Also, two teams did not check in at all. We were able to determine that they left without checking in, but worrying about whether a search and rescue operation is required taints an otherwise positive day.
- Hefe 'O
Conditions were perfect. As I stood around the registration table with a nice westerly breeze blowing, temperature 75F, high scattered clouds, in the shade of the live oak, I thought about the Class A event going on that day at West Point in New York state, where it was snowing, later mixing to rain, and I thought: I'm really glad I'm in Florida!
The crowd was pretty good. No final count yet, but 225 or so. We ran out of Orange course control descriptions and also ran out of the good 1:15000 scale maps, having to dip into the on-hand supply of old 1:10,000 scale maps. These are good problems, though some folks escaped before we could inform them of the need to copy new trails onto the old map.
The results are up on the web as I write this Wednesday 4/10, thanks to Dave Ousley's prompt collation.
In my advance notice of this event, I'd warned about the possibiity of getting wet on the red & green courses. It appeared as though lots of folks did indeed cross the river several times to shorten their route. However, winner Arild Orsleie says he took the dry-foot route all the way, so I don't know what that proves. I know that as I was setting those controls, I looked at the depth of the water from the tops of all those high banks and just ran around the long way every time.
Speaking of control setting, I received some pointed comments from just about everyone about the placement of Red #5 at the west tip of the marshy area. I felt pretty good about it, but I'll be sure to check it out again next time I'm out that way, just to salve my conscience. But I also regret having hung the control on a hauled-over dead tree that left the top of the flag about even with the surrounding grass. Too hidden.
That #5 may have been part of the reason only three out of 18 (16%!!) finished the green course. But not likely. The real reason was simply that we organizers permitted too many inexperienced newbies out on Green. High School JROTC and Scouts accounted for 14 of the 15 green DNF's. No matter how much fun they had, failing to finish a green course has to be less satisfying than successfully finishing an Orange. Somehow we have to convince them they will be better off honing skills on a manageable course than failing to find controls on the more challenging courses. If you cannot find a control you cannot exercise or improve your navigational skills.
Every competitor on every course should find every control within the three hour time limit - but only if they have selected the proper course for their skill level. Place these failure-to-finish results in the context of safety - which is FLO's over-riding concern - and it becomes a necessity that we exercise greater control in this matter. We want everyone to have fun, and most of them do whether they finish or not, but not only is finishing more fun, we also want to teach map literacy, while controlling the risks of people becomng lost. Help us out on this, please.
If you were there, you noticed the new pine plantations, which apparently will become a permanent fixture at LBE. Someday the whole Forest will really be a forest again. No one complained about the unsightliness of the pine beetle cutting and clearing. I guess we're all relieved it's not more extensive than it is.
Some usual thank-yous to Janet Putnam and Bev Ousley for their usual shift on registration. Ron Eaglin of course did the courses and Start/Finish from start to finish, it seemed. I saw Dave Ousley doing finish and Ron told me of some other volunteers whose names I've forgotten.
- Bob
| Name | Time |
| Borah | 43:40 |
| Jeffrey Plankk (2) | 49:58 |
| Arianna Davis (5) | 50:14 |
| Seamans | 54:10 |
| Griffin | 55:48 |
| Semones | 56:10 |
| Richard Fawcett | 60:31 |
| Mark Ritchhart (4) | 62:10 |
| Unkel | 68:21 |
| Jennifer Jewett (5) | 74:41 |
| Pattison (2) | 76:57 |
| Susie Davis (4) | 78:01 |
| Winter Park #2 (5) | 82:44 |
| David Harrison (4) | 89:21 |
| Hodson (5) | 93:00 |
| Pintar | 95:20 |
| Kathy Chester (6) | FM |
| Winter Park #3 (6) | DNF |
| Yap | NT |
| Name | Time |
| Prytulo | 45:50 |
| Yilmaz | 56:10 |
| Reggie Kornegay | 58:04 |
| William Gallier | 59:14 |
| Richard Gallier | 61:14 |
| Hoover | 64:31 |
| Dempsey (2) | 72:40 |
| Hunter | 91:15 |
| Graniello | 93:08 |
| Ryba | 97:40 |
| Troop 687 (2) | 97:44 |
| Auburdale #4 | 100:30 |
| Matt Sharkey | 100:32 |
| Bryan Davis | 105:13 |
| Santos | 108:01 |
| Winter Park #5 (4) | 110:01 |
| Bill Wiegert (4) | 115:35 |
| Gatlin | 120:33 |
| Jane Gallier | 120:36 |
| Hawkins | 123:30 |
| West Orange #1 (5) | 124:18 |
| Joe & Josh Marsh (2) | 127:04 |
| West Orange #3 (5) | 135:34 |
| Winter Park #4 (4) | 136:40 |
| Justin & Kyle Marsh (2) | 138:35 |
| Hall | 140:48 |
| Auburndale #3 (3) | 142:50 |
| West Orange #2 (4) | 143:21 |
| Little | 145:30 |
| Thomas (6) | 145:50 |
| 1344 #2 | 150:50 |
| Scott Myers (2) | 153:31 |
| Auburdale #1 (3) | 163:34 |
| Auburdale #2 (3) | 175:38 |
| Theobald (2) | FM |
| Caruso | DNF |
| 1344 #3 | DNF |
| Robert Henderson (3) | DNF |
| Desiree Johnson (6) | DNF |
| Winter Park #1 (4) | DNF |
| Gulf High School | DNF |
| Gulf High School #2 | DNF |
| Richard Videbeck | DNF |
| 1344 #1 | MIA |
| Bo Peep & P.D. (2) | YBF |
| Name | Time |
| Bev Ousley | 101:00 |
| Miller | 136:40 |
| Boca Ciega 7 (3) | 154:59 |
| Boca Ciega Millilo 4 (2) | DQ |
| Boca Ciega 3 (2) | DQ |
| Boca Ciega Brooks 6 (2) | DQ |
| Gibbs JROTC (3) | DQ |
| Matthews (2) | DNF |
| Boca Ciega #1 (2) | DNF |
| Boca Ciega #2 (2) | DNF |
| Gibbs JROTC (3) | DNF |
| Gibbs JROTC (3) | DNF |
| Gibbs ROTC (4) | DNF |
| Troop 401 #1 (3) | DNF |
| Troop 401 #2 (2) | DNF |
| 524 #3 | DNF |
| 524 #1 | DNF |
| Boca Ciega Flanny 5 (2) | MIA |
| Name | Time |
| Arild Orsleie | 71:08 |
| Dave Cutler | 86:30 |
| Nigel Gallier | 116:57 |
| Tallent | 125:00 |
| Alan Mendelsohn | 131:26 |
| Fendner | 153:55 |
| Boca Ciega McGlamry 8 (2) | 175:13 |
| Walaszek | 177:88 |
| 524 #4 | DQ |
| Bush | DQ |
| Murphy & Godber | DQ |
| Bill Barolet | DNF |
| Meyer | DNF |
| DNF | Did Not Finish |
| DQ | Disqualified - over 3 hours |
| FM | One or more Flags Missing |
| MIA | Did not check-in |
| NT | No Time Recorded |