The 90 plus riders, who made the long trip to the 4th Lakeland Lanequest event, from the Plough at Eaves, found that it proved to be a very different test from the first three events.

The flat event area south of Garstang, and to the west of the A6, included some very picturesque quiet roads and villages, around St Michael’s on Wyre, Woodplumpton, Great Eccleson and Catforth. On the lovely sunny evening the riders may not have had chance to notice, as Rod Carter has mentioned, “the lanes of the Fylde were resplendent with Elder blossom and the heady scents of Honeysuckle”.

An efficient route choice presented quite a challenge, as the joint organisers Graham Almonde and Peter Knott had placed the controls around the area so that some very careful thought was needed to find a way, to link them in an effective way, within their capabilities. Despite the flat roads many riders found they had to rethink and revise their planned route during the second hour of the competition.

David Heffernan of Ulverston triumphed in the Solo Men with an impressive 290 points, from Mike Toyn (Staveley) 280 points, and in third David Hollingham (Endmoor) who visited 29 controls but incurred time penalties for a score of 275 points.

The Solo Women saw Lorna Hewitt (Morecambe) score 220 points to win from second placed Rachel Toyn (Staveley) who visited 23 controls but gained time penalties for a final score of 215, and an unusual equal third place for Anne Plant from Pennington near Ulverston and Mary Ockenden (Lancaster) both with 212 points after time penalties.

The Juniors saw Bryony Halcrow from Kendal, win with a very impressive 232, a score that would have been good enough to gain her 1st in the Solo Womens class!

Matt & Katie Woods - Kendal, in the Generation pairs, won again with an outstanding 240 points from second placed Tom & Matthew Phillips (Lancaster) 210 points. The Adult pairs/ 3’s, saw a win for Andy and Sarah Crozier (Lytham) with 260 points, from close second Mike Brooks and Andy Beck (Kirkby Lonsdale) 254 points, and third placed Tony and Pauline Richardson (Kendal).

The general conclusion from competitors was that it was challenging to plan a route with loops that worked well, and although it was a bit of a distance to travel, had been very worthwhile. The inclusion of a toll bridge, was surely a Lanequest first, which could have presented a new test for riders, had not the organisers arranged an exemption for them.

Here is what David Heffernan said about his choice of route and the event -I thought it was an excellent event. It was really tricky to join up the controls to the south of the map. I ended up missing control 13. I believe I couldn’t have got a better route for 29 controls. I did 3 4 20 23 24 25 27 30 29 28 26 22 21 18 19 17 16 15 14 12 8 7 11 10 2 1 6 5 9. Mike Toyn dropped 15 and 14. He planned to do so and the route marked on his map did not visit them. I planned a route for all 30 that went 3 4 … (same as above) …. 14 12 13 5 6 7 8 11 10 2 1 9 and then improvised en route when I decided that I needed to drop a control. I think that getting 30 was quite a bit longer than getting 29, possibly 7-8 minutes because the loops didn’t work as well.
The overall league positions are starting to become clearer after four events; in the Solo Men Mike Toyn has now edged ahead of David Heffernan, and they are closely followed by Henry Syska. In the Solo Women, the positions are unchanged with Anne Plant is still comfortably leading, from Rachel Toyn, and Lisa Whetter (Levens). In the Juniors Bryony Halcrow, leads from Joseph Oglesby, impressively Bryony’s score in the league would also place her second in the Solo Women. Matt and Katie Woods continue to maintain their lead in the Generation pairs from Steve and Jake Mason.

The Adults pairs/3’s sees a change with Tony & Pauline Richardson taking the lead with four events, from Andy /Sarah Crozier, and Mike Brooks / Andy Beck / Andy Douglas, but these teams have both only competed in three events up to now. With two events to go the league positions could well see some more changes before the final at Staveley.

The next event of the series of six 2010 Lakeland Lanequests, is on Tuesday 29th June from The Derby Arms, Witherslack. By the A590. SD 442 829
Lanequests are 2 hour bike orienteering events on country roads, suitable for all bikes, and with a choice of classes to enter; they are ideal for leisure and also more competitive cyclists alike. Starts are from 5.30 - 7pm, a pre-marked, A4 colour OS map around 1:50,000 is provided, but don’t forget your helmet, food is also available after all events. More details and entry form, visit: www.wheelbase.co.uk or email: carolmcneill@tiscali.co.uk Tel: 01229 861507

LAKELAND LANEQUESTS
Round 3: The Old Mill, Bardsea, south of Ulverston

Looking out across Morecambe, the Old Mill at Bardsea, south of Ulverston, was the starting point for the third Lakeland Lanequest. Tony Smith, the organiser had placed the controls west across Birkrigg Common, and beyond Lindal in Furness and then continued north going above Ulverston, to include Broughton Beck and Newland Bottom. The riders would have had some idea of the challenging terrain awaiting them with a close inspection of the event map, especially near control 6, and the area called “The Alps”. Many competitors were caught out, and miss-judged the very hilly roads to the north of Ulverston, and as a result incurred time penalties, due to exceeding the 2 hours time limit.

Star performance of the evening was 16 year old Bryony Halcrow, from Kendal, who scored 226 to decisively win the Juniors class, and a score that would have been good enough to gain her 2nd in the Solo Womens class. That would have been behind first placed local Anne Plant from Pennington near Ulverston with 250 points. Jo Cleary (Haverthwaite) came 2nd in the Solo Women with 216 points, closely followed by Rachel Toyn (Staveley) with 210. Penalties proved decisive in the Solo Men class with a local win for Ulverston’s David Heffernan 280 points incurring only 2 penalties to gain 278 points, from equal second placed David Hollingham who also managed 280 points, but after 15 penalties, had a score of 265. Mike Toyn (Staveley) was in the unusual position for him, of not gaining maximum points and also being pushed down into equal 2nd position, he visited 29 controls to get 290 points, but had 25 penalties to also score 265 to tie for second.
The Generation pairs saw Matt & Katie Woods - Kendal win with an impressive 250 points from second placed Tom & Matthew Phillips 240 points and Steve & Jake Mason in third with 222 points. Time penalties also proved decisive in the Adult pairs/ 3’s, with a win for Andy and Sarah Crozier with 224 points after 6 penalties, from in second Mike Brooks & Andy Beck & Andy Douglas, scoring 212 points after 8 penalties, from Tony & Pauline Richardson who gained 230 points but incurred 20 penalties, to give a score of 210 and third place.

After three events the overall league positions are starting to show, with David Heffernan just ahead of Mike Toyn by 7 points, and Henry Syska third in the Solo Mens, Anne Plant is comfortably leading in the Solo Women, from Rachel Toyn, and Lisa Whetter. In the Juniors Bryony Halcrow, leads from Joseph Oglesby, impressively Bryony’s score in the league would also place her second in the Solo Women. Matt and Katie Woods lead in the Generation pairs from Steve and Jake Mason. The Adults pairs/3’s sees Mike Brooks & Andy Beck & Andy Douglas leading from Tony & Pauline Richardson and Pete Tyson & Dave Thrower. With the best four scores from the six events counting for the league, there is still time for the positions to change.

The next event of the series of six 2010 Lakeland Lanequests, is on Tuesday 22nd June from The Plough, Eaves. SD 495 374 1.5m from Barton (signed) on A6, 11m S M6 J33.

Lanequests are 2 hour bike orienteering events on country roads, suitable for all bikes, and with a choice of classes to enter; they are ideal for leisure and also more competitive cyclists alike. Photo: Dave Powell

Starts are from 5.30 - 7pm, a pre-marked, A4 colour OS map around 1:50,000 is provided, but don’t forget your helmet, food is also available after all events. More details and entry form, visit: www.wheelbase.co.uk

Lakeland Lanequest
Event 2: Tewitfield
Tuesday evening 08 June 2010

Despite some very heavy showers during the day, entrants to the second Lakeland Lanequest, from The Longlands Inn at Tewitfield were not deterred and were rewarded to find the roads dry and a rain free evening, with a slight breeze. Dave & Lorna Hewitt, the organisers, had scattered the 30 controls points to the east and south, extending down to Nether Kellet and along the Lune up to Arkholme, and included some challenging climbs. With no obvious route to easily link controls, some careful thought was needed to decide on the optimum route choice, to enable a return within the 2 two hour time limit and so avoid time penalties. This all made for a good challenging event.
Four riders, in the Men’s Solo class, managed to visit all 30 controls, but only Dave Heffernan Lune RCC rider from Lancaster and Mike Toyn Wheelbase.co.uk/Cannondale rider from Staveley did so without penalty points, visiting 30 controls, but after penalties Alan Hartley scored 296, and David Hollingham 292.
Anne Plant, from Pennington near Ulverston, continued to dominate in the Women’s Solo scoring 274 points, followed by Lisa Whetter 226, and Mary Ockenden 216. The Juniors class saw Bryony Halcrow score 230 to narrowly beat Joseph Oglesby into second place with 220 points. Matt and Katie Woods scored 250 points, in the Generation Pairs, to just pip Steve and Jake Mason who scored 246, into second place. The Adults pairs /3’s saw a very close contest with both the pairs - Helen & Ben Dowman , and also Andy & Sarah Crozier score 260 to tie for first place from two teams tying for second place, Helen Jackson & Anthony Windle and also Mike Brooks / Andy Beck and Andy Douglas with 250 points.

Click Here for full results
Click here for overall league

The next event of the series of six 2010 Lakeland Lanequests, is on Tuesday 15th June fromThe Old Mill, Bardsea. SD 330 740 south of Ulverston
Lanequests are 2 hour bike orienteering events on country roads, suitable for all bikes, and with a choice of classes to enter; they are ideal for leisure and also more competitive cyclists alike. Starts are from 5.30 - 7pm, a pre-marked, A4 colour OS map around 1:50,000 is provided, but don’t forget your helmet, food is also available after all events.

For more details and entry form, visit: www.wheelbase.co.uk or email: carolmcneill@tiscali.co.uk

Lanequests 2010 Series kicks off : Event 1, Sizergh 1st June

Little did Oxen Park resident and International Orienteer Carol McNeil realise that way back in 1995 when she devised a series of six 2 hour road bike orienteering events, they would still be flourishing and even growing in popularity some 15 years later.
So it was that 108 entrants a mix of solo, teams and generation pairs, with a wide mix of abilities, set off from well known local gastro pub The Strickland Arms at Sizergh on Event 1 of the 2010 series, sponsored yet again by Wheelbase of Staveley, and this year more hotly contested than ever.

Organiser Phil Morgan was faced with the growing quandary of ever increasing competition for the series trophy demanding ever more challenging routes. 2009 series winner Mike Toyn, a Wheelbase/Cannondale Team rider was in superb form, having recorded a 6 hour 36 minute time on the Fred Whitton Challenge, and achieving the highest score on the previous weekend’s Selside Trailquest event.

Last years route encompassed lanes in and around the Levens valley area. This year the route was extended east to include the climb over The Helm, the aim being to visit as many of the 30 controls (all sited on wooden fingerposts). Depending on map reading skill, the optimum route was about 32 miles, climbing 380 metres: a challenge for any rider.

Top honours for covering all 30 controls and hence gaining 300 points within the allotted 2 hour time limit went to Mike Toyn, who had 4 mins 28 seconds to spare, Alan Hartley, with 4 mins 15 seconds and Dave Hefffernan, still recovering from a nasty cycling accident, with 30 seconds to spare.
Last years’ womens solo champion Anne Plant carried on where she left off with another class win and 280 points, closely followed by Jo Cleary.
Bryony Halcrow topped the Juniors Class on 206 points and Steve and Jake and Mason won the Generation Pairs class…all 3 of them, as did Mike Brooks, Andy Beck and Andy Douglas in the Adult Pairs / 3s Class.
Lanequests attract riders of all ages and abilities, and this event was no exception. Whilst the competition to “Cut The Cake “in July at Wilfs Staveley is as keen as ever, Tuesday’s finish saw many smiling faces after a thankfully rain free tootle around the leafy lanes.

Mike Toyn Wheelbase/Cannondale Team rider and 2009 series winner at the start, he scored a maximum 300 points as well as Alan Hartley and Dave Hefffernan

Click Here for full results
Click here for overall league

The next Lakeland Lanequest of the 2010 series of six, is on Tuesday 8th June starting from The Longlands Inn, Tewittfield, SD 520 737. 2miles North of Carnforth

Lanequests are 2 hour bike orienteering events on country roads, suitable for all bikes, and with a choice of classes to enter; they are ideal for leisure and also more competitive cyclists alike. Starts are from 5.30 - 7pm, a pre-marked, A4 colour OS map around 1:50,000 is provided, but don’t forget your helmet, food is also available after all events.

More details and entry form, visit: WHEELBASE.co.uk or email: carolmcneill@tiscali.co.uk Tel: 01229 861507