World ARDF Tour 2001 Part 18

Bruce’s Report #18

This is a quick one !

It’s the morning just prior to the bus departure for the tour day. The internet here has been declared a disaster. Since we have already seen the Lama Temple, and we’re not hugely interested in the Big Department Store for shopping (the market is much more fun), we’ll try to get to an Internet Cafe today instead, with laptop.

OK, firstly some results from the 2m competition: I came 5th in senior, Adam 7th, Bryan with 3TX 19th. The best time was 65 minutes by my Russian roommate ! The best Region 3 time was 2nd overall at 69 minutes by China. Ahead of me are also a Mongolian (3rd) and another Chinese (4th). In the Region 3 team results we think we’ll come 3rd. Mongolia just beats us because there is a Mongolian 6th place (6+3 < 5+7).

On the jury matter of competitors DFing before the event as you can imagine there was much discussion in many languages. All crowded around the laptop screen to ok at the images. Luckily we’d kept the file dates too which were stamped with the camera (in US time as it happens). We presented the evidence and left it up to the jury to decide. Later it transpired that the jury had only 2 members, so they instead decided that the team leaders were to become the jury. Late into the night it was finally decided to invalidate the team results of the countrys who transgressed, but leave the individual placings as it would get messy proving it. Mr Han and Madame Cheng of China were with us all the way since they had seen this before but been unable to do much about it without evidence.

Russian Power StationNow a titbit from Mr Parke, the IARU Region 3 chairman. The USSR built the coal burning pow station very close to the middle of UlaanBaatar in 1969 under a friendship scheme. When USSR fell apart, Russia asked the Mongolians for payment. They replied “We have no money”. After a time the Russian’s decided to take over the power station themselves, and retail the power direct to the Mongolian consumers. A side effect of this is that the Russians have little interest in keeping the power station clean burning….
 

Hopefully some pictures should appear shortly when Glenn gets a chance. [Ed: He didn’t] I’m now in an internet cafe in UB with my laptop connected to the lan there in order to send pictures ! [Ed: Hmmm…]

Cheers,
Bruce