There was plenty of overnight and morning rain as we farewelled Karangahake, and headed to Auckland. Pam and Peter were already in the new lodgings in the southeast suburbs, and we were soon settled in. My room has a workspace, and a walk in wardrobe, so I’m happy.
We whiled away the morning and early afternoon, then set off for race 1, at Auckland University’s city campus. This was familiar – back in 2017 it was the venue for the World Masters Sprint final. We remembered the amazing event centre, a fantastic indoor space with an outdoor terrace, complete with café, toilets, plenty of seating, and great spectating along the finish chute from above. We also remembered the complicated map with multiple levels and lots of nooks and crannies; everyone had a story of woe. We studied the map, particularly the two tunnels which caused a lot of angst 7 years ago.
This time, the finish chute was up a big flight of stairs, and across the terrace; we couldn’t really see competitors approaching for very long. From the times, it was clear that courses were on the long side, with the main Mens elite course being won in 17 minutes rather than the normal 12 or so. It was an exciting race, with the lead regularly swapping between the top three throughout; the winner was victorious by just one second, grabbed from his rival in the finish chute.
We began making our way to the start. Last time it was memorable for being on top of an overpass which led into the adjacent park. This time, they’d used one of the two tunnels which cross under a busy road. It was straightforward enough – pop out onto a footpath, run north to the corner, turn left, cross a small road, veer right under a canopy, to the waiting first control. After that it got pretty technical, by which I mean you had to carefully read the map and pick a viable route, factoring in the multiple dividing walls, dead ends, stairs, and narrow passageways. With so many twists and turns, you couldn’t plan too far ahead; and even on the seemingly straightforward legs, you were constantly double checking for unseen traps.
The first half was easier than the second; then we had to duck into a doorway off the street, down some stairs to the tunnel entrance, run under the road, and emerge into a very complex area – made even more so by some last minute taping around some broken glass. I had four controls in a very tight configuration, with ramps, stairs, canopies and walls galore. One of these was a tree – but as I approached, I realised I was looking at the top branches rather than the bottom of the trunk, where the stand would be. Yes, it was down another set of stairs, to a small courtyard.
Safely out of that confusing area, I had a long leg to the north. The “direct” route looked like it would be very slow to navigate, so I headed back onto the street and around the top, keeping things simple. This tactic proved correct, moving me up a place. I persisted with the slow and steady approach, making sure I knew exactly where I was and what I was looking for, and I got through this part very cleanly. One more long and complicated leg to the last section, where I made a very small error by turning down one passageway too early. I was reading the map pretty well by now, and was always on the right side of a wall, or on the right approach to a set of stairs. At last, a straight run to the final control, before dragging myself up the big stairs and into the finish. A much cleaner run than last time, and a respectable 7th place.
All of us completed the course successfully, and none of us were last – but Pam was the star of the show, winning her age class by over a minute. She had the honour of standing on the top of a (very high) podium to collect her prize, as winner of an Oceania championship.
The Auckland Triple Crown competition continues with two more races; times are accumulated to determine the winner. The final race features a reverse chasing start, and unlike last weekend, if you mispunch, you are knocked out of contention. I expect to have an early start on the last day.
dipidydoo 