Summerfest 2009 Opening Day
First Event - Foot Race
First Event - Foot Race
On Sunday, July 12, the air was electric with excitement as the residents of Catskills gathered and waited with anticipation for EM Kasaven and EM Cernunnos to appear for the opening event of Catskills' Summerfest 2009.
The Dark Revelations guild made a great showing with their precision drill team movements.
EM Kasaven and EM Cernunnos were warmly greeted by the crowd.
In EM Cernunnos' opening speech he announced the footrace opening event, " The fairgrounds are a place to have fun ... Remember Honor ... That is a part of the theme of tonight's race .. to bring the Light of Honor from Trinsic to the Fairgrounds."
The runners were to carry torches, symbolic of the Light of Honor, as EM Cernunnos asked for a show of hands from those who were there to race, EM Kasaven announced, The Golden Stag had gone missing, but we would search for him another day. "Tomorrow we hunt the stag. Tonite we race."
EM Kasaven explained that in addition to Honor there were some 'more physical' rules for the race:
No teleporting
No mounts ... strictly an on-foot race
No animal form
No recalling, unless a person was forfeiting
The red lanterns, markers to designate the trail, and the invisible observers along the course were then explained.
Stay on the trail, each competitor must pass each lantern.
The racers lined up to receive their symbolic Torches of Honor:
The racers were then gated to their starting point, while the spectators were asked to remain behind to be gated to an 'observation room' which held six moongates ... One to each of five observation areas and one to the finish line. The observation areas were a stroke of genius on behalf of the Catskills' EMs and made following the status of the race so much more convenient for non-participants!
Observation Area One
Observation Area Two
Observation Area Three
Observation Area Four
Observation Area Five
Finish Line
Winners of the Light of Honor foot race: 1st place Spert, 2nd pace Eratai II, 3rd place Kodoz. Congratulations to all!
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I apologize for the lateness of the Summerfest 2009 Opening events ... I am back home from my mom's and trying to get caught up with real life and UO. I'm on a month of medical restrictions as my doctor can be very cranky. I have one more article to finish up and post on Catskills, then you won't be seeing me for the month of August ... I've come to the conclusion that since I pay for that cranky doctor's opinion I should do as he advises.
