| After 50 days without any significant rainfall in this part of Lincolnshire, the heavens opened at Poacher No. 5 - not that this deterred another large entry who sampled the excellent courses put on by Pete Harris. Although electronic punching needs more labour input the advantages are great. Apart from competitors being able to compare route choice and split times, smaller areas can be used more efficiently obviating the need for second maps. The larger numbers that Poacher now attracts would be quite difficult for one person to handle operating the old system. However, to reduce following, competitors do need to allow an adequate gap at the start as it cannot always be monitored. Thanks go to Pete Harris for planning the courses and to John Bennett, Andy Furnell and others who collected in controls at the end in pouring rain. If people feel that they will be out on their course for some considerable time, please start early or opt for the short. The parking area was new enabling those on the Short course to use a part of the wood only previously touched upon by the Long course. Zac Field maintained his 100% record on the Short course ahead of Hull's Peter Robinson who had his best run yet in Poacher 2007. The Long course was very closely contested with just 66 seconds separating the leading four runners led home by Lincoln Young Gun Liam Harrington for his first win of the season. Harrington Senior, Sean, also had a liking for the wet conditions taking a number of scalps as did last year's Junior Champion Ben Beresford who finished in an excellent tenth place. After the woodlands of the first five Poachers, next week is open grassland with plenty of contours to provide a different challenge. |