Some wise rogainer once said “Cancel – it won’t rain; go ahead it will”.
Thanks to all the people who could move their plans along one week and brave “The Bridge”. The Bridge being the low-level crossing over the Wollondilly River – and the only way in and out of the rogaine site. The locals gave it a 50/50 chance of flooding AFTER the teams had arrived!! The organisers (a little stressed at this point) tangoed for the lucky 50% and everyone did manage to leave as planned. The very generous landowner allowed us to use his enormous shed, which kept the caterers and admin teams out of the rain and mud.
The Tarlo River was impressively in flood (seen from checkpoint 100). Fortunately, there were no controls on the other side!! The small creeks (normally dry) were flooding and a few teams managed to find the only deep holes in the creeks getting just a bit wet. However, lots of folks enjoyed the slightly drizzly conditions keeping the temperature down.
There were reports of enormous flannel flowers, wombats, orchids, goodenias and one lucky team spotted an owlet nightjar. Congratulations to the winning teams Lee Rice and Craig Cowen (6 hour) and Ronnie Taib and David Williams (12 hour) and all the other teams who had just as much fun! See results here.
And photos from the course are here.
Thanks to all the volunteer setters, vetters, collectors, Hartley Life Care and the landowners. Best not to Tango with Tarlo in a La Nina year. However, next time there will be a new bridge at least 4 metres higher.