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Drag, Hunts and Hills

Jonathan Mayne (Dynamic Adventure Racing) / 29.09.2004

As the shots rang out, Ian McNab of Cotswold Outdoor felt more like Andy McNab from Bravo Two Zero! Heading off the footpath, into the safety of the woods, he skirted round the farm buildings, keeping himself and his race partner well hidden. Ian and Ruth made the 300 metre dash across open ground, pheasant and partridge mortars crashed to the ground all around them but they made it to checkpoint 30, quickly clipping and heading out of the firing line!

Ian and Ruth were one of a handful of competitors who got more adrenaline fuelled adventure than they bargained for in the normally peaceful and quiet hills north west of Andover. The local shooting party knew the race was taking place and the cooperation showed between them, the farmers and landowners in the area is an excellent example of how well the countryside and its visitors can work together.

The 5th Dynamic Adventure Race of the season combined the Plus and Standard event into one day, giving the beginners an opportunity to rub shoulders with the leading teams in the plus series – Team Quest, Sleepmonsters and 10. The village hall in Chute Standen was a perfect location with a backdrop of rolling hills, speedy bridleway, blair witch style woods and stunning ridges.

As the standard competitors marked up their maps, it became obvious that clearing the run course would be challenging, so the checkpoint values would be critical in choosing a route that would deliver a good score. A number of competitors took full advice of the help and advice that was on hand from the Dynamic Adventure Racing team. Marc Balston and Graham Atkinson had a storming run scoring 234 out of a possible 300. Toby Fisher and Iain Lamont in the male solos category scored and impressive 190. As the run stage drew to a close the crisp and cloudy morning gave way to drizzle, making it even harder for the competitors to leave the warm comfort of the village hall and Flossie’s endless cups of tea and bacon butties!

Nevertheless with 450 potential points up for grabs on the bike stage there was all to play for. Riding off into the rain, it wasn’t long before Mark Childs returned with two split inner tubes – his mountain biking for the day over, however his two team mates continued on with course.

The course was fast and the top biker in the standard race – with male pair Marc Balston and Graham Atkinson and male solo Toby Fisher clearing all but 2 checkpoints scoring 360. Christian Bartlett joined up with Luke Fulton and Geoff Lovelock for the afternoon ride and enjoyed that fast network of bridleways and rights of ways that linked the course, collecting 318 points.

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