Annavale Rogain Results & Report

18 August 2011

Thanks to you all for taking part and supporting the Darfield HS’s rural college. Many of you have congratulated us on getting the weather right and after all the dire warnings in the days leading up along with what fell from the sky only hours after, it was a miracle. We always appoint Steve Petty (team 6) in charge of the weather, so the magic wand is his.

As for control 62, what can we say, other than sorry, sorry, sorry. What was worse was that for many of you, it was an early control. I (Stuart) had experienced the same thing in May at a non-Canterbury rogaine also early on in my course, so I know how frustrating it is. I didn’t dream that we would inflict the same on you only a few months later. But planners are human too, and as Rob Jarvis of the 2nd placed team comments: “The odd control in the wrong place is not necessarily a bad thing ... knowing when to bail out on a control that is not where it should be is a handy skill to have”. In the end, no one scored 62 so it doesn’t feature in the points. (One team had a clip for it but that clip was incorrect!)

As with last year, women made up 56 percent of the entries, so it seems fitting that a women’s team (Julia Fettes, Jan Harrison and daughter Sophie) won the 3-hour event. As for the 4-hour, this was about as close as it gets, Australian champions Tim Farrant & Rowan Nugteren just heading Greig Hamilton & Rob Jarvis by virtue of finishing ahead of them on time.

This year we added a touch of Nora Audra’s upside-down planning approach by making the 90-pointer reasonably accessible. 81 teams (79%) scored it. No one visited # 33. We acknowledge the generous cooperation of Brian Groome, manager, Annavale Ltd, Graeme Dawson (Ayrdale) and Bob Kyle (Springvale) for the use of their farms; The Malvern Record, Bill Kennedy (NZ Rogaine Assn), Dave Laurie & Dave Armstrong (Peninsula & Plains Orienteers), plus the following businesses for prizes: Antarctic Centre, CRT Darfield, Gnomes Snowsports Darfield, Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa, Malvern Community Board, Porters Ski Area, PGG Darfield, Red Red Wine Cafe & Bar (Darfield), Rubicon Valley Horse Treks, Terrace Downs Resort, Tranz Scenic Trains (TranzAlpine) and Waimak Alpine Jet.

~ Stuart & Carol

Results: (PDF from Rogain.org.nz)

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