Ballarat's Silva DuO is a Doddle
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Aaron Dodd – winner of the Ballarat Silva DuO
Close
to 70 competitors tackled the heat on Sunday in the 3rd
Annual Ballarat leg of the Silva DuO series organized by Eureka
Orienteers. Competitors could choose from either a short or long
course option but either way they had three legs to complete in a
run-ride-run format in the Ballarat East and Canadian Forest areas.
The
first run leg of either 3 or 5 km was mainly in the streets,
parks and reserves between Sparrow Ground and Lake Esmond and within
15 minutes the first runners were back to transition and heading into
the northern end of Canadian Forest on the mountain bike leg. In the
Open sections on the long course Aaron Dodd had a narrow lead, while
Shayne Hill was looking like a winner on the short. In the Womens
divisions a good battle was emerging between Kath Copland, Aislinn
Prendergast and Thorlene Egerton on the long course while on the
short Amy Cusworth was edging away.
The
ride proved to be the decisive leg on all courses and class
categories, with those who had clean rides emerging to tackle the
final run in the Pax Hill area with a lead that was unassailable. In
the Senior classes, Peter Cusworth was well clear on the Short, while
Tim Hatley on the long was still in front despite having a puncture;
and in the Womens Denise Pike could take it easy on the final run of
the short leg.
One
interesting battle occurred on the Long Course where Kevin
Humphrey(runner) and Jim Russell(rider) teamed up to do a relay but
were still beaten by 37 sec by Aaron Dodd.
Course
setter, Blake Gordon, was pleased with the reaction from the
competitors who all enjoyed the mix of terrains and the reduced
hill-climbing which had been a feature of the past years around Black
Hill and Nerrina. Eureka Orienteers plan to base the 2013 event in
the same area.
Many
thanks to our sponsor Bikecorp, suppliers of Maxxis
tyres, Sigma
heart rate monitors and bike computers, Limar
helmets and sunglasses and Tioga
lights. Full
set of results available at www.silvaduo.com
Photos taken by Ken Dowling here Event feedback: click here
Mark Valentine – Organiser
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