Unknown

28 November, 2009

7th September 2008

Just like he arranged two weeks previous, Joe continued to illicit the best of weathers for the second round in the navigational series: despite torrential rain on Friday, Sunday was a haven of sun and blue skies, impeccable visibility for the 16k race.

Today's starting point was Ballinabarny Gap, another place in Wicklow that, as Mick Kellet aptly put it, "you normally wouldn't be seen dead in". Though the race straddled both the OS62 and 56 maps, Joe had kindly stuck the two together and blown them up to provide a 1:25000 rendition of the area. Unfortunately though, the detail was still the same as the 1:50000 maps, an issue that was to arise later during the actual race.

12 o'clock was the starting time as norm and, on the whistle, the pack set off to hit the first control: the summit of Keadeen Mountain. We'd been warned already not to be choosing routes through Ballnabarney Forest, the sound of gunshots inside being enough to make us heed this advice. However, this proved to be an insufficient incentive for Niamh, who dashed in for a quick call just as the whistle blew. Joe nearly had a heart-attack, thinking she was heading straight for the hunt.

Fortunately, she returned quickly, relieved and unharmed.

With the forest out of bounds, we ran along the forest-edge on a well-worn path up Sileveragh. Having negotiated the marsh on the shoulder, Paul Smyth arrived in front, followed closely by Zoran Skrba and Phillip Brennan, Phillip himself fresh from clinching the 2008 Setanta Orienteering Club Champions only the day before.

The second control was due south at the summit of Carrig Mountain. Positions were held along the way, the obvious route being along the path adjoining the two mountains. There, Nora awaited our arrival, basking with her shades in the beautiful Wicklow weather.

From there, the third point to visit was the stream junction east of Muckduff Upper, at O970888. It was back onto the worst of terrains that Wicklow can offer, the usual descent through heather and grass with heinous holes underneath. Paul Smyth descended and found the control quickly. The pack of Phillip, Zoran and myself however preferred to hang around and faff along the river, Peter Kernan soon joining the party. Dave Weston saw all this from afar, and decided to avoid that soiree. Instead of trying to follow the river along the steep banks lined with gorse and undergrowth like ourselves, he crossed over and ran on the bank's other side, being funnelled perfectly to the punch on the junction. There was a general consensus however at the race finish that the control was far too well hidden in the vegetation. The difficulties experienced in finding the control were compounded when Joe arrived back, control in hand, having taken a GPS reading of its position. The map had put the junction 1/2 km out of place.

From the stream junction, runners made their way back to the start on their way to Ballineddan Mountain. Though Paul had by now a good lead on the pack, his choice of route straight over Slieveragh landed him in rough terrain. Dave and Peter instead found runnable tracks that contoured around the spur, overtaking Paul in the process. From there, Dave and Peter headed north on the road and cut through some fields to the fork at Ballinfoyle. At the fork, they followed a walker's track Joe had pre-marked, right to the summit. In the meantime, Paul, Kieran Rocks and I took the track through the forest north east of Ballinabarny Gap. I opted to join Dave and Peter with their track option, whilst Paul, Kieran and Kevin O'Riordan headed straight up the mountain from the road, alongside the now felled forest of Rathgorragh Upper. This was a gamble that was to pay off, a more direct route with good ground all the way.

From the top, our final control was the Standing Stone, West of Lybagh. With the Stone well in sight, it was now a question of how daring you could descend. Though Peter had arrived in front on Ballineddan, he contoured high, leaving Kieran to arrive in the lead, with myself, Kevin and Paul close behind.
Two options were open to get us back home. The first was to follow the river down, drop to the road at Toorboy, and run the tarmac back to the forest track north east of the finish. The other was to keep the height and contour to the top of Rathgorragh Upper felled forest, following an unmarked earth bank, then straight down the side of the felling, returning home along the same marshy track. This was where the map unfortunately caused confusion, though Joe had tried to forewarn. Not only was the track west of Rathgorragh Lower no longer present, but a new plantation had sprung up east of the felling. “Avoid at all costs” was the clear message at the race briefing. Unfortunately, this message was not heard by Kieran who headed straight for those same trees. He battled with low branches and closely spaced saplings, ultimately costing him the race. Paul and I opted to keep high and found good running along the earth bank. In the end, after much swapping of leaders throughout the race, Paul Smyth found his way home first. Last to find themselves home unfortunately was Joe and Nora, their car breaking down and having to be towed away.
The final instalment of this series is now awaited with much anticipation, to be run in less than seven days. Watch this space...

NC2 Sept. 7th 08 16.8 km 790m

1. Paul Smyth 2.19.15 MV
2. Moire O'Sullivan 2.20.59 F
3. Kevin O'Riordan 2.25.14 M
4. Philip Brennan 2.26.10 MV
5. Kieran Rocks 2.33.20 M
6. Peter Kernan 2.34.39 MV
7. Dave Weston 2.44.24 MV
8. Zoran Skrba 2.45.45 M
9. Stephen Doorly 2.49.49 MV
10. Wayne Jenkins 2.59.01 M
11. Niamh Ni Cholmain 3.07.25 F
12. Justin Rea 3.17.30 MV
13 Shay Foody 3.22.40 M
14. Stuart Scott 3.22.50 M
15. Mick Kellett 3.50.10 MV
16. Barry Tennyson 3.52.30 MV
17. Isabelle Lemee 4.01.50 F
18. Sarah Heal 4.03.45 F
19. Caitlin Bent 4.30.59 FV
19. Ger Power 4.30.59 FV

Kevin Duffy Retired
Jenny O'Neill Retired
Simon Rea Retired

After two races in this year's Navigational Challenge things are pretty tight. It is all to play for in nexts weeks Bogfest, it is going to be wet and slimly out there, you have been warned.

NC After two races

1. Moire O’Sullivan 3.52.41 F
2. Paul Symth 4.02.40 MV
3. Zoran Skrba 4.32.39 M
4. Stephen Doorly 4.42.27 MV
5. Peter Kernan 4.43.49 MV
6. Wayne Jenkins 5.05.24 M
7. Justin Rea 5.30.05 MV
8. Niamh Ni Cholmain 5.30.57 F
9. Isabelle Lemee 6.38.56 F
10. Barry Tennyson 7.10.30 MV
11. Sarah Heal 7.24.35 F
12. Mick Kellett 7.37.23 MV

Moire O'Sullivan

04 May, 2009

Just like he arranged two weeks previous, Joe continued to illicit the best of weathers for the second round in the navigational series: despite torrential rain on Friday, Sunday was a haven of sun and blue skies, impeccable visibility for the 16k race.

Today’s starting point was Ballinabarny Gap, another place in Wicklow that, as Mick Kellet aptly put it, “you normally wouldn’t be seen dead in”. Though the race straddled both the OS62 and 56 maps, Joe had kindly stuck the two together and blown them up to provide a 1:25000 rendition of the area. Unfortunately though, the detail was still the same as the 1:50000 maps, an issue that was to arise later during the actual race.

12 O’clock was the starting time as norm and, on the whistle, the pack set off to hit the first control: the summit of Keadeen Mountain. We’d been warned already not to be choosing routes through Ballnabarney Forest, the sound of gunshots inside being enough to make us heed this advice. However, this proved to be an insufficient incentive for Niamh, who dashed in for a quick call just as the whistle blew. Joe nearly had a heart-attack, thinking she was heading straight for the hunt. Fortunately, she returned quickly, relieved and unharmed.

With the forest out of bounds, we ran along the forest-edge on a well-worn path up Sileveragh. Having negotiated the marsh on the shoulder, Paul Smyth arrived in front, followed closely by Zoran Skrba and Phillip Brennan, Phillip himself fresh from clinching the 2008 Setanta Orienteering Club Champions only the day before.

The second control was due south at the summit of Carrig Mountain. Positions were held along the way, the obvious route being along the path adjoining the two mountains. There, Nora awaited our arrival, basking with her shades in the beautiful Wicklow weather.

From there, the third point to visit was the stream junction east of Muckduff Upper, at O970888. It was back onto the worst of terrains that Wicklow can offer, the usual descent through heather and grass with heinous holes underneath. Paul Smyth descended and found the control quickly. The pack of Phillip, Zoran and myself however preferred to hang around and faff along the river, Peter Kernan soon joining the party. Dave Weston saw all this from afar, and decided to avoid that soiree. Instead of trying to follow the river along the steep banks lined with gorse and undergrowth like ourselves, he crossed over and ran on the bank’s other side, being funnelled perfectly to the punch on the junction. There was a general consensus however at the race finish that the control was far too well hidden in the vegetation. The difficulties experienced in finding the control were compounded when Joe arrived back, control in hand, having taken a GPS reading of its position. The map had put the junction ½ km out of place.

From the stream junction, runners made their way back to the start on their way to Ballineddan Mountain. Though Paul had by now a good lead on the pack, his choice of route straight over Slieveragh landed him in rough terrain. Dave and Peter instead found runnable tracks that contoured around the spur, overtaking Paul in the process. From there, Dave and Peter headed north on the road and cut through some fields to the fork at Ballinfoyle. At the fork, they followed a walker’s track Joe had pre-marked, right to the summit. In the meantime, Paul, Kieran Rocks and I took the track through the forest north east of Ballinabarny Gap. I opted to join Dave and Peter with their track option, whilst Paul, Kieran and Kevin O’Riordan headed straight up the mountain from the road, alongside the now felled forest of Rathgorragh Upper. This was a gamble that was to pay off, a more direct route with good ground all the way.
From the top, our final control was the Standing Stone, West of Lybagh. With the Stone well in sight, it was now a question of how daring you could descend. Though Peter had arrived in front on Ballineddan, he contoured high, leaving Kieran to arrive in the lead, with myself, Kevin and Paul close behind.

Two options were open to get us back home. The first was to follow the river down, drop to the road at Toorboy, and run the tarmac back to the forest track north east of the finish. The other was to keep the height and contour to the top of Rathgorragh Upper felled forest, following an unmarked earth bank, then straight down the side of the felling, returning home along the same marshy track. This was where the map unfortunately caused confusion, though Joe had tried to forewarn. Not only was the track west of Rathgorragh Lower no longer present, but a new plantation had sprung up east of the felling. “Avoid at all costs” was the clear message at the race briefing. Unfortunately, this message was not heard by Kieran who headed straight for those same trees. He battled with low branches and closely spaced saplings, ultimately costing him the race. Paul and I opted to keep high and found good running along the earth bank. In the end, after much swapping of leaders throughout the race, Paul Smyth found his way home first. Last to find themselves home unfortunately was Joe and Nora, their car breaking down and having to be towed away.

The final instalment of this series is now awaited with much anticipation, to be run in less than seven days. Watch this space...