The orienteering meet this past weekend was held on the Hulls Gulch map. This will be our last meet in this area due to the sensitivity of the area and because the public really only has permission to use the designated trails.

The meet can be summed up in one word: wet. Actually it can be summed up in a couple of words: wet, really wet. At least these conditions prevented a replay of the heat stroke many of us endured last month at Rabbit Creek. We'll need to get Bill to schedule a wet weekend for us next year at Rabbit Creek. Because of the wet weather on Sunday the water I hauled into three controls was virtually untouched. So while the Intermediate and Advanced courses were rather long at least no one got dehydrated.

So on to the recap.....

We had a pretty decent turnout despite the inclement weather. We had three groups run the beginners course, three run the intermediate, and six run the advanced.

On the beginners course, co-director Jeff Black, and his post-San Diego Marathon weary legs ran this course during control pickup. He did skip one control because it was the last control on both the intermediate and advance courses and we still had competitors out on those courses. His time, less the one control was 14.17. Close behind and picking up all the controls was Tim Ramey and kids, Olivia and Teddy. Teddy led his group back in with a vigorous run to the finish. Lee Scott got his family to come out to the meet, and his wife and daughter, Lauren and Samantha, successfully found all the beginning controls.

A tough and long (over 5k) intermediate course had a somewhat surprising winning time. But considering who finished first, it shouldn't have been a surprise. Kristin Ritzenthaler blitzed this course in a time of 58.40. She had considered pushing her son in a jogger on this course but quickly changed her mind when she saw the course layout. Consequently the meet directors got to enjoy her son, Leo's, company while Kristin ran. Renee Kline and Jay Morgan hotly contested second place in this division. Jay did have difficulty finding control 6 but over about three hours they finished only 14 minutes apart.

On to advance....this course was tough and long (over 8K), with lots of climbing (I can still hear my name being cursed). As usual the advanced course was won by Sergey. And as he pointed out on his return, control 15 on the advance course (also control 3 on intermediate) was misplaced by about 20 meters (I apologize, Hulls rookie director mistake). Even with the course errors, Sergey completed the course in 1:31. Then in a close competition for second and also with great times on this course, Lee Scott finished in 1:47.17 and Michael Bading finished in 1:52.40. Other competitors in this division were Doug LaMott, Bill Pilcher, and Jeff Decker.

As meet director I thank everyone for coming out on such a wet and dreary day. With all the work that goes into setting up a course, it's nice to see people come out and navigate the courses (especially the intermediate and advance courses).

Thanks much to Lexy for helping out with the setup and take down of the registration area. The same thanks to co-director Jeff Black, and also thanks for his control pickup after the meet. And thanks to Jeff Decker for providing lunch to the directors.

Thanks to Andy Hill for the printing of the maps. 

Results:
 
Beginners:
Jeff Black (less 1 control) 14.17
Tim, Olivia, & Teddy Ramey  28.11
Lauren & Samantha Scott     43.44
 
Intermediate:
Kristin Ritzenthaler        58.40
Renee Kline               2:58.10
Jay Morgan                3:12.00
 
Advance:
Sergey Velichko           1:31.00
Lee Scott                 1:47.17
Michael Bading            1:52.40
Doug LaMott               2:42.00
Bill Pilcher              3:04.00
Jeff Decker (DNF)         1:57.28