Ulpha Park.

This was a LOC district event at the bottom end of the Duddon Valley. The area consisted of a couple of small open areas surrounded by mixed woodland. There were some sizeable chunks of wind-blow in the coniferous sections but the birch/hazel coppice was very run-able with plenty of boulders and crag features.

I was initially really pleased with my run especially as I managed to beat Mike Billinghurst and Brendan Bolland, but that was before I had seen Bilbo’s time! Talking to Martin on Monday morning he said that he was bored with the terrain on the first few controls but got inspired when the course entered rough forest at number 4. You need to get inspired more often Bilbo!

Brown
1 Martin Bagness WAROC 55.04
2 Shane Lynch WAROC 59.50
3 Andy Hyslop WAROC 01.01.18
4 Michael Billinghurst WCOC 01.01.54
5 Brendan Bolland WAROC 01.02.09

Full Results Page

Portugal O Meeting 2007

Superb areas and strong competition made this an excellent trip. There were 4 races with a chasing sprint on the last day for those within an hour of the lead runner in each class. Unfortunately I made a really annoying error on day 3 which meant that I was out of the running for an overall podium position.

On the up side I did have 3 really good runs with minimal errors and managed to beat twice veteran world champion Jörgen Mårtensson
once and got within a few seconds of him twice. Of course I didn’t actually see him so he might have been running with a wooden leg for all I know but it’s great for a short-term ego boost.

Results page at the POM web site

Day 1
A super technical open area with lots of complex rock features. My strategy was to run steady and not risk any mistakes.

1 5399 Sören Sand 61 Boxholm-Mjölby 31:24
2 5384 Jörgen Mårtensson 59 Modum O-lag 32:19
3 5960 Andy Hyslop 59 WAROC 32:36
4 1532 José Fernandes 59 .COM 33:00
5 5350 Heikki Vestola 59 Rastivarsat 34:45
6 1512 Manuel Santos 59 .COM 36:46
7 3864 António Marcolino 60 GD4C 36:53
8 3728 Vitor Pereira 60 AAMafra 37:05
9 1907 Carlos Coelho 61 CPOC 37:10
10 1321 Carlos Pires 61 .COM 37:12


Day 2
Adjacent to day one. Similar complexity of terrain but with longer legs. I had a 100m miss on 3 which cost me 90 secs.

1 5967 Achiles Humbel 59 Mythen Runners 48:19
2 1532 José Fernandes 59 .COM 50:26
3 5399 Sören Sand 61 Boxholm-Mjölby 51:00
4 5960 Andy Hyslop 59 WAROC 51:30
5 5808 Per-Olof Derebrant 62 Aneby SOK 52:08
6 5426 Ulu Aeschlimann 59 Austrian National Team 52:55
7 5384 Jörgen Mårtensson 59 Modum O-lag 53:41
8 1182 Albano João 59 COC 54:32
9 5350 Heikki Vestola 59 Rastivarsat 55:21
10 5932 Peter Haines 54 Aire GB 55:47

Lone orienteer in the terrain on Day 2

Control 14 on Day 2

Day 3
“Like the first 2 days with attitude” Super complex terrain on a steep hillside with mixed forest cover. I missed control 5 and went straight to 6 without realising until after I had finished. I have developed this really bad habit since Christmas. I worked out a simple routine to avoid making the error and the fact that I forgot to practice the routine on this race suggests that it does work when I can remember to do it.

I also made a big error at 14 which cost me 6 mins!

1 5384 Jörgen Mårtensson 59 Modum O-lag 38:27
2 1532 José Fernandes 59 .COM 42:03
3 5399 Sören Sand 61 Boxholm-Mjölby 44:19
4 1182 Albano João 59 COC 44:20
5 5808 Per-Olof Derebrant 62 Aneby SOK 44:25
6 5350 Heikki Vestola 59 Rastivarsat 44:55
7 5737 Martin Sacher 59 Kilroy 46:37
8 5141 Mark Selley 62 BOK 46:59
9 5932 Peter Haines 54 Aire GB 47:00
10 5426 Ulu Aeschlimann 59 Austrian National Team 47:05




Day 4
Another complex open area similar to day 1.

1 5399 Sören Sand 61 Boxholm-Mjölby 31:24
2 5384 Jörgen Mårtensson 59 Modum O-lag 32:19
3 5960 Andy Hyslop 59 WAROC 32:36
4 1532 José Fernandes 59 .COM 33:00
5 5350 Heikki Vestola 59 Rastivarsat 34:45
6 1512 Manuel Santos 59 .COM 36:46
7 3864 António Marcolino 60 GD4C 36:53
8 3728 Vitor Pereira 60 AAMafra 37:05
9 1907 Carlos Coelho 61 CPOC 37:10
10 1321 Carlos Pires 61 .COM 37:12