Training in London before WOC

I have had the fantastic opportunity to spend some time in London with one of the ex-South African orienteers, Colin Dutkiewicz. With a few events lined up before I leave to run the WRE sprint in Conegliano and Cansiglio it seemed like a good start with getting back into the whole SI punching thing...

This started off with a cool event at Imperial College on the day that I arrived. After a rather uneventful trip from Johannesburg (just so happened to be on the same plane as the Spirit of the Dance people going home from South Africa) I tackled the London underground to get to Colin's place. In retrospect, the large bags of the Irish Dancers probably helped me to not get stopped by customs. I relaxed for the rest of the afternoon before taking the bus to South Kensington and walking to registration and the start.

Map of Imperial College

It was quite an interesting course perhaps overusing the multilevel parts of Imperial College. A few vague control descriptions (like 12, which was corner of building, which corner, top or bottom?) and a small scale (why 1:3000 why!?) led to a few mistakes. Nonetheless I still managed to claim my maiden London victory :).

The past few days I have just been touring around. I have visited the science museum (lots of school children), Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye (compulsory touristy activities), as well as the Natural History Museum (more school children). The dreary photos don't quite do justice to the pretty good weather that we have been having (at least from the reputation of English weather).

Compulsory tourist photo 1

Compulsory tourist photo 2

Compulsory tourist photo 3

Just a cool photo

Tomorrow Colin and I will be going down to Brighton to do a sprint event with some mazes afterward. On Tuesday (with the Roehampton University event now cancelled) we will run the World Cup course at Battersea Park. Then on Thursday I am off to meet Sarah in Venice before going up to the WRE events.

Map for Battersea Park