SM Ultra Long, loop 1 (05-10-2014)

I had expected it to be several forked loops, like in Blodslitet. But from the control codes it seemed to be no forking until the butterfly. Most runners was together on a long line until we had past the road half way to the 3rd control. Between the road and the 3rd control the runners started to spred out, and I got stuck in a lot of fallen trees and was suddenly alone. Got a bit stressed, but continued following the compass in the right direction, and saw the open area to the right before the control. When I was entering the control circle I met the leading runners, and understood I was approx 30 seconds behind them. (A lot of runners missed several minutes on this control, and was already then out of the match for the victory.)

To the 4th control I managed to catch the leading group (who ran too much to the right, and missed the path through the green), and I punched the butterfly control first. Had the same forking as Karl Walheim and Joakim Svensk on all loops. We lost some time to the 5th and 8th control, and when we entered the butterfly control the last time we meet the leading guys who had just left the butterfly, and at the control we also meet some other guys. At the 14th control we where together again, and we where now a group of 8 runners who stayed together most of the rest of the race.

To the 16th control we split up, and together with some others I came to much to the left and punched the control 20 - 30 sec after the first runners. But we got contact on the following leg, and where together at the map change.