As it was Bike Week from 18th to 24th June WIM was asked to stage a mountain bike orienteering event by Moors Valley as part of their activities for the Week. As the main aim of the event was to attract some newcomers to the sport we deliberately kept it low key and decided to use the MTBO Permanent Course but make it a one hour score event.
This meant that the organisation and planning was minimal and so after a night of heavy rain Madeleine and I along with Roger Moore arrived in the Park at 8.00am on Sunday morning 24th June to a fine dry morning. Whilst Madeleine put up signs Roger and I set off to put the 29 boxes on the posts and by the time we returned our small band of helpers were well under way with the Tilsley’s setting up the start/finish, John Warren ready to park competitors and Dick Keighley and Barbara Warren setting up the Registration. Apart from that John Shucksmith and Sue Spiller arrived a little later to take over on the start/finish from the Tilsley whilst Philip Harvey helped collect the boxes in at the end.
So with a small but dedicated band of helpers we put on the event which saw several new competitors to the sport including a few families. With many others things on we were delighted to see 30 entries which involved 37 competitors. All seemed to have enjoyed the event and we were pleased to see the winner of the score event Daniel Davidson being a M18 from Finland who blasted round the 29 controls in 49 minutes and 52 seconds.
Several well known MTBO competitors were evident with Mel Slade winning the ladies open and Nigel Benham and Di Tilsley taking the veterans sections. In the Junior Family section the son our own David and Bernice Tonge, Jeremy Tonge and his daughter Lucy won the event whilst the 12 and over family section was won by Tim and Joe Mitchell who were newcomers to the sport. No junior ladies took part but another competitor from BOK Joe Hudd won the junior male section.
My thanks as always to the WIM members who helped on the day since without them the event would not have taken place.
Trevor Bridle
