Wye Rapid Riding at Questars

Nick Wake/Questars / 23.07.2002

The base for the 5th Questars race in 2002 was the picturesque Wye Valley at Symonds Yat West, and though the race started in Herefordshire the course soon took competitors across the picturesque Forest of Dean, and into Gloucestershire.

The format was fairly consistent with the last 2 races; teams were given checkpoints to visit by canoe, on foot, or by bike over a 5 ½ to 6 hour period and had to decide how much time to spend on each before moving onto the next. This allows teams to spend most time in the discipline that they are best at and effectively design their own course. The maximum possible distances in each of the canoeing, running and mountain biking stages was around 12km, 18km and 38km respectively, and the minimum possible was 3km, 2.5km and 9km.

The day was hot and sunny, conditions that we hadn’t seen since the race in April so the water stations in the transition areas, and at the finish were well used. Course designer, Nick Wake explained: “I was delighted to have excellent conditions– having suffered 2 days of incessant rain when out reconnoitring the course. I’d wondered whether putting the canoe section first was a good idea, since it could meant people would be wet all day. As it was, the hot conditions meant no one was too worried!�

Everyone headed off downstream from the start, and the first obstacle of the day was the renowned rapids, which are with canoeists but a bit scary for adventure racers. Most teams chose to shoot them, and with the water level low they all came out the other side unscathed, if a little wet. The boating-off point on ‘The Biblins’ campsite was at best chaotic. It was also being used by a couple of youth groups for rafting and canoeing, so choosing your moment to come in was all important.

From here, teams had to plan a passage to the bike transition point, which was located 2.5km away, with around 180m of climbing involved. Most teams stayed on the North side of the river, accruing points around Seven Sisters Rocks before crossing the footbridge to the other side. Team Waddenhoe High 5, some of whom are triathletes, decided to take the short cut, swimming the river to get across to Far Harkening Rock, saving themselves around 2km of additional running! About three quarters of the field made it to Checkpoint 5 – and were rewarded with spectacular views down the valley to Monmouth.

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