# Portugal O Meeting 2023 - Day 4 (Long)
**URL:** https://chat.quantockorienteers.co.uk/t/portugal-o-meeting-2023-day-4-long/355
**Category:** External Events
**Created:** [23 February 2023 21:22 UTC](https://chat.quantockorienteers.co.uk/t/portugal-o-meeting-2023-day-4-long/355 "2023-02-23T21:22:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@daylightgambler](https://chat.quantockorienteers.co.uk/u/daylightgambler)
#### Post date: [23 February 2023 21:22 UTC](https://chat.quantockorienteers.co.uk/t/portugal-o-meeting-2023-day-4-long/355/1 "2023-02-23T21:22:33Z")
Day 4 was yet another long distance event - thankfully with only a short walk from the event centre (with the final run in at the event centre)
After 3 events running just behind @Pete - this time I was starting just 4 minutes in front.
My heart sank as I started on the first leg - a long leg with plenty of paths is perfect for Pete to catch up. I really enjoyed the first four controls and had a pretty clean run to 5.
Then my now traditional foolish error… from 5 my plan was to head NE to the crossing in the fence, go past the outcrop to the water station, then cut up to 6. I set off - the fence crossing was less defined than I expected, but I ticked off the outcrop and reached the water station far earlier than I expected. After a bit of energy bar and a cup of water I was about to set off when I noticed the lack of fence junction… after a few panicked moments, I realised I had headed North and was at a completely different water station 🤦♂️
I got back into a better routine for the next few controls, but again went off on the wrong bearing from the path to 11 and wasted minutes on the wrong outcrop. I put it down to tiredness from days of races, as I made several more bearing errors on the remaining controls.
Still - it was magically changing into the arena for the run in - @Pete’s sprint finish was 1 second better, but despite average results we were 1 - 2 for that leg. Another fun day out in some brilliant terrain, and it was a surprise that physically I was able to keep going.
Overall across the 4 forest events, I finished 28th out of 69.
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### Author:  [@RichardS](https://chat.quantockorienteers.co.uk/u/RichardS)
#### Post date: [24 February 2023 10:01 UTC](https://chat.quantockorienteers.co.uk/t/portugal-o-meeting-2023-day-4-long/355/2 "2023-02-24T10:01:02Z")
Well done on your sprint finishes. They do like a boulder as a control feature don’t they. Or a stretched boulder in the case of 14.
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### Author:  [@daylightgambler](https://chat.quantockorienteers.co.uk/u/daylightgambler)
#### Post date: [24 February 2023 13:39 UTC](https://chat.quantockorienteers.co.uk/t/portugal-o-meeting-2023-day-4-long/355/3 "2023-02-24T13:39:11Z")
> [@RichardS](#):
>
> They do like a boulder as a control feature don’t they.
Yes! Occasionally a re-entrant to keep you on your toes.
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### Author:  [@daylightgambler](https://chat.quantockorienteers.co.uk/u/daylightgambler)
#### Post date: [24 February 2023 17:57 UTC](https://chat.quantockorienteers.co.uk/t/portugal-o-meeting-2023-day-4-long/355/4 "2023-02-24T17:57:18Z")
Short videos from each day really give an idea of the terrain:
[![](https://chat.quantockorienteers.co.uk/uploads/default/original/1X/478a453f2d699dc80e02a799d632d2e877736cdb.jpeg "4 stage - Portugal "O" Meeting") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6MRGWYX1ck)
[![](https://chat.quantockorienteers.co.uk/uploads/default/original/1X/c7a9d4ee080a6cedfc7d57e67ebf62fe0e5190ae.jpeg "3 stage - Portugal "O" Meeting") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4DmGh0AiSk)
[![](https://chat.quantockorienteers.co.uk/uploads/default/original/1X/d07265b7c248141075111ee70521b3e673714b5e.jpeg "2 stage - Portugal "O" Meeting") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Cnxy218NEg)
[![](https://chat.quantockorienteers.co.uk/uploads/default/original/1X/419fe29fbd97ae69933477e135ddffc3b0c95958.jpeg "1 stage - Portugal "O" Meeting") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELHYu3DxfLU)