Event Details
Club: | SMBO |
Event Name: | Pentlands Pillage |
Date: | 18/08/18 |
Format: | MBO Score |
Mapping: | Ordnance Survey |
Time Limit: | 3 |
National League: | - |
League: | SMBO 2018 (Round 1 of 4) |
Electronic Punch: | SportIdent |
Event Report
This was my first race as an organiser rather than a racer. It was interesting to see the mechanics behind putting on such an event. From organising permissions to use the land, to booking a base, filling out forms, to designing and physically setting out a course.
Of course, setting the checkpoints is one of the most enjoyable bits; looking at maps, riding the trails, figuring out possible places to set a control. Allocating points to checkpoints I tried to set them on the basis of allowing people to compete more on route choice than purely on distance travelled or altitude climbed.
The Pentlands is a well ridden area and has been included in the SMBO calendar almost every year. I made sure to set a few checkpoints in unusual positions and included a few areas and tracks I've not seen used before.
Actually putting out the checkpoints the day before the race I hit a few unexpected issues. The first was as I sped down a bit of single-track through a woods and just as I was thinking about how much fun this path was, I had to come to an abrupt stop as two diggers were creating a huge hole where the path used to continue. Some last minute markings on the maps was required.
The second issue was that the east end of the area, where several checkpoints were located, was closed off by the police “due to an incident”. It finally re-opened late in the evening allowing me to set the last checkpoints out.
On the day there was a good turnout despite many people saying they couldn't make it as it was prime holiday season. The very wet start to the day also seemed not to deter competitors. It did dry out as the morning progressed but the trails remained waterlogged in places and slower than usual.
By 10:30 most of the competitors had registered, dibbed in to the start control, grabbed a map and set off into the drizzle.
Shortly after 12:00 the first pair returned. And shortly after, a constant stream of mud covered, damp, but smiling people started to arrive back. One generations pair had a bad puncture on top of a hill and had decided to abandon their bikes and run back to the base.
The tandem had also suffered a mechanical. Their rear derailleur exploded. Luckily they were at the top of a hill above the finish and were able to roll most of the way back.
Simon Ranfield was the overall winner with 464 points. Not far off the 500 maximum.
The cakes seemed to go down well. There were none left at the end despite having made what we thought would be loads.
Thanks to Lucy, Ben, Jay, Aimee and Ellie for helping out on the day. Also to the other SMBO organisers for advice and help. And thanks also to those who helped collect in the checkpoints.