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Lipsmacking Good Racing

Rob / 24.08.2004

The confusing trails and tracks of Swinley Forest were the setting for the third and final ACE Races one-day adventure event of the year. The lane leading to the start from Bagshot was a bit muddy after the recent heavy rains, but the forest is well drained and once out on the course the paths were surprisingly dry and even the pools were low. The scenery was very green for midsummer though, and the undergrowth high.

Those who’d raced here before knew the trees and the greenery hid some tiring hills before they’d even looked at the map, and that the maze of trails required careful attention, especially as many were not on the map. (Though Phil Humphreys, being a caring race organiser, had drawn some in.) He’d also set a challenging course with a maximum of 6 challenges mixed in with the mountain biking and running sections.

From the forest glade used for ACE Base the run to the map give-out was a long one, starting with a steady climb up onto Bagshot Heath, which reduced half the field to a walk within 10 minutes of the start. Once teams had their map, collected in the appropriately named ‘Cuckoo Pen’, there was a bit more running to get back to Transition Area one by ACE Base to collect the bikes for the checkpoints one, two and three.

Now the navigation difficulties and choices began, and by the time teams reached CP3 at a crossroads the leaders were confidently on their way … and many of those chasing them were looking at their maps in a perplexed way.

The all-male team of ‘Karibuni Eagles’ in their bright orange shirts were up the front, chased by the unbeaten trio of ‘Peel Adventure’. As Dave Peel raced in he was glancing down at his map and shouted to Jenny James and Dave Rollins to take a left turn to take them to TA2 at Lower Star Post. There was no hesitation, and no question of anyone stopping as he quickly punched and caught the others up.

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