secondly, Pork Pie would be very remiss to not report the absence at Kirribilli of David 'King George' Noble (SSS devotee, our results posting guru, and all round 'ornament to the sport'). After an unbroken record run of 96 consecutive SSS events (!!!), David finally had to sit one out. We missed him, but he wants it noted that this was a once off, and he expects to recommence another record run at The Peoples Republic of Chinamans Beach. Devotion beyond the call.

1 comment:

High Horse said...

Multiple dangerous crossings of busy roads. Dodging taxis, buses, cars and pedestrians during the evening peak hour at two of Sydney's busiest rail station precincts. 99 per cent bitumen, one per cent parks. Bushland zero. Classic.

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