Nationals Middle. Hawkes Bay. Course: Middle 3.8 km 275 m
http://www.gregjflynn.byethost17.com/maps/show_map...
Was quietly pumped for this even though it was said to be steep and hilly it was also meant to be really tricky, unfortunately not so the later. Pretty piss easy start through the farm land, and had seen others on the best route choice for 5, but managed to cock up the end (the contours are not right as the re-entrant was right near the start of the open hill not the end/middle) and ended up in the next re-entrant, Ross was coming into 5 as I running back to it, got a bit of a tow through to 6, but then he was gone once over the spur couldn't see him, only hear the commentary. Small slog up to 7 and through the spectator. Got 9 sweet and saw Ross climbing out through the fallen tree as I came into punch, so went out higher on a cleaner line, couldn't see Ross on 10 but you can see both of us on the video as he is leaving 10...., then went to the right for 11 and as I was coming onto the control Ross popped up from the bottom. He helped push me a bit to 12, then I went straight up and he sort of carried on. Dont think my route was too bad in the end as got the control good, just hurt like hell going up the hill. Was slightly high on 14, which then lead me to go lower on the return on the way round to 16, this then cost me time at the forest edge as I got stuck in some green cliffy shit, before jumping down it all and up the the spur in the farmland, 17 sweet then took a sec to look at 18 and just went straightish, managed to find some nice tracking in sections, and popped out right under the waterfall, big push for the finish, almost spewed on the line
Fitness was were I lost time on the longer hillier legs today, plus a min at 5 and a bit on route to 16. Noticed my back was stiff when going up hill but otherwise didn't affect me