We returned to the same arena for the second qualifying race, though we parked mercifully closer, in amongst the tall fluffy pampas grass which grows in such profusion, and looks amazing with the sun shining on its feathery flowers.

We reclaimed our spot on the hill, now dubbed Commonwealth Hill to accommodate the Canadians and Brits.

I had an earlier start time and a shorter course, but I didn’t get very much sleep last night and my head wasn’t really in it to begin with.  I picked up my map, turned it over, and nearly fainted.  It looked just like someone had dropped spaghetti onto it.  There was so much information in the contour lines!  I immediately felt disheartened, until I took a closer look and realised that nearly all my controls had track bends or junctions close by.  OK, I can do this!

I took a clear track towards a junction, but went into the forest too early for my first control.  Popped out, went a little further along the track and picked up the correct attack point this time.  Easy!  Back onto another track, another junction, picked up a spur, went in, dropped into the gully and onto the flag.  Out again, run down to a drinks control, swing left, downhill, uphill, leave the track again, across to a small saddle.  Yay! So far, so good.  No 4 involved a route choice of right or left around a massive steep, green hill which no-one in their right mind would go over.  The tracks were working well for me, and I found no 4 no problem.

Now I was into the middle section of the course.  I got myself close to no 5, but misread a side track which led me a little astray.  Came back to the correct spot, saw the large gully that I needed.  Count off the side gullies, find the middle one.  No flag!  Oh, I see, its tucked into an even smaller subsidiary gully.  Press on, now following the red line to no 6, which is nestled into the corner of a large depression.  Yesterday’s controls were easier to see on approach.

I dithered on how to tackle no 7, before choosing a direct line.  It became thicker and greener the closer I got.  I meandered across a pile of spaghetti, not sure where I was.  Finally realising there was a train of orienteers off to my right, I headed that way and found the flag.  Now I just had to get myself out onto the large track, and from here on in it should be easy.  Back down a track I’d been on earlier, so moving confidently, only to be stopped in my tracks by a huge vertical sand slope.  Only one way down – bum slide!  The older man in front of me adopted my seat of the pants technique, and we got to the bottom in one piece. “I’ve gone back to kindergarten!” he declared cheerfully.

The last 5 controls were in much more open forest, with plenty of tracks and no problems locating the flags.  Into the finish chute, punch – done.  Two qualifiers down and no mishaps.  Slow again of course, in fact 10 minutes slower than yesterday, but that was because the terrain was much slower.  In the washup I was 41^st on combined time, without the dreaded “nc” (non competitive) against my name. Many other W55s have fallen by the wayside.

There’s only one race to go – the  final.  Tomorrow is a well deserved rest day.