Questars - Q2 The Quest Challenge - Thetford Forest
Questars Series Finale in Thetford
Daniel Carrivick (Questars) / 15.10.2011
Adventurer racers from all over the country descended on Thetford Forest for the final event in the 2011 Questars Adventure Race Series. This two-day race called Q2 The Quest Challenge attracted everyone from seasoned competitors, who had done all five previous races in the 2011 Questars Series, to complete beginners for whom this was their first adventure race.
You can’t always rely on the British weather but you can rely on the weather to do one thing and that is to add to the challenge of an adventure race; and this race was no exception. The weather forecasters had been predicting a mini heat wave all week and they weren’t wrong. Temperatures reached the high twenties (80+ degrees Fahrenheit) on both Saturday and Sunday making the challenge tough for some. Unseasonal it may have been for October but unexpected it wasn’t, and participants had been forewarned so there was no excuse for not being prepared.
Many participants made the most of the fine weather by arriving on Friday evening and camping in the large event field throughout the weekend. Others took advantage of the ‘leisurely’ start time on Saturday morning to arrive then in time for the Event Briefing, some preferring to find their own alternative accommodation locally.
Strategy is key in Q2 The Quest Challenge adventure races and this was emphasised at the Event Briefing. Participants were warned about various trade-offs they would have to make throughout each of the four stages, and in particular whether to attempt the optional challenges or not. Complete a challenge quickly and ‘easy’ points could be earned, but spend too long doing it (and this is easily done if you don’t keep an eye on the time) and you could jeopardise your result, not just for that stage but for the whole race.
The event field was ideally situated in the centre of the forest giving instant access in all directions to the patchwork of pine trees, heathland and broadleaf woodland that together makes up the area known as Thetford Forest. Being so remote, it was not possible to show the big game, but this didn’t mean it was forgotten for the event was themed around the Rugby World Cup. In the first stage participants had 200 minutes to visit as many rugby players as possible both on foot and by kayak.
Players were grouped into sets according to their rugby position and bonus points were available for those who managed to visit all the players in the same set. Many found running in the heat hard work but at least the forest did offer some shade and the river was never far away for those who got too hot.See All Event Posts
