Event report: MTBO 3 Dwellingup

Dwellingup Trails and Visitor Centre

A cool but fine day greeted the 35 starters in the bike classes and 5 runners for this 3-hour score event at the fantastic new trail centre in Dwellingup. Competitors were challenged with a double sided A3 map. It would have been almost impossible to clear the course so decisions which side to start on needed to be made quickly.

MapRun6 was used for timing, following a largely successful first use at the previous event. Again the app worked reasonably well for most competitors. There were some issues around the start and finish locations on the map differing from the app, due to some late-night last-minute changes, and control 53 was mysteriously misplaced in the app. Sorry to those affected by this, your scores will be adjusted according to your traces.

A few people had issues with the app or their phones and did not automatically upload to the results, so it will take a few days to see a final result list. There were also some issues with new trails being constructed and not yet mapped. A few people found themselves on these inadvertently. For this and other reasons several of the leading point scorers took routes that were not technically allowed, but given the nature of the event we have overlooked this.

The advantages of using MapRun for timing include saving the setter lots of work, and saving you from control collection duties. It also allows the setter to see everyone’s routes to see if the challenges the setter envisaged actually eventuated. Competitors are reminded that in Australia off track riding is not permitted, unless on the rideable areas mapped in orange or the black dot symbol. Please familiarise yourself with a summary of the new MTBO mapping symbols. You should not short cut through bush. If you find yourself off the mapped tracks, you should retrace your route back to where you lost contact with the mapped tracks rather than carry on towards your next control.

A big thanks to Duncan Sullivan for mapping the area and setting the event. Thanks to Jack Dowling for getting the MapRun set up and helping out with technical issues on the day and post-race. Thanks also to Peter Gillon for helping transport gear; Jack, Sue, Peter and Angela for help with set-up, and to all those who graciously volunteered to help with virtual control collection.

Preliminary results are available in Eventor - please contact us if your score does not appear correct, or your result is missing from the list but is recorded correctly on your phone. 
Thank you for your patience with MapRun6 - we're getting the hang of it. :-)

Photos are available on Facebook.

Photo: Starting the race at Dwellingup, by Sue Dowling.