Polaris is a clothing equipment company which sponsors a couple of two-day MTB rogaines each year. The Cyclic Saga is modelled on the Polaris events. Polaris also operates in Australia, and also organises MTB navigation events there. The following is reprinted from "CompassSport", the British orienteering magazine June 2004.
| Spring Polaris - A Real Blast! | |
|
"The wind was pushing us UP steep hills, and then we had to push hard to get down the other
side. I've never had to push my bike down a 1:5 hill before"
|
Stories from the Spring Polaris Challenge, held over the weekend of March 20/21st in the
Yorkshire Dales around Leyburn, will be told and retold for years to come. It was the first
'Polaris' ever to be cut short after the majority of competitors failed to reach the overnight
camp in winds gusting up to 90mph.
The exceptionally windy weather was forecast, but competitors knew that self reliance in all conditions was part of the challenge. They packed warmer clothes, heavier waterproofs and stronger tents for the overnight camp and, given the choice of checkpoints and route, planned to stay at low levels wherever they could. But no one expected the wind to be so severe and sustained and, during the day, riders gradually retired to pubs and cafes in surrounding villages to take shelter and recover. "In a storm you usually expect to get blasted by the wind on exposed tops," said Gary Tompsett, but it was like that all the time. Pairs were returning from trying to reach checkpoints, and they hadn't so much given up as been forced to retreat as it was impossible to go forwards." Riders were blown off their bikes, knocked into walls and down into ditches. Opening or closing gates took Herculean strength and any form of shelter was taken for a rest from the conditions. Herds of sheep and huddles of riders hid behind stone walls, and it was impossible to stay dry in the driving rain, which was blowing so hard it stung any exposed skin. On Saturday afternoon the event centre was described by Event Director Graham Longstaff as "full of dripping, shivering people on the verge of hypothermia." Teams were calling the emergency number to say they were dropping out and he considered cancelling, but after talking to the overnight campp staff decided it should continue. Of the 288 teams that started, 188 reached the overnight campsite. This was at 400m, and old sheep pens were used to get some shelter, in the hope that tents might stay up through a sleepless night. They mostly did, though some competitors who made the camp set off back to HQ or nearby B&B's, deciding either they, or their tents, were not up to surviving the night. Those who stayed even had snowfall as well! Given the conditions, Roger Dillon of Polaris stayed up all night, regularly checking on everyone to make sure they were not hypothermic or in danger of being blown away. A few were warmed up in a nearby bothy during the night. Then on the Sunday morning Longstaff had a difficult decision to make as the wind was still strong. Should they call the race off for the first time in 22 events? Remarkably, the mood of 'the survivors' (as those left were calling themselves) was cheery and positive, but Longstaff felt continuing wasn't a safe option and decided to cut the race short, sending teams back via one low-level checkpoint. 'The survivors' all got together to head back to HQ at Leyburn for another hot breakfast and a chance to warm up before the prizegiving, and the winenrs of the hardest ever Polaris Challenge were Richard Evens and Jonathan Kinder with an amazing 410 points. There was some disappointment about cutting the race short on Sunday, but most competitors recognised it was the right choice in the circumstances, Explaining the decision Longstaff said, "Teams had experienced a hard, wet day and an uncomfortable night, used up most of their spare clothing, and the weather forecast was for more gales and rain. Sod's Law meant that it improved later in the morning, but at 07.30 it was 2.5C with a wind chill factor taking it below freezing, and there was snow lying on the tops." He continued, "I would rather that everyone went home safe and sound to tell the tale and compete again." And that is what happened, as there were no injuries or emergencies, and the tales of the weekend have been told many times since, and will be for years to come. Intalled by on 23 Sep 04 |