Ultra Sprint, Sheffield

[buzz]

There are still a few places left for the PlanetFear Ultra Sprint in Sheffield on 14th July.

Exciting new format, great prizes, everyone welcome. See SYO web site for details.

http://www.southyorkshireorienteers.org.uk/index.php

[duncan b]

Sounds great fun.

Can you enter on the day for the Ultra Sprint?
And how does it work, or will that be the final details?

[ER]

Follow the above link or look under the cliffhanger website. The whole event looks great fun - there is scuba diving, bouldering competitions, farmer's markets, A good day out I would say.

[tokoloshe]

Do we need wetsuits in Sheffield at the moment?

[JennyJ]

No entry on the day for the event on Saturday 14th but anyone can 'have a go' on the Sunday.

You have to email by tomorrow at the very latest see details on the SYO website.

Pre-ran some of the courses today and it is great - going to be some very confused people around. Shame Oli and I won't be there to see it... and yes it's still raining here!

[Mike]

It's OK, Graves Park is high up.

[Haze]

will we get away with road shoes or should i be packing my o shoes?

[Haze]

will we get away with road shoes or should i be packing my o shoes?

[Nails]

Hazel put some dobs in -slippy steep banks and grass -not any tarmac I think.

[JennyJ]

I ran round it in walshes the other day and they were fine but dobs would probably be better. Also kneesocks/full length trousers are useful and make sure you wear you nicest kit everyone - we want to give a good impression of the sport!

[buzz]

how does it work, or will that be the final details?

We're emailing final details to pre-entries but in brief....

1:1000 map with specially made labrynth in full view of spectators and an area of forested with intricate vegetation detail.

2 qualifying rounds with 4 starters at a time running parallel 500m length courses on a 1:1000 map.

6 Semi-finals - head to head races, 4 runners in each running courses with butterfly loops.

3 Finals - head to head races over 800m courses with 33 controls - will require intense concentration!

First round 11.00, finals 13.00. Commentary, prizes, guaranteed sunny weather, and lots to see at Cliffhanger.

Last time I looked we had a few spare pre-entries, or you could come along on the day, watch the finals and run the courses afterwards.

[Seamus]

if you're not feeling athletic, I'll see you in the beer tent......

[ER]

Thank you organisers and planners especially the computer people for today's exciting event.

[buzz]

Well not much sprinting but very 'ultra'!

The maze was relatively easy to navigate, although with the added pressure of spectators, and an unsympathetic commentary team, there was plenty of hesitation. The forest was a real test of navigation and the 1:1,000 map took a couple of rounds to get used to.

The first two rounds were against the clock and smooth control flow was the order of the day with Craney dominating and delivering a master class of controlled mapwork and concentration.

Clare Leventon saw off the other women in the field despite good early rounds from juniors Mairaed Rocke and Hazel Wright, and she nearly pipped partner Rob Baker in the first round. Certainly the speed advantage the lads usually enjoy was all but gone with controls every 25 metres or so.

The semis were head to head races with first two past the post in each heat going through to the final adding to the pressure. In the first heat it was Craney who led them through the maze and into the forest, but Marcus Pinker and Mike Sprot were the first out of the forest and held off Craney's late challenge. Neil Northrop and Rob Baker made it through comfortably from the second heat.

The junior challenge was led in the early rounds by Robin Tett, and notable performances by 11 year old Aidan Smith who secured some notable scalps, but with the pressure forcing a handful of disqualifications it was Duncan Birtwistle who held his nerve to win the £50 top junior prize. Just to keep it in the family Duncans dad John won the Super-Vets and Aidans dad Colin won the Vets prize.

By the time the final started we had gathered quite a crowd of spectators, but the lads stayed focussed and all four had clean runs through the main and out into the forest. Butterfly loops added to the technical difficulty and confused the in-forest commentary team with first Neil and then Rob reported as leading, but it was Sprotty who burst out of the forest with a good 15 second lead and held of Marcus' challenge to win the £175 first prize and maintain his excellent form this year.

After the prizegiving the grudge matches began with random head to head races, and visitors to the Cliffhanger festival were invited to try out the courses - not something you could do with standard orienteering formats.

There were some overheads with the organisation with valliant efforts in building the maze in the pouring rain and grappling with SI software not designed for this format, but the compactness of the event meant that all 70 control sites could be checked in a matter of minutes, and the format meant everyone could run the same courses.

Great race, thanks to Oli for the inspiration, map and courses, Planet Fear for the prizes and Brian and the SYO team for everything else. Lets hope other clubs can put on similar races in the future.

[Mike]

Fantastic fun. That is the most intense orienteering I have ever done. Thanks to everyone involved in putting it on.