Event Details
Club: | Lakeland Lanequests |
Event Name: | Lakeland Bike O - Foxfield |
Date: | 02/07/13 |
Format: | Bike O |
Mapping: | Ordnance Survey |
Time Limit: | 2 hours |
National League: | - |
League: | Lakeland Bike O 2013 (Round 5 of 6) |
Electronic Punch: | No |
Event Report
Lakeland Lanequest 2013 event 5//
//Despite heavy rain and a course with several severe climbs, Tom Gibbs cleared 29 of the 30 controls in the Lakeland Lanequest event based on Foxfield, and continued his clean sweep of this year’s series.//
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//In contrast to the fine weather of previous events this summer, a field of 56 hardy souls had to contend with persistent heavy rain and low cloud on the higher parts of the course. Organisers Gary Thomason and Chris Stevens had devised a challenging course taking in the flatter area between Kirkby and Broughton, along with climbs to Subberthwaite Common and Broughton Moor and a network of hilly lanes around Broughton Mills to test navigation skills. After two hours in these conditions, riders were pleased to return to a warm welcome and hot food at the Prince of Wales in Foxfield.//
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//Gibbs, with 288 points was the clear winner, with Bryan Singleton (265) just ahead of David Heffernan (264) for second and third. In the series, the battle for second place is still on between Heffernan and Trevor Smith, whilst Singleton, with only three events so far, should not be discounted. Singleton has, so far, ridden his mountain bike, whilst other leading riders favour a road bike for these events. //
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//In the women’s class, Jo Cleary (248) combined a good route plan with her climbing ability, for a clear win over Anne Plant (232) and Lisa Whetter (210). Cleary was one of the few riders this week to improve their overall score for the series. Despite this, Plant still leads the series by 13 points, with one event to go.//
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//Of the juniors, only the girls were tough enough to take on the Lake District weather, with Akiko Smith (95), just beating the pair of Didi Davies & Vicky Leedham (90). Akiko has a strong lead in the series.//
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//Jack & James Smith (212) continued their domination of the generation teams, with Chris, Ben & George Chinn (90), second and Edward & Andrew Leedham (70) third. The Smiths cannot be beaten now in the series, but second place will be decided in the final event between Gary Thomason & George Taylor, and Hannah Cleary-Hughes & Chris Stevens, who were all part of the organisation team for event five.//
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//Mike & Rachel Toyn (224) on their tandem had an exciting time on the wet roads and steeper descents, whilst continuing their winning ways in the adult pairs class. Beth Jackson & Will Hall (210) were second, with Andrew & Sarah Crozier (178) third. The Toyns have a commanding lead in the series, with the Croziers in second. Jackson & Hall could challenge for second with a good ride in the final event//
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//Tom Gibbs describes how the conditions influenced his ride://
//“Weather was interesting to say the least – definitely reminded me of some of the events last year. Was cold before the start, so panicked a bit and put a waterproof on, which promptly acted like a sail into the wind.//
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//General philosophy was to avoid steep downhills as much as possible and have options at the end, so I decided to head southeast first and get the flat controls and the railway crossings out of the way early. Took it very easy on the gravel after 3, then went up the steep hill to 14. Then down through 13 to A595 along it and into 1 then 2. Nearly missed 28 (sneaky location). Had a good tail wind to 26 then did a loop up onto Woodland fell before dropping (gingerly) down to 24.//
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//Main route choice was in the north of the map, I decided to do 16 as an out and back then 15 and 8 to minimise climb. After this went along A road to 23 and up steep hill to Broughton Moor. Didn’t see anyone from 23 until the finish – I think everyone else was being sensible !//
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//After the moor, I had over 30 mins at 17 so decided to go for the loop round 21 and 19 as very least I would end up on same as if I missed them. Loop wasn’t too bad and I had 19 mins from Broughton Mills, so did 29 before heading towards 10. I’d left 12 as an out and back near the end and had 10 mins from 10, I started towards 12 then decided to ditch it. Ended up getting back 14 seconds late – so rueing the indecision !//
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//Good course, would have been clearable in good conditions, but a real test with the rain and wind.”//
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//Route in the end – 5-4-3-14-13-1-2-28-30-26-27-25-24-16-15-8-18-23-22-20-17-21-19-29-11-10-9-7-6. Totals – 30.75 miles with 1100m of climb (on map my ride 1903ft of climb) and calc time of 124.6. To clear would have been another 1.25 miles and calc time of 128.//
//David Heffernan enjoyed the challenge://
//“Well, I enjoyed myself. It was a good challenge, and even though I knew it was a series discard the motivation is always to try and get a decent result on the night. I got lucky with no. 30 being there, and missing the cow delays.//
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//I took the rail crossing first. I knew I would do everything in the flatter southern part of the map so wanted to leave the options to the end. The Kirkby loop I did anti clockwise. Once I got to Woodland I took 16, 18 and then decided to skip 23 and 22. So, back to 15, 8 and then 10. I wasn't sure about the Wallenrigg road. Is that navigable? It's quite off-putting at the southern end. So I went to 10, 12, 17, 20 out and back, and then had to decide on Stephenson Ground. Since I've never actually ridden that road, and since skipping it would have meant a rather meagre sounding 260, I decided to do it even though I knew time was tight. Was quite a tricky decent back to Broughton Mills and skip 29 (was up a very steep hill!). Then 11, 9, 7 and 6. I thought I was going to have mega penalties, but it was a quick blast home. 264 felt like a reasonable return considering everything. Bryan's 265 just pipped me, but I never mind finishing behind him!!//
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//Thanks for the event, food and atmosphere was great in the pub, too bad so many people cried off. An LQ event for the real hardcore!”//
//Those of us, who ride a tandem occasionally, know how exciting they can be on steep downhills and wet roads, and Rachel Toyn’s account confirms this://
//“Another report from the back of the tandem. We were pleased with our score in the end despite finding it a challenging event for various reasons, not least the weather. I appreciate that I was the lucky one being able to shelter behind Mike throughout the incessant rain - he makes for rather a good windbreak!//
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//We decided to go North first, knowing we wanted to get the big loop out to 22/23 over with and leave ourselves with plenty of options for later on. It was hard to predict how far round we could get with the weather and the multiple hills which we knew would be slow both up and down (especially after being given a talking too from Ray about taking care on the slippery downhills).//
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//On reflection, and having read David and Toms reports, I’m not sure going North was the best idea as the final run into the finish through 3,4,5 was quite a faff with gravel, sharp corners and the railway gates meaning we were late back. However at least we didn’t get caught by the train as Perry (our son) had a little earlier. //
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//We also started off with 2 off-road sections, first along the railway line and then up to 12 from the South – which was a bit of a peril on the tandem, and I have to admit to a few squeaks and squawks, but we made it safely without toppling off (last week we fell off into the nettles whilst passing a tractor parked in the road – much to the farmers amusement). Anyway the off road sections were slow and then followed by the climb from 11, I was seeing double when I jumped off to clip the control card at 29.//
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//We missed 19 and 21 on purpose, and later on 15 by accident which was a little hard to bear, after doing quite long loop from 18 along the A593 to drop in to 15 from the North, before heading back east to 16 and then south to 24.//
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//Somehow we missed the cows, but control 30 was gone when we got there – these events seem to be mysteriously linked – a little earlier Perry squeaked through just before the cows and 30 was still there at that point……//
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//Ray’s warnings about the downhills were well founded as despite taking it slow, we twice found ourselves overshooting the t-junction at the bottom of a hill, unable to stop any sooner. Maybe new brakeblocks are in order.//
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//Anyway another grand lanequest outing, thanks to Chris and Gary and their team for planning a great course and managing the event in less than pleasant conditions! Just as well for the handy bus shelter for the start/finish team (did a bus ever come along I wonder?) and I guess rain was probably preferable to the midges at last weeks event? Holing up in the pub afterwards was a very enjoyable experience – we were looked after really well – being brought bowl after bowl of roast potatoes along with a beer helped to fill the hollow feeling left by our exertions.”//
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//Martin Oglesby wisely (or not, as he recounts) forsook his Brompton folder, for a mountain bike://
//“I was looking forward to this event after sitting out the first two rounds and riding the last two on my ‘shopping’ bike (Brompton folder), while my collar bone / shoulder heals.//
//I wheeled out my MTB for this one, and in view of the 140 mile round trip arranged to car share with Rod Carter.//
//However, the Omens were against me://
//The forecast was rain, but as an organiser I know it is important to support other organisers, besides - a wet ride would be character building I told myself!//
//Omen 1: Rod rang to say the lift arrangement was off (something about him having to work!).//
//Omen 2: When loading the bike in the car I found it had a flat tyre!//
//Omen 3: I set off from the Start at 18h40 only to be held at the Level Crossing for 2 min’s, so much for the train timetables! (Should we have had Tide Tables as well?)//
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//Eventually got going but the rain was so bad I could hardly see the map and had two overshoots. Got into a rhythm and was glad to be on an MTB on the track between C3 & C2.//
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//Heading up the hill to C13 (unlucky for some!) I dropped into the bottom ring, but the chain unshipped and got jammed against the frame, twisting a couple of links. I got it free but it would not stay on, so time for an early bath (or had I already had that?).//
//So six checkpoints punched and a one hour walk back to the Finish. To add insult to injury I even managed a ‘wrong slot’ on the way!//
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//Anyway, the food at the pub was very tasty, and I got home home without further mishap.//
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//Thanks to all who helped out on the night.”//
//The organisers’ view://
//“Having selected a good pub, the challenge was to plan a course around it. We considered Dunnerdale, but it would have meant going nearly to Seathwaite in the north, which, on A4 would have cut out the flatter area around Kirkby in the south. Dunnerdale would also have led to very limited route choice and made the climb of Kiln Bank almost compulsory for anyone aiming for more than 220. So the network of lanes around Broughton Mills and Woodland seemed a better choice. This still gave us some serious climbs, Broughton Moor, Subberthwaite Common and Chapels. To balance this we used the flat area across Duddon Mosses, with its railway crossings and the short off-road section. We also allowed use of the railway path north of Broughton to give the moderate riders more route choice.//
//My optimum route was 6 7 9 10 12 17 29 11(in/out) 19 21 20 22 23 18 8(in/out) 15 16(in/out) 24 27 26 30 28 14 13 1 2 3 4 5//
//On Mapmyride this came to 30.36 miles, with 1988 feet of climb, 124.9 minutes on the formula.//
//On reflection, were I capable of 30 controls in 2 hours, I would have ridden anti-clockwise and done the steep climb at Chapels, so 3 14 13 1 2 28.//
//We think control 30 was removed by a farmer about half-way through the event, following an incident when one of his cows, being herded in the road was spooked by a rider. Gary is in contact with the farmer, to see what happened. Riders who told us they visited control 30 were credited with the points for it.//
//The Prince of Wales looked after us very well, so it’s a pity turnout was disappointing, but not surprising, given the weather. Also it was event 5, when many already have 4 scores and it was a long way from the M6.//
//Thanks to everyone who helped on the day, especially Ray and John on the start and finish and Robin on registration and download. Jo on download. George and Hannah, our generation partners, travelled from their schools in Kirkby Lonsdale and Lancaster to help. The staff at the pub kept us going with tea and coffee, until it was time for something stronger.//
//Well done to everyone who came and rode in such miserable conditions.”//
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