Fat Tyre Navigator Races coming up
I've never been one for traditional racing round a circuit full of strange skinny fast people with no manners and sharp elbows (alhough the Gorrick races, usually based around Bracknell Forest and the surrounding areas, seem popular.
What I do enjoy, though, are Trailbreak's "Fat Tyre Navigator" races.
They're basically orienteering events similar in all but name and affiliation to Trailquests. Over a fixed time, racers attempt to locate checkpoints marked on an Ordnance Survey map covering a fairly wide area. Each checkpoint is worth between 10 and 50 points, with the top scoring checkpoints being located in tricky places to reach, often on top of big hills in far-flung corners of the map. There is no fixed order of play - you find whatever checkpoints you think are best. Oh, and getting back late is very very bad... points disappear horribly quickly through the penalties imposed.
Trailbreak are a super company. They're based in Arborfield, just south of Reading, and organise a number of high profile events in addition to these races, most famously the Iron Lemming enduro, which appears now to have morphed into something even more unpleasantly horrible. Their weekend breaks are marvellous, too. I used to think they were a little pricey, but nevertheless went on one and was very impressed by the the superb organisation, guiding and facilities on offer. I've seen some firms charge much more for a weekend of riding in the Chilterns...
The races take place on Wednesday evenings (usually very near Reading), or on Sundays (often fairly close, sometimes further afield). The midweek races are two hours, over a smaller course than the weekend events, at three and a half or two and a half hours. The atmosphere is nice, and you don't have to rush if you don't want to... it's a nice way of seeing new trails.
Forthcoming events are as follows:
Woolhampton, Wednesday 19th January. A local event for Reading - it's just up the A4 west of Theale. The only time I've really ridden these trails is on a previous event (my first ever trailquest, and I did pretty awfully but had a great time). They were wet. I don't expect that to change this time...
Princes Risborough, Sunday 13th February. I like this course. In fact, I really like this course, and have even had a really good result there once... 11th out of 49! As good as it gets for me.
These events are great fun, suit all skill levels and speeds, and are a superb introduction to the trails in an unfamiliar area. It's well worth getting some sort of map holder, however basic, although the laminated maps can be attached fairly satisfactorarily to the handlebars using a few well placed holes and zip ties. For a reasonable placing (I define reasonable as scraping into the top half... I'm not the most abitious of winners) in a three and a half hour event I'd expect to ride about 35 miles.
Oh, and check the Trailbreak site for confirmation of these events and dates if I were you.
What I do enjoy, though, are Trailbreak's "Fat Tyre Navigator" races.
They're basically orienteering events similar in all but name and affiliation to Trailquests. Over a fixed time, racers attempt to locate checkpoints marked on an Ordnance Survey map covering a fairly wide area. Each checkpoint is worth between 10 and 50 points, with the top scoring checkpoints being located in tricky places to reach, often on top of big hills in far-flung corners of the map. There is no fixed order of play - you find whatever checkpoints you think are best. Oh, and getting back late is very very bad... points disappear horribly quickly through the penalties imposed.
Trailbreak are a super company. They're based in Arborfield, just south of Reading, and organise a number of high profile events in addition to these races, most famously the Iron Lemming enduro, which appears now to have morphed into something even more unpleasantly horrible. Their weekend breaks are marvellous, too. I used to think they were a little pricey, but nevertheless went on one and was very impressed by the the superb organisation, guiding and facilities on offer. I've seen some firms charge much more for a weekend of riding in the Chilterns...
The races take place on Wednesday evenings (usually very near Reading), or on Sundays (often fairly close, sometimes further afield). The midweek races are two hours, over a smaller course than the weekend events, at three and a half or two and a half hours. The atmosphere is nice, and you don't have to rush if you don't want to... it's a nice way of seeing new trails.
Forthcoming events are as follows:
Woolhampton, Wednesday 19th January. A local event for Reading - it's just up the A4 west of Theale. The only time I've really ridden these trails is on a previous event (my first ever trailquest, and I did pretty awfully but had a great time). They were wet. I don't expect that to change this time...
Princes Risborough, Sunday 13th February. I like this course. In fact, I really like this course, and have even had a really good result there once... 11th out of 49! As good as it gets for me.
These events are great fun, suit all skill levels and speeds, and are a superb introduction to the trails in an unfamiliar area. It's well worth getting some sort of map holder, however basic, although the laminated maps can be attached fairly satisfactorarily to the handlebars using a few well placed holes and zip ties. For a reasonable placing (I define reasonable as scraping into the top half... I'm not the most abitious of winners) in a three and a half hour event I'd expect to ride about 35 miles.
Oh, and check the Trailbreak site for confirmation of these events and dates if I were you.
posted by Jon Hall at 10:01 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home