Metro League 1 - Dramatic Water Rescue

A sustained deluge, giving Sydney its heaviest daily March rainfall in decades saw parts of the Metro League area at Harrington Park underwater. Organisers moved some controls, but couldn't keep up with the rising water. The first control on the Div C couse was supposed to be on a spur, but was an island separated from dry land by four feet of water.

Arriving at the control, Richard found that Illawarra orienteer Takashi Itakura was struggling in the water. While Richard helped Takashi, another competitor ran to a nearby house and managed to find somone with a giant inflatable thong to help in the rescue, whilst a third orienteer ran back to the start. A ruling on the use of a Li-Lo mid-course is expected rom the IOF in April 2015.

Fortunately Paula Shingler's blisteringly fast run, along with steady performances from Rebecca George, Jo George and Michael Roylance madeup for the reduced contribtion from Richard and the team scored a narrow victory over Bennelong Northside.

Sadly things didn't work out so well in Div A. Gun recruit Amber Morrison lost more time than most at a misplaced control, Mark Shingler came adrift in the same inland sea as Takashi, whilst steady runs by Ant Burnett and Andy Simpson couldn't lift Bg Foot over the line, even without captain Simon George's unexpected mispunch.

Questions about the inlatable thong remain - was it already pumped up ? Do the good people of Harrington Park have a roster of thong-meisters on stand-by to rescue foolhardy visitors ?

Division A Course: 13 controls 6.1 km
  1 Andrew Hill                 WH 34:14
  2 Adrian White                WH 38:59
  3 Peter Annetts               GO 41:05
  4 Matthew Hill                GO 41:06
  5 Andy Simpson                BF 41:38
  6 Amber Morrison              BF 43:32
  7 Dmitry Stukov               WH 44:14
  8 Ant Burnett                 BF 44:28
  9 Aidan Dawson                GO 45:59
 10 Fedor Iskhakov              BN 46:16
 11 Gordon Wilson               BN 46:58
 12 Marina Iskhakova            BN 47:50
 13 Matt Hackett                WH 48:27
 14 Huon Wilson                 GO 48:31
 15 Michael Halmy               BN 50:54
 16 Mark Shingler               BF 51:41
 17 James Lithgow               GO 53:24
 18 Marie Ringer                WH 64:11
 19 Ian McKenzie                UR 81:12
     Simon George                BF DNF

Division C Course: 10 controls 4.3 km
  1 James Wilkinson             SH 30:41
  2 Michael Davis               SH 33:39
  3 Brian Carter                SH 34:56
  3 Steve Cooper                SH 34:56
  5 Corinne Fulford             SH 38:12
  6 Paula Shingler              BF 38:17
  7 Wayne Pepper                BN 38:30
  8 Dan Redfern                 GO 39:29
  9 Carolyn Haupt               GO 39:34
 10 Mark Robinson               BN 39:36
 11 Toby Wilson                 GO 39:58
 11 John Brayan                 GO 39:58
 13 Terry Bluett                BN 41:01
 14 Jamie Kennedy               GO 42:18
 15 Daniel Hill                 GO 42:51
 16 Nathan Lowe                 GO 43:24
 17 Joanna Parr                 BF 43:33
 18 Ross Barr                   GO 44:08
 19 Julia Prudhoe               CC 44:44
 20 Mark Brindley               GO 48:09
 21 Tim Cox                     GO 49:19
 22 Richard Lauder              BF 51:22
 23 Sarah Garnett               UR 51:28
 24 Airdre Long                 GO 54:09
 24 Carol Jacobson              GO 54:09
 26 Tania Kennedy               GO 54:59
 27 Michael Roylance            BF 55:28
 28 Rebecca George              BF 56:45
 29 Peter Thomason              BN 58:17
 30 Margaret Wilmott            UR 65:52
 31 Maureen Ogilvie             UR 70:44
 32 Gayle Shepherd              UR 87:06
 33 Bev Johnson                 GO 101:05
     Rodney Parkin               BN DNF	 

Green Course: 9 controls 2 km
  1 Alastair George             BF 46:54