Pohick Bay

Course results can be seen below as well as on Attackpoint and WinSplits. Don't forget to enter your course into RouteGadget as well.

Next event: Balls Bluff, VA, Sunday May 17.

A hot, humid day at Pohick Bay saw 134 starts and was mitigated by the cooling breezes off the bay at our new location in the Eagle's Nest pavilion right on the shoreline (and, of course, by copious amounts of ice cream as well.) Although we only migrated to the Eagle's Nest because our usual Shelter 1 was unavailable, it turned out to be quite a find, with all the power, storage, registration-friendly dimensions and easy access that a meet director could want, plus on-site refrigeration and ice making capability along with the beautiful view across Pohick Bay. The only drawback was the Long March from the upper parking lot, but that was a pretty minor inconvenience. And, besides, what other facility comes with an ice cream freezer?

The courses, relatively short but with considerable climb and making use of this small park's best features, won plaudits from participants. Thanks to Tom Strat for an innovative course design and John Baker for its implementation. Many new and redesigned trails generated additional navigational challenges for runners, and the course vetting resulted in the removal of one building from the map that is no longer on the ground. With Jon Campbell beginning a complete revision of the Pohick map, we should have an fully up-to-date product next time we use the park (planned for 2017.) For those interested, next year's event is planned to take place right next door at Gunston Hall, currently being mapped for the first time by Tom Strat.

As always, the volunteers made the event happen. On registration, Rae Ann Hicks (double shift), Paul Hession, Dennis Doherty, Ed Enson, and Bob Hart kept a steady throughput to the e-punch table where Valerie Meyer, Amy Louden and Tori Campbell did their customarily efficient job of getting runners out on the course. Valerie even set up her battery of monitors, displaying the course standings in the Eagle's Nest breezeway (which seemed almost tailor-made for it.) New orienteers were prepared for their courses by Mark Hicks, Bill Wright, and John Baker who conducted beginner instruction. To finish off the event, Bryan Garman, Mark Becker, Boryana Pe'eva, Victor Lin, Nadim Ahmed, Aaron Linville and John Baker picked up the course controls.

Finally, new Pohick Bay Regional Park Director Kevin Casalenuovo and his crew continued the tradition of first-rate support to our events. Thanks to all the park staff!

-Charles Carrick, Event Director