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Race Report

Adventure racers converging on Burgate School just north of Fordingbridge for the final event in the Questars 2005 series kept a close eye and ear on the weather forecast. The timing of when the approaching rain front would hit the area was going to play a part in their race strategy. Happily most of the record number of Novice teams were back in the event centre well before the heavy showers arrived and had enjoyed a day out in dry calm conditions with a good amount of sunshine to brighten the autumnal colours across the New Forest.

For the Masters teams there was an added edge to the race as there were a good number in contention for the overall Questars series trophy and valuable cash prizes.

All teams congregated in the sports hall for the event briefing to learn more about the course. It covered three contrasting areas. The nearest being the  Avon Valley with the clear meandering river running across a wide flood plain - a favourite with fishermen and fish farmers. It has been altered by the extraction of gravel creating a series of large lakes now largely used for recreation. Quest had secured exclusive use of two of these at the New Forest Water Park for the kayaking stage.

The course then ventured up the forest edge : this steep slope is the western edge of the Forest plateau. It is criss-crossed by many lanes, minor roads and footpaths. The course exploited the contours and provided myriad route choices. Racers enjoyed the variety of terrain here together with the chocolate box thatched cottages and cattle, donkeys and ponies roaming freely.

Then there is the New Forest itself which in this area consists of  open heathland interspersed with old broadleaf woodland and coniferous plantations. The off road cycle routes provided some delightful mountain biking and was a highlight for many teams.

Those that had reviewed the pre-marked event maps had perhaps been thinking that the kayaking stage was going to be relatively easy. When Course Director, David Hunt, revealed the surprise element that the mysterious checkpoints X and Y had to be visited after each conventional checkpoint to validate their points, there was an immediate reassessment. It was also explained that with 40 checkpoints to visit there was a great deal of route choice available but beware penalties for being late off the water, late back, or  venturing out of bounds or not completing at least one checkpoint in each stage.

Soon teams were setting off on their chosen first stage after collecting the key checkpoint values and discovering the location of the 'dummy' checkpoints.  Teams split fairly evenly between the trail run and the mountain bike stage. The men's teams and solos all headed for the water stage and were first into the paddling.  It was a great sight to see the colourful orange and yellow kayaks crossing the lakes. Overall the kayaking stage proved a good test with just five teams achieving the maximum 10 checkpoints and 130 points.

Mountain bikers had a longer than usual course to reflect the relatively flat and firm conditions. Many teams aimed for the high value checkpoints towards the south of the map first and returned to pick up the closer ones scattered along the forest edge. Fourteen teams including Novice team 'Ardenned Racers' cleared all the biking course.

The trail run stage provided a real choice - to attempt it clockwise or anti clockwise and how best to pick up those checkpoints in the centre of the map without making too many detours? Only two teams - both veterans - decided to go to all the trail run checkpoints: Lyndon Sutton and the improbably named The Unlikelies.

As teams finally returned hot chocolate and hot showers were provided and there was much consultation on respective routes taken and speculation grew as to how many points they had accumulated and who had won.

Liam Corner, Questars 2004 Series winner, took part in the Questars Duo race and managed in just five hours to clear the mountain bike course and all bar three of the trial run checkpoints to amass the highest Duo score of the series a staggering - 800 points. The overall winner of the event (and £100 worth of Aqua Pac merchandise) Julian Carter gained 900 points and so also won the Questars 2005 Series and a cheque for £200, the Questars trophy, and the admiration of fellow adventure racers.

For most teams it was the taking part that counted and for many they resolved that this their first venture into adventure racing was to be followed by many in the future. There was therefore keen anticipation of the announcement of the dates for the 2006 Questars series which are again all on Saturdays, viz: 1 April, 27 May, 8 July, 16 September.