DARE Forest of Dean
The Return of the DARE
Press Release / 24.10.2010
The race was organised in partnership with Tom Gibbs, reigning World Adventure racing Champion at the time and member of Team adidas Terrex. Tom planned and set the course and the DAR team ensured that it worked . . . . . . . what a team! The combination of four core stages, special challenges with strict 'open windows', remote transitions and long and short course on two stages tested even the most experienced competitors as they planned a route to maximise their score. At the end of the day, careful and realistic planning contributed to winning and not just physical ability. On the day this also proved to be a massive logistical challenge for the DAR team, which we just about met.The event was a typical score event with multiple stages, spread over 12 hours, incorporating running, mountain biking, canoeing, orienteering and a number of special stages. Transitions were mainly remote, apart from the final one back at base before the night orienteering. The event base was in the village hall at The Pludds, on the northern edge of the forest with an elevated position that tested the competitors as they wound their way back up to the hall to start the final stage.
The weather was perfect for adventure racing as the competitors left the hall on the run stage, heading south through the forest, towards the most southerly checkpoint at the special stage. The route took competitors to some testing 'high points', a sculpture trail with an oversized wooden chair and a stained glass window suspended from the tall pines and finally the 13 metre climbing wall. In order to bag the high points for the climbing wall, firstly it was important to manage your pace in order to arrive within the strict 'open window', being late would mean a wasted journey and no points. Secondly both competitors in the pair would have to reach the top. Clearly some were outside their comfort zone and found the wall to be more of a challenge than they expected. Once off the wall there was an 8k dash, via a number of checkpoints, to the transition at Goodrich Castle. Here competitors picked up their bikes for a short cycle to Ross on Wye to begin the canoe stage on the river Wye.
At the start of the open window for the canoe stage, the recent rain meant that the river was rising quickly and flowing rapidly (rumours suggested that no hire boats would be allowed on the river the following day - a lucky escape for us). As the DAR team waited in the back of the lorry on the bank of the river, time ticked by and it became very apparent that many teams would be hard pushed to meet the window for the long paddle. Teams came into transition and moved swiftly through, mixed with an element of panic as they cut things close to the bone. Some unlucky teams were too late and were short coursed, the first effect of over stretching in stage one. The paddle on the Wye was in Canadian Canoes and the estimated times proposed by the hire company would be 3.5 hrs to Symonds Yat (long course) and 2 hrs to Kerne Bridge (short course). However, looking at flow of the river the DAR team decided that some competitors would now be much faster but couldn't leave transition to trans;oprt thebikes to the finish until all the bikes were loaded onto the lorry. A mad panic ensued followed by a frustratingly slow drive to the first transition at Kerne Bridge. Having just off loaded the correct bikes at the river side, the first competitor appeared. It had taken just 1 hour!! Then the realisation dawned on us, if it only took 1 hr to Kerne Bridge, then the first paddlers must be nearing Symonds Yat and would expect to find their bikes ready and waiting. Time to move and fast, which wasn't an easy thing in the lorry.
Competitors were met at Kerne by Astrid, marshal for the day and wife to Tom. Astrid is a very experienced racer herself and her skills were shortly to be tested. A canoe drifted past with two adults and a young child, about 2 years old. Suddenly the paddlers spotted the put in and changed direction rapidly in an attempt to hit the bank without over shooting. The drastic change of course tipped them into the river and they were instantly swept downstream. Astrid sprang into action, alerted staff at the nearby activity centre and requested a throw bag to begin the rescue. Fortunately all were swept towards the bank and hung onto bushes and overhanging trees until they were all rescued, thanks Astrids quick thinking. See All Event Posts
