The First Dynamic Adventure

Simon Thomas / 05.09.2002

The inaugural Dynamic Adventure race, set up by Simon and Nicky Thomas and Jonathan Mayne, took place in the beautiful setting of Peaslake, near Guildford in Surrey. The North Downs proved to be a popular venue with 45 competitors of all abilities taking part in fine, sunny weather.

The aim of Dynamic Adventure is to provide a platform for beginners to try Adventure Racing in a relaxed, informal and friendly environment, as well as giving more experienced racers the opportunity to hone their navigation skills. Armed with their grid references and descriptions the competitors marked up their maps, with several people using the support offered from the advice desk to plot the checkpoints and decide on the most appropriate route. Jonathan was in charge of this area, taking some bemused newcomers aside to explain what was going on and offer advice on useful kit and navigation techniques. There was afterwards to look at the options competitors took and the choices they might have made as well.

Everyone set off together to collect as many checkpoints as they could on the first stage - a two hour run. The route took them over some of the largest hills and most impressive vista points that the North Downs has to offer. Leon Crow and Piers Constable were the only pair to collect all the maximum 300 points available on the run stage returning to base with 7 minutes to spare. The competitors then had one hour to mark up the 18 checkpoints for the mountain bike section. The advice centre once again proved popular primarily with competitors asking how they could avoid the inevitable hills!

The bike section was popular with some exhausting undulating terrain and great downhills. The more experienced racers went out for the big pointers and covered a lot of ground in the three hour time limit. The mountain bike section proved to be very challenging and Richard Smith won the section scoring 365 out of a potential 450 points.

The event wasn’t a race as such, instead Gold, Silver and Bronze standards were set and from a total of 750 points the highest scorers were:

• Piers Constable & Leon Crowe - 660 pts (GOLD)
• Richard Smith - 625 pts (SILVER)
• David Clarke & Francesca Boylan - 566 pts (SILVER)

The North Face continues to support adventure racing from grass roots level upwards, and the spot prizes they provided were given out to competitors for their achievements on the day . Claudia Arndt and Peter Green both got rucksacks, for being complete first timers and using borrowed kit, and there were T-Shirts for the Ford Family – for being the most popular marshals in UK and for their continued support for adventure racing. Steve Bush, Steve Olive & Sarah Kingdon, won a prize as the only team of 3, encapsulating that adventure racing is about team dynamic, and Carl Bullock also won a shirt, for receiving no time penalties even though he didn’t have a wrist watch!

After receiving much positive feedback on the event, Dynamic Adventure has decided to run a winter series starting with an event in the Chilterns on Sunday 10th November. The third will take place in January 2003 on the South Downs. We’ll bring you more details when they are announced.

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