Event Details
Club: | Midlands MBO |
Event Name: | Dadlington Bike O |
Date: | 28/02/16 |
Format: | Bike O |
Mapping: | Ordnance Survey |
Time Limit: | 3 hours |
National League: | - |
League: | Midlands MBO Winter Bike O Series (Round of ) |
Electronic Punch: | No |
Event Report
The final Lanequest of the 3 event winter series proved to be the most popular and a success for first time organisers Bernard Lamb and Geoff Ford. Their choice of Dadlington village HQ gave access to quiet country lanes and a wide choice of routes through undulating countryside where historically interesting sites are plentiful.
With 51 starters and many first time entrants to the Lanequest concept, the youngest being 12 year old Kieran Thursby, this was an opportunity to show what the sport has to offer without the intensity of a league position being at stake. The elite riders were not forgotten though as the arrangement of cps meant that route choice as well as speed were going to be important in the final placings.
Local promotion and word of mouth ensured a strong entry from the host villages of Stoke Golding and Dadlington and the entrants enjoyed a ride in dry conditions after a light overnight frost. Whilst not famous for its hills, the quiet country lanes once ridden by Henry Tudor and Richard III, (alas not on bikes back in their day), provided a good work out in the 3 hours available.
With 30 cps to aim for no one achieved a clearance, but Mark Rowley was just one shy in recording an event winning score of 519 from the 540 available. He missed just cp18 in the centre of the map, meaning that he must have covered over 50 miles overall. He just pipped Andrew Waller on 508 with Phil Upton on 493. Relative newcomers to the sport Gemma Foley and Rebecca Hearn, W21, were the winning female riders, posting 380 with Anne Nicholson not far behind on 340.
With 10 female riders overall there were wins for Lisa Foster in W40 class, Jan Fox W50, whilst Dawn Hayman, X40, Jill Stocks, X60 with their male partners led their sections. Bad luck affected X50 pairing Jim Hope and Jennifer Michie where a mechanical problem led to an early retirement after only one cp. Their help in processing the finishers was much appreciated by the organisers back at HQ as riders returned. Leading the local village riders was Roger Pullin.
Judging by the enthusiasm for a chat and riders comparing scores and routes after the ride, the refreshments and home made cakes were also a great success. Many thanks must go to Gill Lamb for baking the cakes and organising the catering with Hillary Ford on the day. Donations for the food will be shared between Dadlington Village Hall and Stoke Goldings St Margarets Church so hopefully we will be welcomed back to host further events in the area in future.
With many newcomers to the event talking of entering and trying out a Trailquest in future the promotion of the sport in this area would appear to have been a success on several levels.