I think I can safely say our Lakes MBO (oh alright, Trailquest for you oldies out there) was a resounding success, despite the fact there were a few schoolboy errors on the map and one control that seemed like ½ a mile off the track! It was one of those days where after so long, simply getting out and in may getting cases getting lost and arriving back late wasn’t an issue- it was so good to be doing it again, and the smiles on everyone’s faces said it all. Old friends were re-united, and the pre and post event banter a joy to behold.
Lakes MBO has a rich heritage, tipping a respectful nod to past incarnations: Cross Cumbria Cyclists, West Coast MTB and Mintcake MTB. Back in “The Day” (only a few years ago in fact), such events could attract upwards of 100 riders. Now, with a whole new generation new to the sport, and MTB ‘ing (and e-MTB’ing hugely popular), it is timely to resurrect the sport in the Lakes. Lakes MBO has a built-in advantage- we ride in a sublime area: and Sunday’s event doesn’t get much better trail wise. The event map covered an area to the West of Coniston- tracks around Walna Scar, an area above the lake side to the south- Nibthwaite and Bandrake, but the main meat was a traverse of the Blawith Fells to the south of the event centre in Torver. This is a quiet backwater of an area, but the riding is superb- just ask anyone who rode it on Sunday.
Course Planner Dave Cowgill spent a considerable amount of time working a route that flowed, and one that would make the best riders think seriously in terms of what they would be able to achieve inside the 3- hour time limit. Ultimate winner Andy Conn quickly decided to drop the steep climbs up to Bandrake to the south and focus on Walna Scar and Blawith. A wise move.
The Wilsons Arms proved to be a superb venue, with a massive food marquee, a big field, and a ton of parking. The one downside was the landlady’s Border Terrier who we Organisers stroked, and it made us smell like something had died for hours afterwards…it was to do with foxes apparently…. sorry about that Zoe!
As a 1st event, we were very happy to have 40 entries, although with most of them coming in the last week prior to the closing date, it was nerve racking at times. In the end we had riders from Scotland, Devon and of course, the Lakes! Some riders were completely new to the discipline, and after a few wobbles, soon found their feet and got stuck into the route.
Whilst it chucked it down for a while in the morning around Coniston, it stayed relatively dry just a few miles south around Blawith- Ray Morriss reporting he never got wet- the sun always shines on the righteous.! Adding to the family effort was son Stephen Morriss, competing in the e- bike class, which as yet is in its infancy, with only 2 entries, the other being veteran Orienteer Tim Goffe.
Thanks must go to Martyn Habgood and Hattie the MBO dog for putting out some controls on the Friday, to Zoe Cowgill and Henry Pemberton for helping with on- the -day organisation, and post event control collection, and to BMBO Chairman Tony Brand Barker for his wealth of knowledge and advice in helping us to plan the event, plus ensuring it all ran smoothly on the day: Angela even found time to do the event!
The Organisers would like to thank everyone who turned out and commented how much they enjoyed the event- there are 6 more to come in the series which culminates in the Series prizegiving at The Stickle Barn, Great Langdale in October- courtesy our sponsors are Wheelbase and Alpha Financial Advice
Event photos can be found on the Lakes MBO Facebook page