2023 Series - the story so far
- Saturday 17 June 2023
Questars Series Championship – a reminder
The Questars Adventure Race Series Championship runs annually each calendar year. Everyone’s top three one-day Questars results count towards their series score, with a minimum of three races required to be considered for prizes. Series points are calculated per individual participant / team member. If an individual’s team composition between races changes their series points are unaffected. Individuals in teams with the same team members throughout the series will gain the same series points and ranking on the series leaderboard.
In the event of a tie at the top, head-to-head race results will be used to determine the series winner (i.e. who beat who in the races in which all the tied participants took part). If this is also tied (e.g. everyone beat each other once) then the combined times (only for these head-to-head races) will be used, with the person with the fastest cumulative time being the series champion.
Race scores are converted into series points and series points from different races are added together for each person, to give their series score.
Series points are calculated by dividing an individual’s race score by the overall race winner’s score and multiplying by 1,000.
An example is shown below:
Race Position Race Score Series Points How Calculated?
1st 895 pts 1000 pts (895/895)*1000
28th 530 pts 592 pts (530/895)*1000
Calculating series points like this improves consistency throughout the series by minimising the impact of variable conditions between races which are beyond the course planner’s control e.g. the weather.
The current state of play with one race still to go
The only thing clear in reviewing the current leaderboard is that nothing is clear! We are set for exciting finishes across the board with a number of racers within touching distance of the top of the leaderboard within their respective categories.
I have looked not only at the current leaderboard but also the leaderboard taking each individual’s two best scores from the first three races (as the three best scores count giving each individual opportunity to add to this).
There is a lot to still be decided in the Cotswolds on 1 July! Please click here to review the full leaderboard.
Masters Female
Julie Banton currently leads the way with 2,099 points from her three races this year. The leaderboard after two races shows a very tight race at the top with Emma Gill (1,630) slightly ahead of Isla Reynolds (1,610) followed by Julie Banton (1,459). Maggie Salter (1,348), Karin Heath (1,280) and Liz Jones (1,238) are also all well within touching distance of the series win or podium.
Masters Male
Gary Davies leads the way after three races with 2,828 points closely followed by Daniel Thorby (2,746) and James Brown (2,733). Taking the best two scores of the series there are seven racers all within one perfect race of the top of the leaderboard with Nick Gracie and Tom Davies (1965 points) leading the way from Gary Davies, Daniel Thorby, Tom Hards, Mark Chryssanthou and James Brown who are all within 120 points of each other and have a chance of top spot whilst Simon Jennison (1,825) and Andy Prince (1,789) have a shot at the podium.
Novice Female
Vicky Smith currently sits in pole position with a score of 1,554 from the three races she has participated in. Again, the scores after two races show a very tight race with Janine Crawford and Annie Griffin (1,092 points) ahead of Beverley Darkin (1,065) and Vicky Smith (1,059).
Novice Male
Rob Suchet sits at the top of the Novice leaderboard with 1951 points from the first races with Ben Smith (1,554) and Grant Cambridge (1,444) making up the podium. Taking the best scores after two races there are twelve racers all in with a shout of the podium with Mark Lowden leading the way with 1,410 followed by Rob Suchet, Simon Webb, Graeme Blair, Steve Hotson, Adam Howitt, Sam Mitchell, Thomas Wallace, Rory Dickinson, Ben Smith, James Driscoll and Grant Cambridge all within 400 points and one good race of moving up the leaderboard.
