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| Scenes of pain... |
The forecast rain did stay, but enough had fallen on the Friday to make underfoot conditions tricky, particularly in the gates. The day itself was perfect for racing, but the mutterings in the car park suggested those who had walked the course had discovered something 'large'...
As usual there was mass chaos at the start as all grades were released together, and then tried to squeeze through a farm gate after about 100m! I'm not sure why Hastings persist with this format, but it certainly makes for unnecessary mayhem. Mind you, it was bloody hillarious watching every one avoiding the mud puddle in the middle of the gateway.
The field was lead by the juniors at this stage with Duncan Morrison, Toa Elphick-Iaveta, Jake Tully and Devon Beckman setting the pace and Eric Speakman biding his time just behind. I wonder who had walked the course and who had not? Not further up the track and there appeared the something 'large' in the form of a MOUNTAIN. At the top of the MOUNTAIN Eric was in the lead by about 100m and then proceeded in his usual anti-social manner and just ran away from everyone. By the time the course was Eric was about 6:30 ahead of Craig Mathers with 'Mountain Man Middlton' running an outstading race for third.
Meanwhile, in the hastily arranged junior race, Fraser Pearson had opted for the soft option and won the 1.6km race. It was quite funny watching these little fullahs ignoring the markers and just following the sheep tracks.
The under 12's did 1 lap of the 3.km circuit and Shamus Christison cleaned up. There was some confusion at the finnish and it was unclear who had done what, but Devon Beckman and Thomas Christison were second and third for the trifecta.
I believe Hastings have claimed a clean sweep of the junior girls race, but everything else went our way.
That wee hill sure showed up the training regimes of most as just about everyone was reduced to a walk. Mind you, I felt a wee twinge from my calf as I was wandering up it to take some pics. Mind you, lovely view from the top if you had time too look around.
report Mark Speakman
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