Down Dale

The event attracted the usual mix of experienced racers (many of whom were racing for the first time since the World Adventure Racing Championships) and complete novices who were having a go for the first time. For this event, Race director, James Thurlow, had more of a mini Open24 in mind than a long Open5 event. The main part of the race centred around running/trekking and mountain biking over three stages, interspersed with three special stages, the specific details of which were only revealed when competitors received their control descriptions half an hour before their start time. James had hoped to include a kayak stage, but unfortunately had to cancel after permission was refused from the landowner a couple of weeks prior to the event.

Race HQ was Barbon Village Hall, just a few miles north of Kirby Lonsdale and competitors started arriving from 4pm. First to arrive was Christian Knowles who had paired up with Matt Kowalski-Hicks via the Sleepmonsters Forum. Accompanying him was his wife Jenny and young Freya, who was still a bump when Jenny helped out last year at the Open24.

Registration opened at 5pm and there was a steady stream of competitors arriving and collecting their race numbers right up until the race briefing at 8pm. After that it was time for competitors to complete their final race preparations – kit bags and bikes had to be handed in by 10pm, before been bussed on a short ride to Ingleborough Hall in Clapham Village, which was the start location for the race.

At 11.30pm Team number 1, Mark Eccleston and Steve Bell were called through to collect their control descriptions booklet, with teams then following on at two minute intervals. Whilst the descriptions and grid references had been published earlier in the week, this was the first time competitors had sight of the values associated with the controls and the points allocated to each stage, along with the exact location and details of the three special stages – a trip through Great Douk cave, a run round the Ingleton Falls walk, and a tandem abseil off Firbank Viaduct.

After receiving the control descriptions, teams had half an hour to put together some final plans. As usual strategy and tactics started to come into play. Stage 3 in particular was interesting. Teams had a choice of either a run over Middleton Fell, worth 200 points or a short mountain bike ride to the finish, worth considerably less at 50 points. Most teams were keen to do the run, but whilst some had worked what time they would need to allow to complete the run, others were intending to make a decision as the race progressed. Some teams were also putting a lot of thought into ensuring that they were not late – particularly John Allen and Louise Wilkinson of NAV+art and Ruth and David Johnson who had both been late at Open24s in the past and were determined not to repeat the experience.