Description: This brand new sprint area will be the ultimate spectator event for 2013. The terrain is quite similar to The Slump (used for the final World Cup Stage) and was formed by a huge natural land slide near the Tuki Tuki river. You will find very strange/intricate but very fast open-farmland contour detail sprinkled with rocks and other point features. The entire race [mass start by classes] will be visible to spectators from the clifftops above, so get a good spot to watch the elite grades battle it out head to head!
So, no competitors were allowed up in the viewing area until after they had run their course.
Callum in the distance, having broken away from the other competitors on his course during the butterfly loop.
Lots of competitors all over the place.
Callum coming into view of the finish,
and finishing – the WINNER!!
Showing off the mud, and a NAOC shirt. Sure wished he had mentioned where he had gotten muddy before I went out.
And, a happy front side.
Here I am getting ready to go out, but more importantly, it is a picture of the smaller monitor stand with the two monitors on each side.
(Courtesy of P. Herries.)
Ah, yesterday’s high was not to be repeated this morning. I didn’t make the mass start, mostly because I wasn’t really ready to get to the start when it was happening at 10 AM. So, instead I got there in order to start one minute after the elite women and 9 minutes before I elite men. I hoped this was enough to keep out of their way.
Poor route choice out of the start getting into the same little bog that Callum went through. Up to my knee high socks in muck, after trying to hang onto the fence and skirt the 10′ of really wet stuff. Agh! Muck up to my knees, on my socks. Great start. Roll the socks down and try to ignore the rest.
Overshoot 1 on the track. Finally find 2, so I head back to 1. I get to the control in the circle which is 101, and I am convinced I need 102, so I keep going on the same line and find 102 on the little cliff near the track. Head back to 2, thinking it should be closer then this, and pass my 1 again and then find 2. [I did not realize about this mispunch until later that evening.]
Manage to do 2-7, with just a little additional effort for 7. Then I head to 13, which I find easily enough. However, I CAN NOT FIND 14. Find 13 again, go for 14, and I STILL CAN NOT FIND 14. I was too low. At this point, there are all of these elite men running around, and I am feeling sillier and sillier because my misadventure is in full view of all of the people watching the elite race. I find a low spot in the shade, out of view and sit and consider what might be happening.
I gather myself and soldier on. Yes, I am as confused as I look.
(Courtesy of P. Herries.)
Eventually, and in desperation, I make my way to another control. This is my 16th control. Whew, I know where I am. However, for some reason getting this one makes me realize that I hadn’t done 8-11, the first part of the butterfly loop. 
(Courtesy of P. Herries.)
At that point, I haul my demoralized self to the finish, trying to ignore the cheers from above. I get my raunchy shoes, ankle braces, and socks off, and sit in the shade and blubber for a bit. Still raw for a while longer, but then I bounce back, because, hey, I am in New Zealand, doing more events in two weeks then I have been able to do in the last year. That has to be good!
Race stats: 1.7 km, 155m climb, 18 controls
Garmin distance: 1.94 miles with 127 m climb
Place: DNF
Time: 49:24
Time lost:
Time per km: n/a
Finish split: at trudge pace, it doesn’t really matter.