Bilbys go to Gungahlin

David Baldwin

We finally got to do an AROC sprint last Saturday after missing the
first series for one reason or another.

Race start/finish was at Gungahlin Lakes Country Club, with a bike drop
at AIS on the way there. There was paddling involved, so we figured Lake
Ginninderra had to be in there somewhere, and there was an orienteering
leg which we guessed would be at Mulligans Flat. Course was stated to
include about 9km of running, 20km of MTBing and can't remember how much
paddling. We figured a run to AIS, pick up the bikes, ride to Lake G,
paddle, ride to Mulligans, run around a bit then back to the finish.

We dropped our bikes on race morning and picked up Ben Crabb our
team-mate who'd ridden there. Cruised out to the start and got our maps.
Course looked like what we'd guessed, with the addition of more paddling
at Yerrabi Pond in Gungahlin. It started with a bunch of closely spaced
controls in Bruce Ridge - a 5km run there without map coverage seemed a
bit odd, but we grabbed our street directory to plan a direct route
anyway. Come start time, some buses rolled to take us out to Bruce TAFE
- now we get it...

So we're all set in the carpark with some 57 other teams for a mad 400m
sprint to the first control, and that's exactly what happens. All team
members have been issued with identical yellow T-shirts/sacks (one size
fits all) to wear, so once the gun goes it's next to impossible to keep
track of your other team members in the crowd. Ben has the control card,
so I'm playing traffic cop directing him to the control, keeping track
of where Julie is and where the other teams are running to. 6 controls
in about 1.5km takes us to the AIS carpark and our bikes. Time to change
shoes and generally stuff about. I had brought my elastic race belt to
clip my running shoes to my camelbak, but who knows why I'd brought a
run cap too - seemed to have to keep taking it off and on all day and
having to keep finding somewhere to stow it.

Followed the crowd across the road scar and up the single track to the
water tank, then drop into the single track again heading west to the
road scar once more. Lots of slower teams to pass, and still hard
keeping track of the rest of the team. Next control is near the back of
Calvary, then across Haydon Drive to one in Gossan Hill, another coming
down the back of Bruce near Davo's folks place, then across in UC
ressies for another and through the underpass to the lake.

We drop our bikes and I decide not to change shoes, but we have to wear
our yellow shirts over our PFDs for the paddle, so more stuffing around,
and for some reason I put my cap back on. We grab ourselves a yellow
barge and paddles and sprint to the other end of the lake, following
another half dozen teams. Pull into an island for a control, then across
to the triple tri start and pull the boat up. Now a short run over the
top of the hill, trying to avoid grass seeds, and down to the bike path
to a rocky point on the shore. Matt Purcell's team have just jumped in
to swim across, so we quickly follow. I'm battling with the map case
which keep tries to float around in front of me. A few minutes later we
drag ourselves out of the lake, pull off our PFDs and find our bikes
again. More stuffing around with my cap, but at least I didn't have to
change shoes, but it's time to change maps for the leg out to Mulligan's
through Gungahlin.

Up the bikepath and across the bridge over the lake, then more time
trialling up the bikepath under Barton Highway and then a left across
the first dam past another control and around to the head of the lake
and check in at the start/finish. Now we have to walk our bikes under
the underpass, splash across the creek and up to the first "challenge"
where Alina is waiting. The challenge is for the team to hit 3 golf
balls past a mark on the driving range, taking turns. Julie takes about
5 swings before finally connecting with the ball for a solid whack - 1
down. My turn, and by the 3rd swing I connect for an even better whack -
2 down. Ben has a couple of swipes before slicing away across the grass,
so Julie is again swinging wildly to finally get our third, and we're
off riding again.

The second paddle is up Yerrabi Pond after dropping our bikes and
changing shoes, and we make quick progress, but there's no other teams
in sight ahead now. We pull up on some carpet on the otherwise slippery
concrete bank, and Tom hands us an orienteering map that I manage to get
a bit wet with my gloves before finally stuffing around and getting it
into the mapcase. Another mixed team has caught us by this time, but
once the map is sorted out we drop them very quickly running off through
the long grass picking up lots of seeds. First control is by a dam on
the topo map which is a bit tricky because the contours are almost
invisible and it's so flat anyway. Up the ridge and we're onto the
orienteering map and into the lovely bush of Mulligan's. We've never been
out here before, and it is a lovely area, and no grass seeds either -
bargain! The nav is fairly straightforward and the traveling is easy.
After a few more controls we start to catch glimpses of a team or maybe
two ahead, and a few minutes later we haul in both Matt Purcell's team
and also Matt Bacon/Team Crank.

The last orienteering control is on a hill top, then it's a solid run
down across the paddocks for a final dose of grass seeds and back to the
lake. The race is well and truly on now, and the 3 teams are apparently
racing for 3rd place overall. A quick transition back to the boats and
we're paddling hard down the lake, chasing Crank with Matt Purcell close
behind. We don't lose any distance on the paddle, surprisingly since the
other 2 teams are all-male. There is a control on an island and Ben jumps
off to punch it while Julie and I manoeuvre the boat around for a quick
getaway. Off again in pursuit and we get to the shore a close second,
and Julie is so keen to pull the boat up I get trapped under it because
I can't climb up the bank quick enough!

We charge across to our bikes and start getting organized, then realize
we're supposed to be doing another activity before we ride off. Turns
out we have to go across a flying fox and rope bridge in the playground.
Unfortunately both the other teams are now in front of us, and we have
to wait for the flying fox, then take it in turns pulling it back for
each team member. When I finally get to ride it, I launch off the
platform, then almost immediately start scraping along the ground
getting carpet burns on my knees because it's designed for kids. By the
time we've crossed the bridge the other teams are both away on their
bikes, and with only about 1km to ride including a road crossing there's
no chance of catching them. We come in 5th overall, but 1st mixed team
which is a pretty good way to end the morning. The next mixed team is
about 8 mins behind.

All in all a great way to spend a morning. Heaps of fun, lots of variety
and a well thought out course. Enough navigation for some ability to
make a difference, but easy enough that teams with minimal experience
could cope. Give it one try some time!