Race 21: MTBO Sprint, France, 09/07/2012

This was my favourite race ever! Usually a sprint in a forest means paths everywhere and brain ache, today it did mean paths everywhere, but it was fun!

I almost missed my start, I didn't realise that the clock wasn't set 3 mins fast like usual (and like the past two races) so I turned up a few moments before my time, only to be ushered straight through all the boxes right to the front! I was only there a few moments and the bleeper went and I was off. That's one way to avoid all the waiting around in the boxes before a race!

I rounded the corner and chuckled at the start kite, they have super sized start kites, about a metre tall or something. Even I could not miss it..

The scale of the sprint map was 1:7500, twice the scale of yesterday's map, so I was expecting everything to come at me really quickly. I was getting worried when I'd been going a while and not reached number 1 yet. But it was fine, the scale wasn't as big as I'd imagined.

There was a super junction which had 12 paths going from it. The first time through (2-3) I was fine. The second time through (4-5) I had to take the fifth exit. I must of missed a small track when I counted because I went down the wrong one. I could tell straight away because the compass was slightly off. So I spun around and went back to the middle and had to chuckle when I looked at all the paths and had no idea which one I'd originally come from. I guessed that I must only be one out so I tried the next one round, luckily it was correct.

Most of the controls I think I did well, apart from I overshot one junction to number 6 because the path was hidden from my direction of travel. I realised I was climbing and I shouldn't be so I spun around and it was easy to spot on the way back. Also I went around two sides of a triangle to get to number 8, but I thought that on such a short distance by the time I'd turned around it would probably be quicker to just press on.

I could see a whole crowd of people at control number 13. I thought something must have happened! But when I got closer I realised it must be a spectator control. I must have looked slightly confused as I punched that one and spun back round into the forest.

I was also a little confused at the end, there were two controls right next to the finish on my map. One was number 13, but the writing wasn't right next to it so I was wondering if I'd missed one. I was looking at the map a lot instead of racing to the line. I finally realised it was a different one and sped to the finish. Not very cool though!

I enjoyed this race a lot, my orienteering has come on a lot since last year. I would have hated this race back then. I think sprints are my new favourite! My next MTBO race will be at the world championships! Blimey...



My route - green = fast, red = stationary!



The new Giant Anthem 29er

Race 20: MTBO Middle WRE, France, 08/07/2012

Today was great, I had a good race until I got brain fry towards the end. I went exactly where I wanted to go all the way through but some of my route choices towards the end might have been slightly sub-optimum..

It was a world ranking event so they had quarantine. I was in there for 45 mins at the start and it was raining. There was a storm in the night and it rained ever since. We had a strip of fire road about 50m long which we all went up and down a lot, trying to keep warm. I had my cap on to protect my glasses from the rain but luckily it stopped raining just as I went into the first start box, so I had sun throughout my whole race and got pretty hot!

I got off to a good start, it was very muddy in places from all the rain. I was doing well I think, then on control 14 I went down to the road and didn't spot the track off again so ended up going around the block. 15 was good, 16 I went around the long way for some strange reason. 17 was good and 18 I was 50/50 on route choice and I plumped for the wrong one. It went down quite a cool descent then up loads and there was no way I could cycle it so had to push all the way up.

The rest was fine, so I was quite pleased with my ride. Should get a few more world ranking points anyway :-)


 

My route - green = fast, red = stationary!

 

The last control

Race 19, MTBO Middle, France, 07/07/2012

I wasn't the best in this race, it's been ages since my last MTBO and I found everything was coming at me too quickly and I was making daft mistakes.

I went down a wrong track to number 1, not an ideal start! I was wondering around in the woods with a French girl for a while before we had a chat and decided we were wrong.

There were moments when I was overtaking whole groups of people and then I'd go wrong and end up wasting a whole load of time again.

Everyone complained about the quarry but those ones were my best controls! I must of got lucky in finding the tracks..

I was happy towards the end, got my head back in it so all set for tomorrows world ranking event :-)

 

My route - green = fast, red = stationary!

Opening Ceremony