Cydonia

[Mark L. Rivers]

Well, what can I say if not I'm very happy about my performances realized in this great contest!  I wanted to honoured it with my presence and I'm really glad to have succeeded in it with this wonderful en-plein racing beside very strong O(T)WOOT drivers.

About this race, Cydonia, I knew it wasn't easy against a fantastic champion as Gutix is. So putting my wheels ahead him, even if for the minimum gap, has been really exciting!    What incredibile race! As you can see in the analysis attached here, Gutix lead from the beginning until the last 5 seconds of race and only painting very accurately the last corkscrew-bridge-chicane combo I cut first the finish line.
As in almost every race I take part, my first 10-20 seconds are able to make me angry   with myself due to leave everytime precious tenths (about 3 tenths this time) so difficult to rescue against top drivers. When I realized that keeping the right after the first corkscrew (instead the left) would have meant save almost 2 tenths, I had already made a good half replay and so I decided not to re-drive from the start...    Then I started to rescue realizing the fastest time in 6 of 7 remaining sections. But Gutix has been wonderful, above all in the dirt chicane in the middle of the race, defeating all my efforts to fill the gap! At least before the last combo, when I found those tenths I needed. Strange to see, anyway, how the race maybe has been decided in the quite long but linear tract just before the last corkscrew, when Gutix with a long jump and above all keeping the external path on the last bankroad-curve, lost 10 centiseconds on me, a nothing, but enough not to remain first at the end.

Back to the contest, as I already said in the past, it has been a wonderful e refined contest, well managed by Duplode, with dazzling and engaging tracks and strong opponents.
A special mention to AbuRaf70. I left him two years ago in WSC with a OWOOT skill which can't be absolutely compared with that he showed in this contest, above all in this last race. He was only 2 seconds behind a powerful Gutix until 90 seconds of race: great job Anelio!  
And sure I want also to give a special mention to SuperBrian. I saw his illegal replay, and his two mistakes can affect only his position on the scoreboard, but not his fantastic performance. Awesome his last 10 seconds. His last two sections (both legal) are 6,30 seconds and 4,50 seconds, that is both faster than the winner: all my best congratulations to you SuperBrian, really a wonderful job!  

Finally, I sure hope to see a second edition of this event, it would be sure health sap for this little word: thanks Daniel!  

[Gutix]

Fantastic race. Congratulations Mark! Excellent lap!
And congrats for the competition Duplode!!