Harwood Dale & Broxa Forest

2hr MBO Score Event

Sat 09th September 2006

• Event Details
• Day Results
• Splits
• Weekend Results
• League Posns
• Weekend Comments

Weekend Results

National Weekend Comments

Another superb weekend. As a rider I couldn’t wish to take part in a better sport. As an organiser I was disappointed with 3 mistakes on Sunday so I had better start with the apologies.

• #52 was marked correctly but the control had been hung on a tree 30m above the junction. I can't understand why, either, because the planner had tagged a tree right at the junction. He will have words with his (ex!!) mate. Some riders spent a while looking for it and gave up, others found it eventually. Sorry. I decided to award the points to anyone who couldn't find it as it was an unfair control - I will check on the splits that it was on their route.

• The landrover track west of #49 continues south to the bridleway but isn't drawn like this on the OS map. Some riders approaching from the south didn't bear north east at the junction so stayed west of Lilla Howe instead of going past the cross and came to the junction 250m north west of the control. A quick look at the forest to the north should have helped them to relocate. Apologies again but no time allowance or points awarded.

• There were 2 controls numbered #56 on the map - one of them should have been #53!! Sorry yet again. Riders scored 30 points for both controls as marked on the map.

Thanks then to Steve Roberts for planning the 2 hour event and Dave Evans for the 5 hour event.

They spent hours checking all of the tracks and leaving out the ones they didn’t want to ride again.

I think these 2 styles of event are the basis of the TCA structure so it seemed right to combine the scores to find the 2006 champion. It was suggested that we held other events over the weekend but most people I spoke to preferred to concentrate on just one ride each day and rest in between. John Dixon had organised a skills course but only 2 riders had a go!!.

• Andy Conn won comfortably both days to become TCA National Champion. He only missed 3 controls on Sunday when everyone else was amazed how large an area was covered by the map.

• Karen Heppenstall scored enough points on Saturday to win the Women’s prize ahead of Iwona.

• Bryan Singleton was a clear winner on both days in the Veteran class.

• Mandy Faint won the Veteran Women’s event on both days and was the highest scoring women over the weekend.
• John Galway used local knowledge and a fair amount of effort to win the E class on both days.

• Karen Blackburn scored well on Sunday to take the Super Vet Women’s trophy ahead of Clare DeFaye by only 5 points.

• John & Ben Johnson were clear winners in the Generation category.
• Dave Day & Roz Bardon just managed to stay ahead of Duncan and Trish in the Q class.
• Jon & Amanda Meeks were clear winners in the Mixed class but were outscared by Dave and Roz.
• Jessie Roberts was the only Youth but scored an impressive total.

Thanks to:

• all the helpers – especially the control hangers and collectors.
• ackness Village Hall for the event centre, parking and camping fields
• Concept Catering for the refreshments
• Jens Strain for 2 excellent maps

I am starting to plan next year’s calendar. If you would like to plan an event, please let me know.

Future events:

• I am planning the Polaris on October 7/8th which will start and finish at Grinton in Swaledale. 30 controls each day on a pre-marked map s, if you fancy riding in superb countryside, get your entry posted. If 12 hours in the saddle and camping in a field doesn’t appeal there are always vacancies for control hangers and collectors. Please let me know if you would like to help.

• Saturday 14th October – The final NYMBO league event - 2 hour MBO in Dalby Forest, Pickering Sunday 15th October – Bikeathon in Dalby Forest – Entries to Jens.Strain@btopenworld.com

  Camping will be available all weekend at High Rigg Farm

Steve Willis