http://www.staffordshirenewsletter.co.uk/Sport/Orienteer-Stodgell-rides-on-after-injury.htm
I am in the local paper again this week !
Preview – World MTBO Championships 2010 – Portugal
It’s now less than a month till the start of the World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships 2010, to be held in Monalegre, Portugal.
I will be flying out on Friday 9th July with the rest of the British team, for 9 days of training and racing.
The event website at http://mtbwoc2010.fpo.pt/ is starting to come alive with details of entrants, and a trickle of more final details.
This years MTBO World Champs has entries from 25 countries totaling 96 men and 61 women. 80 juniors will also be racing for glory in the Junior World MTBO Championships.
The Programme for the week is as follows:
| Friday, 09th July | Teams arrival (afternoon) |
| Saturday, 10th July | Teams arrival Model Event Sprint |
| Sunday, 11th July | Sprint Final (morning) Opening Ceremony |
| Monday, 12th July | Model Event |
| Tuesday, 13th July | Middle Distance Final Open Race (Middle Distance) |
| Wednesday, 14th July | Long Distance Qualification |
| Thursday, 15thJuly | Rest Day Open Race (Long Distance) |
| Friday, 16th July | Long Distance Final |
| Saturday, 17th July | Relay Event Open Race (Middle Distance) Closing Ceremony, Banquet |
| Sunday, 18th July | Teams departure |
MTBO WOC /JWOC 2010 has a facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/people/Woc-Jwoc-Mtb-o-Portugal/100000749239311
TT Madness?
On my way back from the Mountain Bike Orienteering score and MTBO Sprint at Driffield, I drove via Derby on A516 and then onto the A50 to Uttoxeter. On the A516 I was amazed to see a road time trial in progress, at 6pm on a Saturday afternoon. These events tend normally to be held in the early morning on a Sunday when the roads are very quiet.
As I started to overtake the riders one at a time on the single carriage way, giving them a wide berth, it occurred to me I had seen no warning signs at all. On the next roundabout were a couple of marshals but they seemed more to be there to make sure the competitors went the right way.
I noticed several cars in front of me not giving the time trialists anywhere near as much room as they should. While I was thinking to myself that if this were a MBO score event, as an organiser I would probably had made this road out of bounds or as a minimum have warning signs displayed, I was approaching the A50 junction. At this point I was completely horrified to see the riders directed up the sliproad and on to the dual carriageway.
The A50, if you don’t know it, is a Motorway in all but name: slip roads, central reservation, the lot, & it’s intersected by a couple of huge roundabouts along its length as it bisects the country from the M6 to the M1 past Stoke and Derby.
So here, on a road where motorists are routinely doing 70-90 miles an hour, are time trialists in their own little world of head down, aerodynamic, hunched up riding, as far as I can see dicing with death for 10 miles in each direction.
Of course I am a cyclist so I gave everyone a full lane whilst overtaking, but many lorries and cars didn’t.
Then on to the riders. I saw one rider pull out to overtake another without looking behind. I saw a couple of people completely dressed in black, only the fluorescent number on their back standing out. I saw a rider launch himself onto a roundabout with seemingly no idea of the traffic around him.
Many of the numbers were not visible at all, them being high up on the riders backs, so even that little bit of high viz was not doing them any good.
Just before my turnoff for Uttoxeter I came across, at last, a rider with a very bright flashing LED and high viz number showing which even in the daytime got my attention.
Remember, this is all at 6pm on a Saturday afternoon not 7am on a Sunday morning. Drivers and riders were heading into a very low sun so contrast was a problem and traffic was heavy.
This year I was given a subscription to cycling weekly. Every month there are stories of time trialists and roadies injured or even killed, being hit from behind by cars. Letters complaining and then defending the wearing of dark clothing, complaints about the police’s attempts to ban road racing, arguments over the wearing of helmets, upset locals on cycle sportives etc etc. The answer seems always to blame the motorist which is probably correct in most cases but riders also have a responsibility to be sensible and make themselves more visible and take more care, after all there is a reason why all motorbikes have their lights on day and night.
Cyclists on dark nights light themselves up like a christmas tree. Multiple flashing red LEDs powerful front lights, reflective high viz clothing etc al. So why not make an effort during the day, particularly when road and weather conditions are challenging (sun or rain, fast dual carriageways etc etc).
It would be very easy for race organisers of all types of events to insist on a high output flashing rear LED and some high viz arm bands that would not get in the way of sponsors logos. If everyone had to wear / ride with them a market would develop for ‘trick, lightweight, aerodynamic versions’ I’m sure a sponsor would be interested as what is worn by the elite tends to filter down to the masses……..
Driffield 3hr NYMBO Score
Saturday afternoon brought a 3 hour MBO score from the same start finish area in the middle of the old airfield. The stiff breeze had dropped slightly but I decided it would be better to go out into the head wind rather than face it later in the event with tired legs.
I started strongly in an anticlockwise direction towards 1 and 11 but could feel the race from the morning in my legs on the gradual climb. Out of number 6 my route descended down a beautiful grassy winding valley past Cottam Village and its decaying ruined church. Dropping into the valley there were fantastic views out over the Yorkshire Wolds, an area new to me and quite sublime. Rolling farm land, secret valleys and small villages, where seemingly time has stood still.
The next climb took me up to Sir Tatton Sykes’s Monument, a spire visible even from the start , some 6 km away. At this point after hoovering up the centre of the map it was decision time. It was obvious that clearing even most of the controls was not possible, so riding up to 23 I did some maths and worked out the best route home via the most points. As I returned back from the in/out to number 25 I realised I was going to be on mission to get back in 3 hours so really started to ride hard. Luckily the drop down the bridleway from 9 was a good track, as was the one in the bottom of the valley. 
However getting to the bridleway junction at number 21 I just could not find the control. The map was very out of date with the forest felled, and the track the control was on bared no resemblance on the ground to that on the map, it doubling back following the fence/hedgeline. I must have gone within about 10 ft of the control along the track but never saw it.
Looking at my watch I just had to bin it after a couple of minutes and head for home leaving others searching. Luckily the track was a very fast bridleway on the edge of a field, someone had even mowed it. I got a real feeling of ‘hedge rush’ as I blatted flat out with my handlebar almost skimming the crop.
I finished 7 mins late but the organisers wouldn’t credit the control (25 points) I couldn’t find. This is the fundamental problem with OS map based score events, be them adventure races or MBO scores. If the map is not accurate enough at the control you are relying on a written description. If someone else exits the control as you get there you get the control on a plate. If you are on your own well sometimes you just have to hunt and this makes the competition unfair. I know many people are happy with this and I suppose the event was not a national so I shouldn’t moan but it is the reason controllers exist in foot O and the reason many foot orienteers who try ‘trailquests’ or MBO score are put off and don’t return.
I felt that the rolling Yorkshire Wolds made a great location for a fast MBO score and I enjoyed the riding. The distribution of the controls was good and there was lots of route choice.
Stats – 69km 750m climb 3hours 7 mins
Results available here in a couple of days
Driffield MTBO Sprint
As the sprint was an early morning event I travelled up to York the night before and stayed with SPLOT Helen, leaving me with a fairly short drive to the event on Saturday.
Unfortunately, with many of the students either still doing exams or in post exam party mode, plus the Polaris being on the same weekend numbers were fairly low for Andrew Windrum’s Driffield Airfield Sprint race.
I’d had had a look at the map and aerial photography before hand and knew that it was a 4WD/tank training area with lots of holes, and it was a shame the rain of the last few days had filled them with water.
Riding to the start in the sunshine, there was a very stiff head wind, but at least the recent rain was keeping the dust down. I started and immediately struggled to get into the scale of the map – 1:5000 – and overshot the first control losing 30 seconds. I rode well on 2 & 3 but on the way to number 4 I started to get fed up with having to ride around all the huge ‘puddles’ on the tank tracks so decided to ride through one. Not a good plan, it was about 3 feet deep and I exited the bike over the handlebars to a very wet landing as the water stopped me in my tracks.
Out of 4 and disaster: I headed out of the semi butterfly in the wrong direction riding for 15, instead of 5 (as did Andy Conn). It was only when I got there I realised what I had done. Back across the map then to the real number 5 and then the long run on the perimeter road to 5. I then cocked up number 8, going for number 15 again and then heading to 14. I’m not sure what was going on in my head but once I realised what I had done I decided I’d lost so much time I’d turn it into a training race. So, rather than going straight to 8 I headed back towards 7 and started the leg again.
I then rode cleanly to the end catching Andy Conn at 13. We played cat and mouse to the end but my route choice round the quarry area to 16 rather than through it proved about 10 seconds slower and Andy finished just ahead of me.
Cycling back to the car, the bike was in a right state. The combination of muck, sand and water taking its toll, we wondered how on earth we could get them functioning properly again for a 3 hour score that afternoon. I even considered going off to find a jet wash. In the end I went and cleaned both myself and the bike in one of the huge tank holes and finished it off with some deftly squirted water from a bottle.
So not a great day for me, particularly after messing up number 5. It was won by Killian with Ben just behind.
Preview – Driffield Airfield Double
This coming weekend will be a test of stamina for riders, a double header organised by NYMBO.
Saturday morning will be a MTBO long sprint, and from the air it seems to be a cracking area for it.
The afternoon brings a 3 hour MBO score in the rolling wolds countryside.
http://www.bmbo.org.uk/calendar/details.php?event_id=82
http://www.bmbo.org.uk/calendar/details.php?event_id=29
Some riders who think this is still a bit lightweight for a weekend are also competing at the Nutcracker XC race on Sunday up the road at Dalby Forest but I think a day at home with the family is called for for me.
http://www.nutcrackermtb.co.uk/
Head Cam – Relay start
I wore a head cam for the start of the Relay, shame the battery was nearly out.
World Cup MTBO, Long – Gdansk, Poland
I had no idea how to pronounce the venue for the World Cup Long race in Gdansk.
Wzniesienie Marii 2 RjnO !! a huge steep hilly forest just on the outskirts of the city. The finish and spectator control were located in a beautiful meadow nestling in a forested valley in the centre of the map.
After a good warm up avoiding the somewhat stroppy locals trying to get up into the hills to their dachas for the weekend I decided to take it fairly easy for the first half until the spectator control and then open up a bit if my legs could take it.
I had fun on the way to the first control throwing my nice shiny Bow over the top of two huge fallen trees (not on the map) but luckily I got the right track into the flag. I made a little error on the way to 3 but just cut down through the forest to the path below correcting the overshoot. On the way to 4 I had perhaps my worst mistake of an otherwise great ride, choosing to ride around on the road rather than cutting cross country up the steep climb, though until I see the splits I’m not sure how much time I lost.
The decent down from number 4 was bonkers, right on the limit of adhesion feathering the front brake I made it to the bottom with a huge smile on my face bum hanging right over the rear wheel, very pleased I held my nerve. The punishment for fun then came with an equally steep climb backup the other side to number 5. Leg 6-7 was the first of the big route choice legs, right across the map. I decided to head west on what I felt was the best route for me, but again the splits will tell if I made
the right choice. The course carried on towards the spectator control with steep climbs, lots of cutting through and big route choice decisions, but I felt I was riding really well, making no mistakes.
The route into spectator took us teetering over a stream on a fallen tree and then screaming down a steep bank to yet another stream crossing which I chose to run rather than risk riding.
I took a safe route choice to number 16, choosing to refuel and plan the rest of the course on a long vehicle track climb. A couple of tricky controls led us to a horrendously steep carry/push up a ridge to number 18 where I passed Christine Schaffner who had just climbed up the ridge from the opposite direction. She must have been all in after the climb and it sounded like the centre court of Wimbledon as I rode away, but it was good enough for second place on Women’s Elite for her just 20 seconds behind Michaela Gigon.
The tracks surrounding 19-22 were mainly vague forest extraction lanes and I navigated mainly by the contours, it often being quicker to ride cross country.
I took a huge risk to number 22 using a 600m long difficult to ride track
along the ridge rather than descending and climbing back up. I really thought I’d blown it to start with with horrendous, mud and fallen trees but some aggression and running with the bike got me through and soon the track opened up into faster riding.
The sprint for home then started. I carved down a steep decent, weaving my though trees, masters and juniors climbing up right on the edge, before facing a evil climb over to the last control.
As I shouldered my bike I reflected between gasps of breath and screaming calves that no matter my placing I’d had a great ride and really put some demons to bed that have been nagging my confidence over the last month.
I nearly ‘Haselsbergerd’ the finish control, coming in way too fast to notice at the last minute the sandy track. I desperately fought the handlebars and brakes but managed not to do a ‘Kevin’.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1QIuN_vhcw for a great clip of the master at work and his website at http://www.kevin-haselsberger.at/
The commentator grabbed me for an interview (us Brits are always popular because it makes it easy for them) and announced that I was currently in 13th position, only 15 mins down. Although I knew there was still the red group of elites still to finish I was ecstatic. I then had to sit patiently and see how far I slipped down the table.
An eventual 26th (out of 64 starters) though has achieved my first goal of the year (a top 30 at a world event) and although I keep on saying it is my best international performance to date.
Em had a very tough race to take 11=, Heather 21st and Bobby in his first international race 51st.
The masters GB team had its highs and lows. Unfortunately in the Men’s 40+ Bryan joined the many mechanical retrials with a bent frame after ripping off his rear mech (apparently having to visit a building site on the way back to the finish to get them to bend it back a bit so the rear wheel would go round).
Andy Conn started his race with a huge crack in his frame but it survived to take 7th only to be pipped on the line by BMBO chair John Houlihan by 13 secs to go into 6th Place. Dickie Jones was 13th. In men’s 50+ Tony was 7th, and John 24th.
Charlie and Sarah’s form continues with two wins in Women’s 40+ and 50+, Sarah by 12 mins so team GB will be waving the flag at the prize giving tonight.
Full results available at http://www.harpagan.pl/worldcup/?page=results&lang=en