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Dynamic Adventure Race New Forest
Date: 13th March 2006
Race Type: Adventure Race
Disciplines: Mountain Biking, Trail running/treking, Navigation.
Team: Steve & Keith
Location: New Forest, Hampshire
www.dynamicadventureracing.co.uk


Saturday 11th March heralded the start of weeatmud's adventure racing year, alas, without Mr Cheesman for the first time (at last we can prove that he's been slowing us down!). So it was myself and Keith that arrived at Race HQ in Ibsley, New Forest at 10:30 am on a surprisingly rain free day.

The start would not be until 12:00, so we had a few hours to get our kit ready and sample the delights of Flossie's Kitchen. Race briefing was at 11:00, followed by a kit check, before we gathered at the start for our 12:03 start slot. New for 2006 Dynamic Adventure are using sport ident electronic scoring for the checkpoints. This provided an amusing pre-race moment as we watched a solo female competitor trying to clear her dibber in a metal post which was nothing to do with the scoring equipment!

12:03 and we were off. All teams started within a short period of time, so we found ourselves setting off at a (too) frantic pace on the bikes. All the early checkpoints were easily found by the mass of riders jumping off their bikes and forming orderly queues to check in. After the first CP we were into the New Forest, which is a mixture of rolling, open heathland and Forest – no big climbs today!

Seven checkpoints in, we arrived at CP 110 for the mandatory special challenge. To get the CP, we were giving a sheet with four bearings (ie 40°) and distances (ie 50 metres). We then had to use our compass and some dodgy pacing to locate the four markers hidden in the bracken. We found the first three straight away, but struggled to find the last. Other teams had the same problem, but eventually one of the other teams found it and we were quickly back on our bikes and on our way again.

Next up was CP 109. At this point we had to cross the busy A31 at what we had been told was a safe point. There might have been a stile showing that it was an official crossing point, but we beg to differ regarding the word "safe". We might have well tried to run across the M25! Anyway, the shock of that crossing obviously caused a problem with our sense of direction as we rode off to the South, instead of East as intended which gave us our only navigational cock-up of the day (and an extra mile to ride). From that point on, our route choice was spot on, unlike some other teams. At CP104 a team went charging past, then on CP 103, the same team which had doubled back to get CP104, did the same thing again. Definitely a case of the tortoise and the hare.

After two more CPs we were back at base with the race clock at four hours, for the speciality weeatmud leisurely transition. This consisted of a change of warm clothes (for myself), a cup of tea and a cornish pastie - no point in rushing these things. Fifteen minutes later, we were pounding the streets. Well - maybe not pounding - we had decided to make this more of a trek than a run. We soon had muddy feet after walking up a fiendishly slippery track, then had to navigate our way round a large herd of New Forest Ponys and Cattle. Night was soon upon us and the navigating became more challenging, especially as the CPs weren't always next to the path and sometimes in the middle of no where.

After seven hours, we were heading homeward and soon joined a line of teams through the last few checkpoints, then back to HQ. We'd managed 16/16 on bike and 8/16 on foot in just under eight hours. Feeling very satisfied with our performance, we decided to forgo our prizes (mmm - right) and jumped straight in the car and headed home.