Devon Orienteering Club - Night Orienteering Race - 10th December


Devon Orienteering Club - Night Event 10th December - Five Tors

4.4km  135m - 45min 38secs

Always enjoy a night event on the moors.  It was a cold evening but unusually still so a base layer and cag were the order of the day.  A nice uphill start as a warm up and a very safe route choice meant I was slow but sure.  Across the hill to #2 no issues then the long leg around the hill to #3 looking for the earth bank or hut circles to come in from, but saw none of them, managed to drop in bang on.  A run straight down the hill and dropped into #4 nicely.  Over to #5 big hole in the ground visible from the whole hillside in the daylight, tried to get away from my 2 followers but messed up to high and missed the paths, used little staple tor as guide to get me back on track.  Nice run down the hill to #6 hit it clean but then messed up again to #7 going to far right, others now in front slightly.  Turned out of 7 and my light gave up.  Got my spare handheld out and used that to get me to #8 whilst trying to get my headlight working.  Got my head torch working and ran hard to #9 to make up time, missed the first path and so got confused, the other two must have punched without me seeing.  Eventually found it and ran hard to #10 which I found clean and that allowed me to home in on the other two who were below me heading to #11, they were to far left and I managed to follow their lights going into the control so allowing me to descend hard.  Didn't quite manage to catch them but it did allow me to finish strongly.



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