Before I explain this years race let me draw your attention to last years 3 Valley rally when a certain team, that for the time being will remain nameless, arrived in 3rd place, about 5 minutes behind a team from
Inghams and Flexiski. Before I could even check the checkpoint sheets I was told, by the 3rd place team, chapter and verse of every discrepancy on the
Inghams & Flexiski team. After checking the information from each of the checkpoint judges I disqualified Flexiski and docked the
Inghams team 10 minutes which demoted them to 2nd place promoting Qski to 1st.
This year in an attempt to simplify things a number of rules were put down on paper. I should have known better!
The problems arose as the first 4 teams spent the whole day within a couple of minutes of each other. This caused a crowd control problem at the checkpoints. At Checkpoint 2 to Mont Fred-don in Val T one of the team mates didn't make the climb to the summit. By the time Fred had realised the discrepancy the team had already started to leave. So unknown to them, the competitive mums and dads were skiing with a 15 minute penalty. Strangely when they arrived at Checkpoint 3 it was Qski who were behaving competitively as they were the only team who felt the need to point out the discrepancy of their competition.
At Checkpoint 4 one of Qski threw away his Skilodge 'forfeit' cocktail. Before Hugo could hand out a time penalty they had left the checkpoint on their way to the finish.
As the top 4 teams crossed the line within 5 minutes of each it was one of the closest rallies I have eve seen. Unfortunately once the penalties had been added two of the top teams were demoted.1st to 3rd and 3rd to 4th.
I was later accused by one team of being biased; 'sucked in' to not letting Qski win at any cost. As you know I take a lot of time and effort to organise the day. Unlike other events, the three valley rally is solely my responsibility.
From writing the rules & clues to choosing the course and the judges.
The final decision was reached with agreement between all the checkpoint judges and is as impartial as I could make it. In the end it is just a fun race and I don't think it deserved the visceral verbal attack witnessed in Gringos 5 minutes before the presentation.
