Event Details
![](https://www.bmbo.org.uk/images/event/facb828443b1b064be79c3a2479e60f7.jpg)
Club: | Lakes MBO (LMBO) |
Event Name: | Lakes MBO - Gamblesby, Penrith |
Date: | 01/10/23 |
Format: | MBO Score |
Mapping: | Ordnance Survey |
Time Limit: | 4 |
National League: | - |
League: | Lakes MBO League2023 (Round 7 of 7) |
Electronic Punch: | SportIdent |
Event Report
Well after a deluge the day before the tracks were a tiny bit muddy, but better to have fine weather and mucky tracks than the other way round especially as Hartside is nearly 2000 feet. At least people came back with (mud caked) smiles and we lost nobody to exposure. A highlight for me was a few local first timers including 2 young farmer friends/ clients. 9
Apologies for the size of the area. I estimated that 80km would clear it, but that was impossible with the climbs into the Pennines and challenging tracks. 5 hours would have been better. As a first time planner I was desperate to fit all the area's bridleways in!
I'm delighted some discovered the glory of remote Geltsdale even if it meant losing all your points! Most people ticked off the Hartside checkpoints first. The promise of all you can eat for £5 came true, and the Gamblesby WI were invited to come on tour with us to all our events! Perhaps it would help to mark the maps like NYMBO do, with the track quality to help competitors decide on routes? Anyway thanks for coming and taking part in a most enjoyable day. If anyone wants to plan an event it is immensely satisfying but also immensely time consuming but I'll do it again in a flash!
Chris
It does not seem long ago when a group of us got to together and decided to get some events going again in the Lake District. Now three years on and we are celebrating the end of the third series.
It has been really great to see many new faces taking part for the first time as well as many familiar faces. One thing is certain is that everyone will receive a warm welcome and quickly get to know many new friends.
What has also been very pleasing is to see some of those new faces putting themselves forward to have a go at planning events themselves. Many thanks to Lisa Stout, Ed Knight, Martyn Stott for planning events this year. It is not too late to try your hand at planning as Chris Swift discovered. After many years of competing, he decided that it was time to put something back into the sport that has given him so much pleasure over years. Many thanks also to Ray and Steve Morriss who have many years of competing and planning under their belts. I would be lying if I said that planning was easy but all have agreed that it was a rewarding experience and opens up a whole new perspective on our sport.
The final event of 2023 took place from a venue that hasn’t been used for about 15 years or more and was certainly new to many of the riders taking part. The weather from above was kind to us, despite the forecast, but the overnight rain had taken its toll on the condition of the tracks. It made for slow riding, and many who attempted the controls at the furthest reaches of the map found themselves undertaking a 18km sprint to get back to the finish in time! Many didn’t make it as the number of penalty points awarded shows.
As it was the last event the prize giving took place afterwards in the warmth and shelter of Gamblesby village hall accompanied by an excellent spread served up by the local WI ladies. It certainly provided a great end to a tough, tiring but enjoyable day out on the bike.
Tom Gibbs and Angela Brand-Barker retained their overall champions trophies from last year. A close tussle took place for M40 category. Alan Hartley and Rik Thompson were separated by just two points so it was a case of winner takes all. Alan managed to get the better of Rik on the day and took the prize. A similar situation occurred in the EBike category, but this time Martyn Stott and Ray Morriss both scored the same points so it was Ray’s slender advantage at the beginning of the day that tipped the balance. Congratulation also to Ross Ferguson M21, Chris Swift M60, Steve Willis M70, Claire Riley W40, Karen Blackburn W70 and Andy & Rachel Slattery MIXED. Full results on www.bmbo.org.uk and for final league open this link.
https://1drv.ms/x/s!AspM5jEt0EhyhEMsL4nyy6OxLpvC.
Winners received vouchers donated by WHEELBASE Cycles who have kindly supported us once again this year. I am sure that if you pop in, they will help you find the right gear to help you get on the podium next year!
All that remains to be done now is for Angela to do all of the sums and divide up any money left over between the charities nominated by the organisers. Keep an eye on Facebook to see where it goes.
A huge thanks to the organisers who have made the series a success and to anyone else who helped in anyway however small. Your contributions are really appreciated.
Plans for next year are well advanced with 7 planners lined up. We are at the stage of fixing dates and then they will appear on the BMBO calendar in due course. If any one else fancies a go at planning let us know and it may be possible to team you up with someone to gain experience before stepping out alone the following year.
Have a great winter break and hopefully we will see you all in the spring for the start of the 2024 series. Thanks for coming this year
Tony Brand-Barker. LakesMBO Coordinator.