Dambusting
High on the Hills
Race Directors: Ashleigh Van De Meulengraaf and Natali Heil Koerbel
Course Setters: Ciaran Lane and Kieran Wilson
2023 saw Inward Bound return to the mountains, with Endpoint located at Humes Crossing Campground on the eastern shore of Blowering Reservoir. With the courses returning to pre-COVID distances, reaching Endpoint was a monumental challenge. Runners were treated to plenty of elevation change, including the knee-crushing descent into Endpoint, which gained the not-so-affectionate name “Heartbreak Hill”. Teams also had to tackle frosty river crossings, the “Bridge of Death”, tricky pine forest navigation and brumby encounters.
You can relive all of the action on live.anuinwardbound.com/2023
Division 1 – Tantangara Dam Wall (Kosciuszko National Park)
Sunset to Sunrise (plus some)
As soon as Division 1 runners removed their blindfold at Dropsite, they knew they were in for an IB experience like no other. To follow was the most difficult Division 1 course in years, featuring a distance of around 105km with more than 3500m of elevation gain.
It’s typically taken as a given that teams will be dropped under the cover of darkness – that’s what they’ve trained for, strategised for, and mentally prepared for. In 2023, however, Division 1 runners were dropped before the sun had set.
Did this make for an easier race? With increased visibility, teams had no problem spotting the nearby Tantangara Dam and locating their positions accurately and quickly. Still, can an easier scouting period outweigh the increased mental challenge of knowing that you had a full eleven hours of running in darkness ahead of you?
From Dropsite, teams largely followed two routes. The northern option was slightly longer and less navigationally complex, while the southern route involved following the Australian Alps Walking Track, being careful not to inadvertently venture onto the adjacent forestry roads.
Having chosen the southern route, Bruce quickly stormed ahead. However, at around 11 pm, they drifted off course for about 2 hours, setting them far behind their competition as B&G took the lead. Meanwhile, along the northern route, Griffin’s consistent pace and faultless navigation allowed them to gain ground on the southern teams. By the time the forked routes reconnected, Griffin boasted a comfortable 30 minute lead. Unfortunately for Griffin, however, an injury forced them to withdraw approximately 10 km before Endpoint.
In the end, B&G was first to make it to Endpoint, absolutely soaring down Heartbreak Hill and overtaking numerous lower division teams on their descent. Wright battled to claim 2nd place, and the final team to finish was Bruce, who recovered from their navigational errors just in time to reach Endpoint 15 minutes before cut-off. Johns and Ursies, despite valiant efforts, were unfortunately unable to reach Endpoint.
Division 2 – Tates Road (Wee Jasper State Forest)
Pyne Time
Div 2 had to endure some psychological warfare from the RDs/CSs by mentally preparing for an extended bus journey after their toilet stop, however, the Div 2 teams were only treated to a 15 min shuttle to another early 8pm drop located in Wee Jasper State Forest. This left some asking “we haven’t moved have we?”, “this can’t be drop they are just messing with us!” and “you’re joking aren’t you?”
Despite this and pine forests being notoriously difficult to navigate it seems that all teams successfully picked drop (just south of left) and simply headed south along Wee Jasper Rd tightly grouped together. Bruce stormed into the lead after taking a risky shortcut that flirted out of bounds by heading along Argalong Rd and onto the northern Hume and Hovell walking track route option (Wright also took this option albeit later). B&G seemingly lost a little more time taking an inefficient route towards the Coterills Fire Trail perhaps avoiding the walking track after hearing of the bridge of death. Bruce went on the comfortably win the division by 47 minutes (32 mins after a penalty) having reached the top of Heartbreak Hill over an hour before 2nd-placed B&G.
Division 3 – Port Phillip Fire Trail (Kosciuszko National Park)
Dam Risky?
Being dropped on Port Phillip Fire Trail teams had the potential to be somewhat tricked by the map showing a full Tantangara Dam and choosing to opt to take a northern route bypassing ‘crossing’ it (see left/below). However, with the Dam nowhere near full Ursula, Johns, Burgmann & Wright took an early advantage choosing to risk the crossing and scoring a route that was flatter and shorter. Bruce took an even longer route up to the northern route option opting to take the swampy route along the Mosquito Creek Trail, however, their stronger legs would have them quickly pull ahead of B&G and Fenner going north via the recommended route. Down south on Long Plain Road it remained a tight tussle between Wright, Ursula & Burgmann until Burgmann missed the turn-off onto Spicers Creek Trail and took the scenic route up to Peppercorn Trail. It quickly became apparent however that Bruce’s stronger legs would carry them to victory despite running additional km winning them the division, with Wright narrowly finishing ahead of Ursies for 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Division 4 – Blue Waterholes Fire Trail (Kosciuszko National Park)
Feeling Blue?
Div 4 was dropped on the Blue Waterholes tTail and relatively simply had to go west quickly passing through the Blue Waterholes campground (see left/below). This led to all teams speeding out of the drop site relatively quickly, with most teams correctly opting to take the shorter quicker southern route along Spicers Creek Trail. Div X quickly stormed ahead of all the colleges being the first team to arrive at EP. Meanwhile behind it seemed Wamburun had the strongest legs, keeping up with the Div X team, until a navigational error got them stuck in a pine forest. This led Bruce to overtake and Griffin and Fenner to close in behind them. Despite this, they would go on to overtake Bruce before Heartbreak Hill. However, in the sprint (or perhaps rather slide) to the finish, Fenner closed with tremendous speed pipping them to the post by about 20 mins, with Ursula also finishing quickly to sneak into 3rd.
Division 5 – Barnetts Road (Bondo State Forest)
Taking the (Mica)long way
Dropped in the Pine Forests of Micalong Swamp, Div 5 was dealt a maze of forestry roads to tackle as soon as they left to drop. Johns, Yukeembruk, B&G and Wright however decided to avoid these and opt for the long southern route down Barnetts Road onto Stokes Hut Trail and towards the Coterills checkpoint. Meanwhile, the remaining teams took a variety of routes to get onto the Hume and Hovell walking track. The additional navigational, terrain challenge of the northern route (plus the Bridge of Death), meant that however, the race devolved into a footrace between the southern teams. Johns maintained their lead throughout the entire race, just pipping B&G by 9 minutes and earning them the Doherty-Banks Nav Award for their clinical nav that had them ahead from the get-go. The real highlight however was Lodge confusing those at Race HQ to excitedly confirm they had seen “BRUMBIES!.”
Division 6 – Long Plain Road (Kosciuszko National Park)
Brain vs Brawn
For the teams that went south from the Div 6 drop were heavily handicapped, having to run an extra 5km on the harder-to-navigate AAWT as opposed to the Peppercorn Fire Trail. With a 7-minute scout time and perhaps being surprised early teams left with their scouts coming back in the nick of time with one making it back with less than 10 seconds to go. Yukeembruk, Wright, Ursula & B&G tussled for the lead along Peppercorn Fire Trail (see right/below), with B&G eventually pulling out ahead. Meanwhile, however, Bruce & Wamburun duked it out for the lead along the AAWT, with both teams arriving at Heartbreak Hill just before B&G and whilst despite having the extra km in their legs Bruce would hold out for the win finishing 8 minutes before Wambam and 14 before B&G.
Division 7 – Goobragandara Powerline Road (Kosciuszko National Park)
Go Yuke’s Own Way?
After dealing with a car shuttle that left teams waiting for 2hrs in paddocks to get ferried to drop or waiting for others to be ferried by 4WDs, Div 7 was dropped on Goobarragandra Powerline Road (see left/below). Teams were meant to go south if they wanted to take the faster, flatter route, although both options had them covering just over 42km (to allow all teams a chance at running a marathon). However, all the teams bar Yukeembruk headed north and descended into a footrace, B&G would quickly storm ahead of all these teams. However, despite getting to the point where the routes merged 30 minutes ahead B&G were clearly slowing and Yukeembruk were closing in. Whilst they got within shouting distance of the B&G team, making them fearful of their encroaching speed they would only close the gap to finish in a very commendable 2nd place.
Race Maps can be downloaded here.
[ If you have any stories or images that you think would be useful for expanding what happened on this year’s race send them through to communications.inwardbound@gmail.com].
The results of the 2023 edition of Inward Bound were as follows:
*Penalty Applied by Race Referees
This led to a grand points total for each college as follows:
A special congratulations to Doherty-Banks Nav Award Winners Johns Div 5, Bill Packard Trophy/Div 1 winners – B&G as well as to B&G for winning overall for the 6th year in a row.
All those wanting to relive the race can do so by following what happened on IB Live by going to live.anuinwardbound.com/2023