Questars Memories with David Hunt

To celebrate 25 years of Questars events, David Hunt shares with us his memories of adventure racing and how Questars become integral in that journey. Enjoy!

In celebration of the Silver Jubilee Questars event, which took place in Wiltshire, I’ve been looking back to the early days of Questars. It was lovely to share some of these memories with you as I marshaled at this special event on 21 March 2026.

My first Questars was not in its initial year of 2001 but it was in Wiltshire, on 24 February 2002. It was based just a few miles away from the Silver Jubilee Questars in Pewsey, at the village hall at nearby Wootton Rivers.

It was a memorable day, as it was my first one-day adventure race. (Take a look at the race instructions below.)

I’d previously competed in the UK Challenge event in Cornwall way back in 1993 and then taken up orienteering. I had just been selected for a re-entry to that competition at a Challenger Selection Weekend also run by Martyn and Richard Ward. They owned and ran ‘Quest The Great Outdoors’,  and started, devised and delivered Questars.

On that initially bright, cold February day, I competed solo, whilst two others of my Challenger squad teamed up as a mixed pair, and they inducted me into what to expect.

For those with long memories you’ll not miss the inflatable Sevylor canoes used in those early Questars. They were not as straightforward to use as the current Questars sit-on-top indestructible kayaks. In those days part of the adventure was first to inflate your canoe! I well remember literally going around in circles in my probably not properly fully inflated Sevylor – much to the amusement of onlookers – before finally getting the hang of steering and I think managing slowly to get to one kayaking checkpoint.

And way back then there were no large (specially printed onto tough waterproof paper) maps covering the whole course annotated with all the checkpoints and helpful advice, as of now. Back then you used Grid References to markup checkpoint locations on a series of A4 laminated maps photocopied from OS maps that you had to lay out together to form the overall course (see below examples).

Also there were none of the current sophisticated Sportident scoring system with instant print outs showing all your locations visited. Then we used orienteering style tyvek score cards which we punched with pin clippers attached to the wooden posts at Checkpoint locations. Each muddy score card had then to be scrutinised and the pin punch patterns checked and values inputted into a spreadsheet to tot up scores.

Upon reviewing those old maps and Race Regulations I noticed that some things I’d forgotten as Questars continued to evolve. Back then the points you earned by visiting Checkpoints were known as questars rather than points. The series was called QuestARS i.e. Quest’s Adventure Race Series as Quest also ran other corporate events alongside its genesis from providing bespoke training and selection events for those taking part in the UK Challenge.

That said the key elements of Questars were all there right from those early beginnings :

* The great Questars format of three stages with carefully chosen checkpoint locations that allow participants of all levels of experience to equally enjoy creating their own courses.

* The Masters and Novice categories were developed early on. Also a Veterans class was always a feature and one I benefited from right from the start as I had just turned two score years before that first Questars! (NB: We have since changed our Veterans category to 50 years and older.)

* Remote transition points featured then as now –  allowing the best of the open countryside to be utilised for running as well as exploiting the myriad of bridleways and quiet roads for mountain biking.

At that February 2002 event I remember cycling over very muddy off road routes to get to a remote transition point in West Woods. Thankfully it’s an area I was already familiar with from orienteering, so my then very poor kayaking and mediocre mountain biking skills were boosted by a strong trail running stage. I remember it snowing at that Transition Point and Martyn wrapping shivering participants in foil blankets….

• That pattern continued for me at subsequent Questars where my running points always exceeded those from other stages. This great feature of allowing athletes to major on their stronger disciplines continues.
• Also the Questars logo has remained (albeit modified over time a little) inspired by the compass motif. This is indicative of another ongoing distinguishing feature of all Questars – that navigation skills and route choice pay dividends. Something that held me in good stead as my orienteering background helped me clear all the trail running checkpoints on my inaugural Questars over 24 years ago!
• The inclusion of route choice and navigation has always featured and continues to set Questars apart from the plethora of obstacle course and muddy trail and bike events where competitors go round a limited set and marked course and fail to perhaps fully appreciate the wonderful countryside that has always been such a strong element of Questars.
• Well selected event centres have also always been key to Questars: providing shelter, warmth and conviviality for pre-event briefings, food, drink and much anticipated prize giving.
• Locations have and continue to be chosen with great care – giving access to wonderful open countryside and water for kayaking (now in summer Questars only, then throughout the year). Favourite locations from those early years including the Wiltshire Downs, Berkshire, Brecon Beacons and the Peak District continue to feature.
• Past locations were further afield too. I remember competing in a Questars in North Yorkshire, in North Wales and across Norfolk’s Breckland. So it’s good to see Joe and Kim are now also going further afield and have added exciting new locations in the North, including Hebden Bridge later this year, in the heart of the West Yorkshire Pennines. That is an event to which I’m particularly looking forward to marshaling as I’m proud to derive half my lineage from Yorkshire – ‘God’s Own County’!
• Participants in the UK Challenge continue to use Questars as great training for that major multi day team event. I’m delighted that recent Questars Champions have gone on to also win the UK Challenge as I did too. So I’m looking forward to returning to help marshal the UK Challenge in the Brecon Beacons in June 2026 and wonder how many Questars participants I shall encounter there?

* The friendly atmosphere created by Martyn and Richard also ran through the band of like-minded Quest Team marshals that exuded their love for the great outdoors. This has continued through to today. Joe and Kim’s enthusiasm for adventure racing is so evident and together with their marshals team, greet and cheer on adventure racers new and old alike.

So I look back with great affection to those early Questars as we celebrate together Questars’ Silver Jubilee.

I know that I speak for many Questars participants in thanking Martyn and Richard for creating such a winning formula and delivering so many Questars over subsequent years. Participating in Questars has enriched so many people’s lives over the last quarter century.

Questars certainly changed my life. As I joined Quest in 2004 and took over leading on Quest’s Challenger Training programme and became Questars’ Event Director. I handed over that baton to another overall Questars Series Champion, Dan Carrivick, in 2012 who in turn was succeeded by Joe & Kim, whom I’m delighted to see are taking Questars ever forward.  Thank you Joe and Kim for marking this important milestone in Questars’ ongoing history and for adding your own innovations and style to these events. The Questars series is in very capable hands.

What will the next 25 years bring? Let’s see, as we look forward to further adventures at many future Questars and perhaps to returning again to Wiltshire in 2051 to celebrate Questars’ Golden Jubilee together!

David Hunt

‘The Dark Horse’  (my team name whilst competing in Questars in 2002 & 2003)

Questars Overall Series Champion 2003

Questars marshaling team delivering the Silver Jubilee Questars in Pewsey on 21 March 2026