Winter Trail Quest Series Round 1
[Lady Dixon Park]
Dromara Cycling Club opened their Winter Series of Trail Quests with the first of five rounds taking place on Sunday 30 October 2011 at Lady Dixon Park in Belfast. With Halloween just around the corner the club encouraged the riders to get into the festive spirit and dress up themselves and their bicycles with points awarded based on the effort put in. The riders were greeted to a fine autumn day with temperatures around 13º which was in marked contrast to last year when the event at Lady Dixon took place on 5 December to temperatures of -3º.
Trail quests are cycling based orienteering events across a mixture of road and off-road terrains. The object is to locate as many markers as you can and return to base within the time limit. The majority of the 27 teams went for the 3½ hour event with 2 teams taking on the 2 hour event. The markers could be orienteering plates or words or numbers on a particular landmark. Different markers had different points values and it was up to the teams to find the best route to pick up the most markers and perfereably the ones with the bigger points values. Late returns to base incurred penalty points with grew in severity the later the team returned.
Event organiser Trevor Annett had laid out markers from Hilden in Lisburn to Stranmillis in Belfast. Teams can be made up of solo riders or up to 3 riders with the 2 hour event perfect for youth riders. Sign on opened at 9:45 with first team away, Lost and Bewildered, at 10:31. Subsequent teams were then given their map and answer sheet at one minute intervals. The clock was already running as the teams worked out the best way to get to the most markers. The events attract riders of both genders and all ages and abilities. They are fun events and proceeds from the series will be going to the club's chosen charity, the Children's Cancer Care home located in Shimna Valley which the club have been supporting for a number of years.
Winner of round one was solo rider Paul Manton (Xmtb McConvey cycles) who collected 490 out of the 550 points. Graham Boyd, also of Xmtb, finished second ahead of father and son team Brian and Andrew McBurney. Team 'The Losers' from Dromara CC were 4th with the Banbridge CC duo of Maurice Mayne and Paul Anderson finishing 5th and this is with them making their usual coffee stop in the middle of the event!! First mixed team was Peter and Kim Barrnett of team 'Trouble and Strife' collecting 280 points. Well done to all competitors.
Round 2 of the series will be held on Sunday 11 December 2011 from the headquarters at Dromara Village Football Club. See website for more details.
Many thanks to Trevor Annett for setting up the event and to the staff at the Stables café who fed us afterwards.
Report by Martin Grimley
Photos by Trevor Annett, Andrea Harrower, Martin Grimley
IF YOU WISH TO BE KEPT INFORMED OF ANY UPCOMING TRAIL QUESTS PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO MARTIN @ DROMARA CYCING CLUB.
martin@dromaracc.co.uk
