RouteGadget Please do add your route; the planner is always keen to see where competitors went, and competitors find it useful to see where others went.
Please refer any queries with these results to Robin
Course 7 – detour to avoid unsafe bridge (NE of circle 145)Bridge flood level – at end of event
Planner's Comments
I hope you enjoyed the courses today. Obviously we were affected by Saturdays snow rapidly melting with todays sudden rise in temperatures which in turn caused flooding around the bridge area by control 145 in Cuttlebrook. When we postponed in September the flooding was much more severe than this and paths throughout the reserve were underwater. The levels were also rising a noticeable difference occurred between Nev setting the controls in the region and myself getting to the problem area.
The bridge was heavily used as a viable route choice on courses 1-3 and 6 (junior / orange); for course 7 the bridge was the crossing point between the two sides. As people would have already travelled and with starts rapidly approaching we swiftly came up with some remedial actions so that the event could proceed. To the south of the bridge the eastern path adjacent to the brook was well under water and the bank edge invisible - this path was closed and marked with hazard tape. This path was the cause of issues for courses 1-3 and 6. The path heading north was actually OK but for a small stream feeding into the brook from the marshes which had a small duck board crossing - this was already underwater - so again the path was closed and marked with hazard tape. The north path was used solely by course 7 so a taped diversion route had to be put in. For the remaining affected courses notes and information was given to avoid the flooded area and pick the (not always longer) alternative route. For the sake of juniors on course 6 we also taped the route to the safe crossing.
So I must say a massive well done to all those juniors who completed course 7 today - splashing through the icy melt water and following a long taped diversion which went past many more decision points than is allowed.
By the time courses finished the levels had actually risen to a point where we would have to consider cancellation. I'm very glad that we managed to proceed with the event today in a safe manner given that we had already postponed it once. The photos show the levels that it rose to.
Planner's Comments
I hope you enjoyed the courses today. Obviously we were affected by Saturdays snow rapidly melting with todays sudden rise in temperatures which in turn caused flooding around the bridge area by control 145 in Cuttlebrook. When we postponed in September the flooding was much more severe than this and paths throughout the reserve were underwater. The levels were also rising a noticeable difference occurred between Nev setting the controls in the region and myself getting to the problem area.The bridge was heavily used as a viable route choice on courses 1-3 and 6 (junior / orange); for course 7 the bridge was the crossing point between the two sides. As people would have already travelled and with starts rapidly approaching we swiftly came up with some remedial actions so that the event could proceed. To the south of the bridge the eastern path adjacent to the brook was well under water and the bank edge invisible - this path was closed and marked with hazard tape. This path was the cause of issues for courses 1-3 and 6. The path heading north was actually OK but for a small stream feeding into the brook from the marshes which had a small duck board crossing - this was already underwater - so again the path was closed and marked with hazard tape. The north path was used solely by course 7 so a taped diversion route had to be put in. For the remaining affected courses notes and information was given to avoid the flooded area and pick the (not always longer) alternative route. For the sake of juniors on course 6 we also taped the route to the safe crossing.
So I must say a massive well done to all those juniors who completed course 7 today - splashing through the icy melt water and following a long taped diversion which went past many more decision points than is allowed.
By the time courses finished the levels had actually risen to a point where we would have to consider cancellation. I'm very glad that we managed to proceed with the event today in a safe manner given that we had already postponed it once. The photos show the levels that it rose to.