Questars Race 1
A Stormy Outing in the New Forest
David Hunt / 08.04.2008
The Rivette questars Adventure Race Series 2008Well over 450 adventure racers converged upon Brockenhurst in the heart of the New Forest on Saturday 29 March to compete in the first event of the 2008 Rivette questars adventure race series.
The event was a sell out with all places being sold weeks before the closing date. Over two hundred teams participated ranging from beginners to the very experienced. The course was designed to create a challenge for all these levels. On the day the weather conspired to provide even more of a challenge.
All teams were welcomed and briefed on the course in the large sports hall of Brockenhurst College. A remote bike/run transition point half way towards the start and the kayak transition point on the Beaulieu River provided a variation on the normal questars format. It opened up new areas of the Forest for the running stage as well as many strategic options for teams to consider.
A few hints were given as to the conditions of the terrain. Heavy rain over recent days had resulted in much of Beaulieu Heath becoming waterlogged with extensive standing water. Teams were advised that the best place to get really muddy was the quagmire that had formed around checkpoint 15 on the eastern side of the heath. Indeed many racers returned at the end of the day with stories of wading waist deep to this and other checkpoints!
The sun was shining upon early starters but the weather changed to rain and strong winds by late morning and this continued with only the briefest of respites throughout the afternoon. Running and biking across the open areas was particularly tough. News that the same headwind had resulted in the slowest time since 1947 for the winning crew in the Boat Race the same afternoon came as no surprise as many adventure racers amended their early planned routes to combat the biting wind and lashing rain.
Those that chose to concentrate upon the mountain biking were rewarded with more sheltered conditions within the extensive cycleway network in the forest enclosures in the northern part of the course map. There was no escape from the wind if teams wished to clear all the biking checkpoints. Some were located in the far south-west where views of the Isle of Wight were just possible across the Solent. See All Event Posts
