The third 05:30 alarm in a row meant it was time to get up and tackle Day 2 of the Somerset Sleepover & National Champs 2016. Opening the curtains with bleary eyes I was greeted with the sight of big grey rain clouds. Day 2 was going to be a contrast to the hot sunny weather we had had on Day 1.
A quick cup of coffee, and we were off to pick Rich up. On arriving at his house, he was awaiting us with his arm in a sling. Obviously the fall he had taken on Dicky's Path while collecting in CP's the day before had caused more damage than first suspected, and it was evident that he would be participating in no more two-wheeled action this weekend.
The drive up to the event centre was uneventful, and with a quick stop to put out the water station (Twenty litres of water seems to get heavier and heavier the further you have to carry it!!!) we soon pulled up in the hall car park.
As we were finishing putting up the signs, Ifor pulls into the car park, distraught, telling us how his baby had been cruelly taken from him while he slept, and that he would no longer be contesting the Championship leaving the path clear for Gary and Graham to battle it out for the Championships.
With the rain clouds brewing and the first of the riders arriving, it was time for me to drop Rich the 800metres to the remote Start/Finish, where he would remain for most of the day.
The Quantock Hills, although small in size (aprox 10km x 4km) can certainly pack a punch!!!
The rugged moorland ridge running SE-NW with its numerous combes running off either would test both the riders stamina and his navigational skills, where careful route planning counts for much, and the slightest errors could cost you hundreds of metres of climbing!!!
Perched on the SSE slopes of the hill is Great Wood, a Forestry Commission woods, offering riders a rest bite from the moorland trails and giving riders the chance to clock up some miles on the fast fire tracks around the forest.
It was in the Southern section of this wood where the only complication of the day was. For once the FC were ahead of schedule with there felling operations, and a section of fire track that had been planned as the optimum route between CP12 & CP17 was now Out-of-bounds, so CP17 had to be repositioned 100m South onto the Bridleway, and to help encourage riders to travel between these two CPs on legal Bridleways, we introduced an additional CP 27. Looking at the results later it seems this served its purpose. The map alterations certainly helped pass the 5 hours of Day 1 while all the riders were out on the course!!
As the clouds opened, the first of the riders set off up their selected first combe. I bet it wasn’t long before the moans about the rain were replaced by wishes for more!!!
This event was the first time I have used SI to compute the multi-day results, and was apprehensive to find out if it would work. It had worked in my limited practice, but going live usually returns a different kettle of fish!!!
By the time the tables and refreshments were set up, the first of the riders returned and the system was put to the test, and............. success!!!! Phew!!!!
With more riders returning, the chit chat levels rose, with stories of adventure and misfortune being shared.
With Ifor not riding because of the theft of his bike, and Ian Cartwright not riding because of a recurring injury he tweaked on Day 1, it was down to Sion James to take an early lead. He was soon replaced by Gary Davies who decided to miss a 10 pointer on his way back to the finish (a decision he will live to regret for a long time) before taking a tumble on the sharp tarmac corner on the way into the finish. With Graham Tibbott starting late there was an anxious wait before he finally dibbed the download. With Gary Davies scoring 907 pts from the overall possible 1220 pts, Graham needed a score of more than 367 on the day to take the National Championship Title.....buzzz buzzz....print..print.... 370pts!!!! Graham became the 2016 Champion by 3pts!!!
In the Overall Ladies it was a little more straightforward, With Izzy Boyd extending her 60pt overnight lead over 2nd placed Erica Moks by a further 55 pts to take the Championship.
National Class Championships went to: M21 – Graham Tibbott, M40 – Sion James, M50 – John Morgan, M60 – Mark Pollard & Martin Walbank, W21 – Isabell Boyd, and W40 – Maggie Mcphillips.
With all the trophies presented, cakes eaten and drinks drunk, it was time for the riders to depart, and our band of volunteers to venture out yet again to collect in CP's ( Thanks Chris Porter, Matthew Cant, Angela & Tony Brand-Barker, Graham Tibbott and Erica Moks) This left us a handful to collect, (two of which Faye was chuffed to find on her own!!!) before driving home to arrive back at a very reasonable 1930. A quick shower, and a trip to the wine shop before eventually settling down on the sofa with very satisfied smiles on our faces......
I hope you all enjoyed the event as much as we enjoyed putting it on, and hope that you will return both to the area, and again to the Somerset Sleepover 2017 (Dartmoor???)
Thanks to you all for making the event such a success, and to Faye & Rich for tirelessly working in the background (even if Rich was a little grumpy at times ;) )
We look forward to see you all again...
Will, Faye & Rich.