Orienteering race 1:14:08 [5] *** 6.23 km (11:54 / km) +360m 9:14 / km
spiked:13/15c
West Point Red X, day one. Many hills, not much choice of how to get around it, rather how to get on top of them in a decent, no cliff and boulder clustered way. Over to #1 it's greener and rockier than mapped. Well, got to get used to it. Go around hill, can't figure #2 and drop five minutes in a non-exisiting yellow open on non existing rock. I aim back to the big cliff and there is sits, nicely tucked away.
After this map exploration my navigation is alright, somewhat slow until I switch to the WP help mode: Ignore the details and read the contours. After the race I secretly wonder, if Swampfox never intended for us to be in this area. It is at the edge of the previous Round Pound and Popolopen maps, now joined to one map. Maybe he knew that nobody would go within 100 or 200 m of the edge of the map. But now we do.
Anyway. Kept moving around hills or at least spread the climb. Drop down on #9 somewhat low, recover and go back. Have nice route across the rattlesnake cliffs to #12. Downhill to finish some less direct route respectively the road would be faster.
I estimate about 8 minute possible improvement with better routes and a more precise approach to #2.
Orienteering race 21:16 [5] *** 2.88 km (7:23 / km) +50m 6:48 / km
spiked:17/18c
West Point Sprint. Nice sprint in the afternoon. Find a good flow. I hesitate before #6, see too much rock, hit trail, bypass #6 and see #7. They are only 50m apart, so it the adventure adds a mere 30 seconds. 9-10 I am reluctant to cross the field, go through gate on SW corner, find the fence on the other side crossable. Could be maybe 1-2 minutes faster, or with fresh legs even more.
A good sprint, with the fresh commentaries by the commissioner minus 10 pounds of sugar. Among the advanced and mature population of the sprint I did fine, some of the young guns ruthlessly displayed their speed.
Running warm up/down 15:00 [3] 3.0 km (5:00 / km) +20m 4:50 / km
Run the start, warm-up before regular course and sprint course.