Questars Trio Race - Purbeck

Questars adventure - Isle of Purbeck

Press Release / 05.06.2012

The third race in the 2012 Questars adventure race series took place in the Isle of Purbeck on Saturday 26th May. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky when participants arrived in the morning to collect their race packs. And it stayed like that for the rest of the day, with the strong sunshine giving rise to warm temperatures.

Thankfully, for those taking part, there was a strong wind coming in off the sea that helped to take the edge off the searing heat. Those setting up outside weren’t so appreciative of the wind, especially when shortly after putting it up, a gust tore the start arch from its moorings, damaging it. Consequently the arch couldn’t be used and it had to be taken down before anyone had even started!

The race map was eagerly studied as participants planned which of the checkpoints marked on their map they would visit and what the best routes between them were. In a first for Questars there were two separate trail runs, each one starting and finishing from a different transition point. Participants were told at the race briefing that they weren’t expected to visit checkpoints in both trail runs but they could do if they wanted to. The trail run in the southern portion of the map was a long way from the start / finish and the kayaking, on the furthest part of the course. So a second trail run was included in the northern part of the map for those that didn’t want to or couldn’t make it all that way.

Other specific race details were explained at the race briefing along with any last minute updates or amendments to the printed information. And there was a spot prize draw with those lucky enough to have their name pulled from the hat walking away with one of Orifix’s top-of-the-range map boards for their bike.

Participants once again had a window within which they could start at any time; with their time starting from when they dibbed the start control. So those in the first and last kayaking slots had to think carefully about exactly when to start otherwise they could end up being late either for kayaking or back to the finish. And to help those with kayak slots in the middle of their race plan when to start, participants were told at the race briefing that there weren’t any dummy trail run checkpoints, so they could work out how long they would need for the trail run and work backwards from that.

As participants started they collected the checkpoint descriptions and values, and crossed off the dummy mountain bike checkpoints on their map so that they didn’t waste time by going to these. Participants then left the event base on bikes either to visit mountain bike checkpoints or to go to the run or kayak transition.

The mountain bike checkpoints covered a large area from Wareham itself, southwards, down towards the coast between Kimmeridge and Worth Matravers. Such was the spread, it was difficult to know which route to take but this was made a little easier once the dummy checkpoints had been taken out of the equation.

The Purbeck Hills formed a natural barrier across the middle of the map. Participants would have to cross this line of hills several times in order to visit the checkpoints on the other side. But those who studied the map carefully will have spotted a gap in the hills at Corfe Castle which meant, with some careful route planning, you could save yourself having to go up and over the hills at least once.