Stodge-Blog

The sprint event held in Park Nadmorski RjnO in the centre of Gdansk looking out on to the Baltic Sea was not part of the World Cup formally but competitors rode in their relevant classes as normal. After a fairly low key opening ceremony where we all had to ride to the start from the car park at walking pace behind our country flags we started just off a very busy cycle / pedestrian way which was thronging with people. The park was a mixture of meadow, forest and traditional park with a dense network of paths and tracks. I started really well and ‘razzed’ number 1 but lots a little time on number two getting tuned in to how everything was mapped. I then rode cleanly possibly with a little seat of the pants navigation for the next 20 or so controls, losing very little time. There were people old and young, dogs, push chairs, bikes, scooters everywhere, particularly on the busy paved tracks near the centre of the map, all out enjoying the sunny Polish bank holiday.

I made a hash of number 24 losing about a minute which was frustrating so close to the finish but I kept my nerve on the last two managing standing punches and finished strongly..

Official results are not yet up but I was pleased to be about ½ way down in 27^th.

Em rode strongly in Womens Elite to take 4^th
In the Masters team GB had some great results:
Andy Conn, 4^th Mens 40+
Sarah Bayliss 2^nd Womens 40+
Charlie Somers-Cocks 1^st Womens 50+

Full results now available here:

http://www.harpagan.pl/worldcup/?page=results&lang=en

The flight to Gdansk was fairly eventful to say the least. As we came into land in thick cloud the plane suddenly went to full power and started to climb steeply. For about 5 seconds I sat there waiting for the worst until I surmised we had missed whatever we were about hit, then the pilot came on to say he had had to abort because of the low cloud down to 30m. He then went on to say that he would have another go and that we wouldn’t hear from him until we were either on the ground or on our way to Warsaw to refuel. Fellow Brit Sarah Bayliss was on another pink plane going through the same process. We came in for a second time with a very nervous atmosphere spreading through the plane, I suppose everyone thinking of the terrible crash in which the Polish President died recently. Just as I caught a glimpse of the grass through the window the engines roared again as the pilot aborted again. Everybody started to relax a little and off we went to Warsaw, although there was quite a lot of turbulence on the way.

After about an hour on the ground in Warsaw we refuelled and then returned to Gdansk to applause as we eventually landed 3 hours late.

After a taxi ride to the event centre and a lift to our accommodation by the Hungarians who had driven 18 hours to get to Gdansk!! we headed out onto the model event area to to tune in and make sure our bikes were working after the flight.
The rideability compared to the map was very variable and many huge unmarked fallen trees made route choice a lottery but we learnt enough to make it worthwhile.

Accommodation for us is at the Gdansk Fencing school, a brand new facility which is very plush with food just down the road at the event centre, lots of salads and polish fare including a pudding of a cross between a berry dumpling and ravioli which we saw several teams eating as a main course with the salads!

With the last of the GB team flying in late Wednesday night and the registration process now complete we are all looking forward to the first race a sprint this afternoon in the parks of Gdansk near the sea front.

Results should be available at

http://www.harpagan.pl/worldcup/

At one of the Mountain Bike Orienteering (MTBO) Events I organised earlier this year a Polish competitor approached me with some leaflets and a demo map board. Currenty the sheer cost of ‘proper’ map boards in the UK is becoming a barrier to the sports development. A MIRY board that I currently use is now over £60 in the UK and replacement A4 boards on their own a dizzying £20.00.

I have suggested in the past that newcomers just use a zip tied piece of plastic on the handlebars and elastic bands but riders soon outgrow this method and all sorts of home made ‘rotating lash ups’ can be seen at events, some awful some quite accomplished.

The Novik board has a similar look to others on the market and is designed for those on a budget.

I was asked to try one and give my feedback. I found it very easy to fit and adjust, particularly fore and aft to get its position just right. I tend to have the map board placed so I can still see the trail ahead with my peripheral vision whilst looking at the map.
The thumbscrews also mean that no tools are needed to get it on and off the bars and that it will fit both standard and oversize bars.

Other than the board material being a little flimsy at speed (only likely to bother elite riders) I found it very good. They are now available in the UK via Novik’s website priced at £37.00

Another night in a noisy travel lodge, and another early morning flight in a brightly coloured plane (pink this time not orange) and The World Cup circuit moves to Poland this week for a long weekend of competitions all to be held within 10 km of the city centre. Held alongside the World Cup is the first World Masters MTBO Championships, the European Junior and European Youth Cups.

Whilst the World Cup riders will be enjoying sprint, middle, long distance and mixed relay events, the World Masters have a testing series of long and ultra long races culminating in a chasing start last day on Sunday.
With many of the UK’s more experienced world class riders also being eligible for the masters competition it is hoped that the masters team might bring home a podium or two.

Joining the UK World Cup team of Em Benham and myself for the first time is Bobby Smyth from Northern Ireland and returning to international competition, this time on 2 wheels is Heather Munro, one of the UK’s top foot orienteer’s of the late 90s and early 00s.

After a fantastic 7^th place at the last World Cup long race in Hungary and her studies now out of the way Em is gunning for her first senior elite podium.

Great Britain masters team riders to watch are:

Charlotte Somers Cox, Sarah Bayliss

Andy Conn, Bryan Singleton, Dickie Jones, John Rawden, John Houlihan,Tony Brand Barker, Keith Dawson, Ian Roachford

Hopefully live results and info will be available all weekend on the event website but I’ll do my best to blog daily to.