Update from last weekends event. Results are all here

Planner’s comments from Conrad & Jill:

As ever, Jill and I enjoyed planning an event in the north of the NYMBO region.  The last time we ran an event in the area we also used the moor to the east of Lordstones (Barker’s Cragg) but that event  was clearly a 4 hour course given the scores.  This time we reduced the area to make sure that a clear-up was potentially on the cards.

Congratulations to Graham for a fantastic score of 508, only missing 2 controls and getting up to 48 on Cold Moor too. Congratulations to all category winners.  Thank you to Steve and Jens who provided fantastic support as they always do.  Also a big thanks to the control collectors who helped.

Organiser’s comments from Steve:

Thanks to Conrad & Jill for another excellent course on the northern edge of the North York Moors. The weather didn’t look promising as we arrived but none of us got too wet, it was mild and fairly calm so everyone seemed to enjoy their ride. Unfortunately, one control went missing so that will cost us £96 and make you wonder what use it is to anyone. Also, #35 was on the wrong fence junction so please let me know if you need the points for either of these controls. We also had a problem with FC when, out of courtesy, Conrad sent the draft course as they wanted to charge the full permit fee for using the public bridleways through their forests. I refused to pay and asked Conrad to move the controls off their land but leave the public bridleways as legal corridors through the forests. I have no problem paying to use private tracks as we will be next month.

Despite these problems, I thoroughly enjoyed the event and thanks as ever to Jens for another excellent map; Conrad & Jill for putting out all of the controls; Geoff Moorhouse, Sheila Pearce & John Dixon for their help on the day as well as the control collectors.
Congratulations to Graham Tibbott for only missing out 2 controls for an excellent score of 508; Karen Clark riding again and outscoring the other ladies with 324 points and the Brand-Barkers winning the mixed with 370 points.

You can follow all of their routes using the splits file and course map on the NYMBO site.
I thoroughly enjoyed my ride and having already seen the map, I decided to avoid the tough bridleway over Cold Moor and use the road to get to the edge of the hills so that I could ride the fantastic singletrack across the front of Cringle Moor. I then got a bit lost in the woods near Lordstones as usual before nearly not making it round the bend on the road below Carlton Bank. Quicker riding (despite my cleat and shoe separating) on the quiet lanes and good bridleways below the scarp slope before the big decision at Bank Foot and went for the moorland option. Great riding once I got up there but the views have been better before descending through the muddy woods to Seave Green and back to the hall.

The next event will be the 4 hour event at Malham on Saturday, 26th August which is being planned by Tim Evans & Simon Coiley this year. It’s an early start as usual and slightly more expensive but you get free entry into Malham Show.

Two days later it’s the White Rose MBO event at Helmsley on Bank Holiday Monday where Michael Brough has already planned an excellent course. The entry fee is £2 more than usual as we have to pay both Duncombe Estate and FC for access to their private woods. But you have free camping, portaloos (!!), burger van and you can orienteer on Sunday.

Don’t forget that this is my 5th last event and I will still be retiring as an organiser at the end of the season so the Nidderdale event will be my last. I would still like to hear from someone who is interested in taking on the coordinators’s role or a few people who would like to manage the events between them. I will still plan an event every year and ride whenever we’re not on holiday, seeing the family or playing golf!!2 riders have already offered to organise events this winter but we need someone to take over ……please!!

Hope to see you next month.
Steve