2006 Report - Race 4 - Wiltshire Downs, 16th September

QUESTARS 16th SEPTEMBER 2006 : RACE REPORT - Wiltshire Downs

Well over 300 adventure racers converged upon Devizes School early on Saturday morning to take part in the fourth and final adventure race in the 2006 Questars series. At stake were not only prizes for this event but also the title of overall Questars series champion.

So competition was strong and teams were keen to set out on the course that covered an extensive area to the east of Devizes including the wonderful open chalk downlands and scenic villages clustered along the tranquil Kennet & Avon canal. Recent rainfall had made the trails and footpaths muddy and so more challenging and the low cloud denied teams extensive views but this didn't daunt competitors at all.

All teams departed via staggered starts from 0930 to 1130 on their mountain bikes determined to pick up as many checkpoints as possible on the way to the single transition point on the canal side. Teams were soon out of Devizes and discovering the extensive network of off road tracks and routes and of course the hills. Once at the canal there was the choice of whether to kayak next or run.

The kayaking course was particularly challenging with 6 checkpoints along the canal - two westward and four eastward of the transition point. Which way to go? Can we get them all within our allotted time on the water? There has rarely been so much activity on this particularly peaceful stretch of the canal.

The trail run stage gave further challenge in terms of tackling the muddy footpaths, the gradients and the wide choice of routes. Some teams who had an eye on the further biking checkpoints opted to keep their run stage short. Other teams took a different strategy and really went for the running. Five teams even managed to clear the whole trail run stage - Imperial College Union, Team Clunk, Nationwide C, Team Barry & Lyndon Sutton. Just one team 'From the Old Folks Home' visited every one of the mountain bike checkpoints.

The return to Devizes on bike was the last chance to collect more points. Many teams used this opportunity to get up onto the chalk ridge and follow the impressive ancient earthwork of the Wansdyke over the rolling chalk hills. With an eye on the clock teams calculated whether they could fit in that last checkpoint or two before heading back to the Finish within their 5 hour time limit for Novices and Duo teams or 6 hours for Masters.

Teams congregated in the school hall after taking a refreshing shower armed with a reviving cup of hot chocolate to learn the results of the day and the series. It was a closely contested event in many of the prize categories and all teams were congratulated upon completing their own chosen course.

After advising teams of the dates for the 2007 Questars series ( 31 March, 2 June, 14 July & 15 September ) the leaders of the 2006 Questars series were announced. More teams than ever had participated in Questars events in 2006. Teams that had taken part in at least three events qualified for the Series Leaderboard. At the top it could not have been closer. Matthew Leathwood has been the most consistent top performer of the series with an average score of 800 points across the series. Daniel Carrivick's top three scores, including winning this event with a tremendous 810 points, took him just ahead by 5 points in the series, to be awarded the handsome Questars trophy and the title of Questars Champion for 2006.

Quest look forward to welcoming teams back for more adventure racing in 2007. Venues will be a mix of new locations and firm favourites. Look out for details later in the Autumn.

In the meantime photographs taken by Jon Brooke of teams venturing over the Wiltshire Downs are available via the Sleepmonsters website so do check these out for a lasting momento of a great day out. Try this link : http://sleepmonsters.co.uk/photoshop.php?basket_ID=1158614225&event_id=2396

 

Top Scoring Teams

Questars Duo:

• 1st - Polar Horizon ( John Barker, Emlyn Evans & Richard Taylor )
• 2nd - Cyclone Runners ( Julia Norman, Christine White )
• 3rd - Team Lucca ( Harriette Hobbs, Richard Blackburn )