Questars Winter Series Race 2 - Cotswolds

Storms, Strategy, and Santa Hats: Cotswolds Questars Recap

Press Release / 12.12.2024

Adventure racing is often about adapting to the unexpected, and the Questars Winter Race in the Cotswolds was no exception. Taking place amidst December’s unpredictable weather, the event threw everything it had at competitors—strong winds, storm warnings, and tough terrain.

Set in picturesque Dursley, the town served as a spectacular backdrop for the second race of the Questars Winter Series and for those who thrive on challenges, it was the perfect playground.

A Pre-Race Shake-Up

The storms forced an unusual twist: checkpoint scores and descriptions were handed out ahead of time, flipping the traditional on-the-fly strategic challenge. While this allowed teams to plan strategies before heading out, the pressure to adapt mid-race remained as conditions on the ground shifted.

Race Director Joe Selby also removed the normal cap on bonus points for finishing early in a near-futile attempt to encourage racers back to the event base before the scheduled finish time.

Festive Fun

Despite the tough conditions, the event wasn’t without its festive cheer with mince pies, mulled wine, and bonus checkpoints bringing a dash of holiday spirit. Team No Brunch Bar Left Behind (Robert & Charlotte Griffiths) even swapped out their traditional bucket hats for Santa hats for the event and reportedly only lost these once in the wind (a vast improvement on normal!)

Storming the course

Campbell Walsh, the reigning Winter Series Champion, put in another terrific performance to clear both the bike and run course and finish early for an overall score of 810 points. Campbell leads the Series after two wins from two races and looks unstoppable on his current form.

Helen Chapman, the reigning Female Winter Series Champion, stormed to her first win of the Series (in her first Series race) in the female solo category to win with a score of 641 points.

Team Truffle Hunters (Damon de Boor, Shelly Hufner, Rob Smart and Steve Burnham) gelled well as a team on their first outing together to win the Mixed Team category.

Team Wally’s & proud (Jodie Brinson & Caroline Howe) topped the podium for the first time in the Female Team category whilst Tom Emery & Ben Ansell won the Open Team category.

Ian Ross won the Open category in the Taster race on his first ever Questars outing whilst Kathryn Heppinstall put in a terrific performance to win the female category on her first time racing solo.

Regular racers Oscar Sly and Richard Bennett teamed up with new racer Dean Thatcher to win the run-only category whilst returning team Csquared (Clare & Chris Gibson) won the bike-only category. 

A Challenging Yet Rewarding Experience

The Cotswolds event underscored what makes Questars races: they blend the joy of exploration with the thrill of competition. The stormy weather might have been a curveball, but for many, it was simply another layer of the adventure. As one racer quipped at the finish line, “If it was easy, it wouldn’t be worth it!”

With memories of the race fresh in their minds and legs aching from the effort, participants are already setting their sights on the next challenge in the Questars calendar. The New Forest event is just around the corner, promising slightly flatter terrain but no less promise of adventure.

For full results and more details, check out the official Questars report