Bear Valley Ski-O
Date: Feb. 26 - 27, 2005
Location: near Arnold, CA
Event Director: 
- 650.793.8764
Course Setters: Peter Graube, Trinka Gillis
Type: Ski-O; Score-O courses on Saturday, point-to-point courses on Sunday
Event Write-Up
By Tony Pinkham
We couldn't have asked for better conditions for our season ski-O finale, a two-day event at Bear Valley. The day before the event, when we were hanging controls, it snowed pretty hard in the afternoon but only deposited 2 or 3 inches of snow. Trail grooming commenced immediately after the storm lifted late in the afternoon, and the courses were in pristine condition for the mostly sunny day 1 score-O courses. Day 2 started sunny but quickly clouded up to keep the snow cool and fast for skiing the point-to-point courses.
Related Information
WinSplits (http://www.obasen.nu/winsplits/online/en/default.asp?page=classes&databaseId=4207) Route Gadget (http://baoc.org/gadget/) 2005 Ski-O Championships (http://baoc.org/sched/s05/2005_ski_champs_description.php) Event Announcement (http://baoc.org/sched/s05/s050226.php)
Neither of the days had record breaking attendance but with the days put together it set a registrations record for a ski-O event (72). For a two-day event, it also set a record for the total number of people in attencance (41--the previous two-day event had less than 40 people). These numbers plus very strong one-day attendance at our other two events made for our best year in attendance yet (149 people with I believe 176 registrations). This year also set a record by having two events with over 50 people. This is terrific for ski-O events.
Day 1 Score-O Courses
The day 1 courses were set by Trinka Gillis. She weighted each control with a score value of 2 (on beginner trails), 4 (on intermediate trails), or 6 (on expert black-diamond trails) points and placed them throughout 85 percent of the 66 KM trail network. Participants had 45, 70, or 100 minutes to find as many controls as possible, each using the same map. The terrain can best be described as a valley surrounded on three sides by hills, some low and some high with steep climbs and descents--lots of variety for a score-O event. To add to the trail complexity, some of the trails allowed only one-way traffic, for which the directions were marked on the maps. Trinka carefully set this course to tempt the fastest skiers to try and get all the controls, and a few nearly did that. Quite a few people indicated that they really enjoyed this format and wanted to do at least one event like this a year--the strategies were different and they got to explore various areas normally avoided by point-to-point events.
On the 45-minute course, Jukka Karras was the only male and Mindy Johnson was the only female to compete. Both applied their placings to the yellow course in the championships. The 70-minute course turned out to be a close competion between Marie-Josee Parayre (the winner by 4 points) and Tania Haag for the women; and Werner Haag and Francois Leonard for the men, but it turned out that one of Werner's route selections took him the wrong way on a one-way trail (oops!), so Francois won. On the 100-minute course, Julie Raymond and Yelena Krasnov easily led for women despite having to ski for less than 80 minutes. For the men, Chuck Lyda scored higher than Matthias Kohler and Matthias Vangbo, each of whom had impressive scores.
A special note about Julie Raymond and Yelena Krasnov--each of these women intended to compete on the long course but time limitations (one is a ski instructor and the other arrived late) dictated that they each compete for a shorter time. I started them on the 70-minute course, which used the same controls as the 100-minute course, and later applied their scores to the 100-minute course that they intended to compete on. Even with their constrained times, they easily led for women on the longer course.
Day 2 Point-to-Point Courses
The day 2 courses were set by Jim Waite. His white and yellow courses explored the beginner trails in the valley flat areas, his orange course ventured into foothills to test intermediate climbing and route choice skills, and his green and blue courses challenged the strongest of our ski orienteers with steep climbs and descents over long distances with complex route selections. Although everyone on the blue course was exhausted from the physical challenges of their course, many said that it was the best course they had ever skied. There were a number of people on the orange and green courses who expressed similar sentiments.
On the white course, Mindy Johnson was the only participant to finish. On the yellow course, Jackie Wong was the only woman to finish (she finished first in all three event days for the yellow courses, including at the first event at which she learned to ski), and Jukka Karras finished first again for the men. On the orange course, Julie Raymond beat a strong Marie-Josee Parayre, who in turn easily led the rest of the women, and Francois Leonard easily led the men. On the green course, Julie Raymond returned for another easy win for women and Tapio Karras barely edged out Werner Haag, who otherwise easily led the men. On the blue course, Brenda Giese and Chuck Lyda surmounted all physical and mental challenges to win for the women and men, respectively. Everyone who completed the blue course finished an incredibly challenging course.
Lessons Learned
Although this event went very well on both days, there were a few lessons to be learned. First, each score-O course needs to be unique, but long times (60 minutes for beginner and intermediate courses, and 90-120 minutes for advanced courses) are preferred by nearly all competitors. Second, one-way trails need to be better marked along the entire trail so disqualifications can be more easily avoided. Third, the course guidelines need to be changed for multi-day courses, which should have distances and climbs that are 75-80 percent those of one-day courses. This enables the competitors to finish competitive and strong for the one part of the event that other see. My apologies to all who's physical exhaustion was required for me to learn this lesson.
Thanks!
Many thanks go to all our helpers, many of whom volunteered on the spot. Many others volunteered without getting assignments (thanks for their great offers), especially for control pickup on both days. It was great to have so many helpful people on hand. The following people provided the services that made this event the success that it was:
- Course setting: Trinka Gillis and Jim Waite
- Setup/pickup Bjorn Widerstrom, Kent Ohlund, Matthias Vangbo, Matthias Kohler, Thorsten Graeve, Brenda Giese, Trinka Gillis, and Jim Waite
- Registration/E-punch: Thorsten Graeve, Brenda Giese, Trinka Gillis, and Jim Waite
- Beginner clinics: Nancy Lindeman
- Starts and finishes: Trinka Gillis
- Control pickup: Jim Waite, Chuck Lyda, Carol Schick-Lyda, Yelena Krasnov, Dan Dwyer, and Jackie Wong
- Hostel arrangements: Werner Haag (his arrangements housed all but 5 of our volunteers)
- Bear Valley XC: Paul and Dianne Peterson and their entire staff for their non stop support which included a tent and table for registration and even an offer to help pick up controls.
Results
Bear Valley, CA
Saturday & Sunday, February 26-27, 2005
Day-1 Score-O Results
Saturday, February 26, 2005
There were 31 controls, with a maximum of 120 points possible.
Pl Name Points Time Penalty Score
45-Minute Limit
1 Jukka Karras 20 42:51 20
2 Mindy Johnson 12 45:16 -2 10
70-Minute Limit
1 Francois Leonard 54 1:08:50 54
2 Dan Dwyer 52 1:09:06 52
3 Marie-Josee Parayre 38 1:04:48 38
4 Tania Haag 34 1:08:35 34
5 Bill Wright 32 1:07:13 32
6 Debra DiBiase 28 1:08:07 28
7 Beth Dixon 28 1:10:03 -2 26
8 Christine Jensvold 22 1:03:34 22
9 Jackie Wong 22 1:07:34 22
10 Grant Glouser 32 1:17:07 -16 16
11 Nancy Lindeman 14 1:04:04 14
Werner Haag 54 1:08:37 DSQ (*)
(*) Unintentionally went the wrong way on a one-way trail.
Second Course
Christine Jensvold 22 49:05 22
Nancy Lindeman 18 1:04:09 18
100-Minute Limit
1 Chuck Lyda 104 1:35:36 104
2 Matthias Kohler 98 1:37:36 98
3 Matthias Vangbo 98 1:45:46 -12 86
4 Kent Ohlund 88 1:42:57 -6 82
5 Julie Raymond (*) 76 1:11:43 76
6 Tapio Karras 76 1:41:36 -4 72
7 Jim Waite 78 1:42:30 -6 72
8 Thorsten Graeve 70 1:39:20 70
9 Yelena Krasnov (*) 64 1:10:43 64
10 Carol Schick-Lyda 60 1:40:23 -2 58
11 Marina Keating 34 1:24:39 34
12 Janell & Mel Glouser 32 1:33:39 32
13 Joe Maffei 40 1:43:57 -8 32
14 Dave Best 36 1:44:00 -8 28
(*) Each of these persons had limited time to compete.
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Day-2 Point-to-Point Results
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Pl Name Time
White Course, Female (4.0 km, 5 m climb, 12 controls)
1 Mindy Johnson 54:14
Yellow Course, Female (5.9 km, 5 m climb, 10 controls)
1 Jackie Wong 1:09:06
Yellow Course, Male (5.9 km, 5 m climb, 10 controls)
1 Jukka Karras 1:03:12
2 Scott Hann 1:31:38
Alan Houser MSP
Orange Course, Female (10.0 km, 75 m climb, 11 controls)
1 Julie Raymond 44:36
2 Marie-Josee Parayre 1:15:50
3 Marina Keating 1:54:55
4 Chelsea Waite, Solange 2:02:48
5 Nancy Lindeman 3:22:04
Orange Course, Male (10.0 km, 75 m climb, 11 controls)
1 Francois Leonard 56:57
2 Bill Wright 1:30:58
3 Grant Glouser 1:35:53
4 Dave Best 1:45:58
5 Jay Hann 1:53:53
6 Mel & Janell Glouser 1:56:59
Christopher Hann DNF
Dan Dwyer MSP
Green Course, Female (13.0 km, 200 m climb, 14 controls)
1 Julie Raymond 1:15:54
2 Carol Schick-Lyda 1:28:46
3 Yelea Krasnov 1:31:10
Green Course, Male (13.0 km, 200 m climb, 14 controls)
1 Tapio Karras 1:24:22
2 Werner Haag 1:25:56
3 Bjorn Widerstrom 2:12:52
4 Joe Maffei 2:42:16
McCarty & Meeks MSP
Blue Course, Female (20.5 km, 410 m climb, 15 controls)
1 Brenda Giese 2:45:37
2 Trinka Gillis 3:17:29
Blue Course, Male (20.5 km, 410 m climb, 15 controls)
1 Chuck Lyda 1:38:44
2 Matthias Kohler 1:44:25
3 Neil Hunt 1:52:09
4 Mattias Vangbo 2:01:57
5 Kent Ohlund 2:07:24
6 Thorsten Graeve 2:32:07
7 Attila Nagy 2:33:58
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DNF = Did not finish (missed one or more controls)
DSQ = Disqualified
MSP = Mispunched (one or more controls wrong)