Katoa Po 2012 (10-03-2012)

Fun night event with team from Waikato Orienteering.
My run was pretty good. Started same time as S Jager and hoped to keep up. Stayed w him into forest then lost confidence going to 2 and he got away, I wass still confused by Taupo gullies and not sure how to go up that bank which seemed steeper than on the map, checked out another control on stump then followed Jim up blacknerry bank. Should be more confident.
Caught Simon again on way to 3 but shame was that we'd both made mistake of taking gully too early, I saw open but was not definate enough w plan and felt like Id run far enough, in the dark distance perception is screwy. ran back to track to do it cleany as per original plan instead of trying to correct from where I was in blackberry infestation, this was beneficial, show that my plan worked.

good to 4 confident running along flat to hill almost back w simon but he flew off faster running in the open. I still hesitant but 5-6 good

carefull using stream to 7 and did well not being distracted by runners around me.

fast up hill simple leg to 8 but messed it up at the end big time. I spotted the risk in doing so but was unable to prevent it, esp when distracted by runner coming out of it. Needed more definate angle when leaving forest as horizontal gullies similar and never saw the trough. )-: relocated slowly from fence but simon long gone now and others catching me

good to 9 and 10 lots of gorse,

planned straight to 11 without realising uncrossable fence so had to go round prob the slow way but too late to change mind good attack but misread and expected control higher on hill.

into forest and suprised to be lower than expected and near fence but trusted this and found fast.

getting tired so stuffed around in gullys too long on way to 13

awesome rocks at 14

15 slow and careful,

bad exit direction from 15 felt by instinct but kept going instead of checking! up gully earlier than planned, just remembered to punch after changing map.

glad final loop only small and no more forest (-:

17 good
18 up to first depression then couldnt see sec ond it mustve been tiny.

indirect way to 19 but safe
finally to 20 and the finish

the most technical katoa po Ive done probably, so good challenge and neat area
team finished about 1.30pm w hamish and more cowbells. (-:
team: Blake, Jesper, Malin, Nic, Rolf, Angela, Hamish