8.2k straight line measure.
10.6 and 210m run.
Should have been 9.35k and 185m
Well, the weather wasn't what I hoped for, being breezy, cloudy and at times a little cold. But in all other respects, a great day! The event was on the northern part of Mosquito Creek. There has been an unspoken unofficial embargo of sorts on this area, basically because no-one wanted to set a course where Ken Taylor tragically died. Derek Morris brought us back here, and he did it in style. His course used the famous Mosquito Creek 'Expressway' in reverse for the long leg. And it caught quite a few out. You can see the damage on RouteGadget.
http://www.bendigo-orienteers.com.au/gadget/cgi-bi...tI crossed the broad ridge in the middle of the leg over a different saddle to the one I expected. Not realising this, I then ticked off features one out of phase to the next major ridge crossing. Ran up a side gully, it didn't look right and the control wasn't there anyway. I then assumed I had hit the ridge too far east and headed west to check the next two gullies. But I had in fact hit the ridge too far west. After two more failures I finally admitted stupidity and ran south and then along the main gully to relocate off the dam. I think that was a full kilometre of error! I haven't made such a blunder in years.
On finishing I discovered my experience was the norm rather than the exception. All sorts of errors on that leg. Schepisi, Colin, Bob Raeburn amongst others. Schepisi's logging of 12.5 ks for an 8.2k course was a notable achievement. But even that couldn't match Dion. Neon found the 4th control OK, but then failed to find control 6, ultimately dnfing after spending over half an hour looking. The only success story I heard was for Disco, who wondered what all the fuss was on control 4. Given his current training methods, it isn't quite proof that practice makes perfect. I didn't see Toph, but I suspect he may have had a clean run.
The correct route choice on leg 4 was to the left and up the gully. The right hand broad gully (the Expressway) was a classic trap, leaving one in a very featureless approach to a ridge top with limited visibility.Hopefully the routes will all appear on the Gadget very soon.
Observation. It wasn't just me, and it wasn't just this event. This is a really challenging map. I found today much more difficult than Sappa Bulga. It is a serious challenge. Australian Championships material?