David Currie

We correctly predicted that we would be busy with the Inter-Regionals this weekend and consequently didn’t volunteer to join the SOC Spitfires for their journey north of the border to the Harvester. Unfortunately, looking at the results it looks like they experienced more than a few delays on the ‘flight’. Julian seems to have trouble getting the team airborne and Mike must have almost stalled in the middle! I’m in the office this week so will hopefully make the Tuesday night run and look forward to hearing the crew’s tales of woe.

102After the England-Paraguay match was over we headed out to Bordon Heath again to tag control sites. It was nice to be there in the sunshine for a change although let’s hope it isn’t quite so hot on the day or there will be juniors melting all over the place! At least they won’t have to experience the assortment of midges and mossies that abounded when we finally left around half nine in the evening. I didn’t envy the army cadets who were out on the area under canvas. As predicted, the bracken is now over a metre high in some places but in general it shouldn’t impede progress too much although later runners may benefit from elephant tracks in to a few controls. The stinging nettles are also pretty viscious but are mercifully few and far between.

Spent a large part of today planning courses for the Junior Inter-Regional Champs individual day to be held on Bordon Heaths on 24 June. We have deliberately planned the courses long as previous events on the area indicate that times will be fast. However, running some of the legs later in the day revealed that all of the recent rain seems to be bringing the bracken on nicely in some parts. Nettles are also starting to take hold in some potential control sites so we’ll have to watch how things change over the next month.

Came across the interesting OpenStreetMap project which aims to create copyright free geographic data. Participants in the project are asked to upload GPS tracks and/or convert the tracks in to labelled features. The project seems to have a good start in Southampton with a recent weekend workshop also aiming to map the Isle of Wight. If I ever have a spare couple of hours at home (unlikely I know) then I’d be tempted to head out and fill in a few major roads around our house.

Competing again today, this time at the first round of the inter-club orienteering competition. The area (Black Park near Slough) held some promise with the details claiming only 30m climb for an 8km course! Unfortunately, what they failed to mention were the brambles which had a hold over parts of the area and, at times, my legs.

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52I hadn’t entered the British Relays as I was originally due to be out in the US for two weeks. The club captain had pencilled me in to fill a space on an M50 team but, when we eventually arrived at the assembly area after the usual car park fiasco, I discovered I’d been promoted to the M40 team.

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49My pre-race preparation for the British Champs wasn’t exactly ideal. My flight from Raleigh landed at Gatwick at around 8:15 in the morning giving me just enough time to get home, get changed and get back to Midhurst for a start time six hours later.

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