Ballarat's Silva DuO is a Doddle

Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Aaron Dodd – winner of the Ballarat Silva DuO

Close to 70 competitors tackled the heat on Sunday in the 3^rd Annual Ballarat leg of the Silva DuO series organized by Eureka Orienteers. Competitors could choose from either a short or long course option but either way they had three legs to complete in a run-ride-run format in the Ballarat East and Canadian Forest areas.

The ride proved to be the decisive leg on all courses and class categories, with those who had clean rides emerging to tackle the final run in the Pax Hill area with a lead that was unassailable. In the Senior classes, Peter Cusworth was well clear on the Short, while Tim Hatley on the long was still in front despite having a puncture; and in the Womens Denise Pike could take it easy on the final run of the short leg.

One interesting battle occurred on the Long Course where Kevin Humphrey(runner) and Jim Russell(rider) teamed up to do a relay but were still beaten by 37 sec by Aaron Dodd.

Course setter, Blake Gordon, was pleased with the reaction from the competitors who all enjoyed the mix of terrains and the reduced hill-climbing which had been a feature of the past years around Black Hill and Nerrina. Eureka Orienteers plan to base the 2013 event in the same area.

Many thanks to our sponsor Bikecorp, suppliers of Maxxis tyres, Sigma heart rate monitors and bike computers, Limar helmets and sunglasses and Tioga lights.

Full set of results available at www.silvaduo.com
Photos taken by Ken Dowling here

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