Questars Winter Adventure Race Series - Race 3

Questars Winter Adventure Races involve trail running and mountain biking. These events bring you the very best adventure racing, in some of the most spectacular locations in the country.

Questars Adventure Races appeal to everyone from complete beginners to experienced adventure racers alike.

Bike hire is available so all you need to take part is a pair of running shoes and a sense of adventure!

Our events are all about having a go and taking part. The race format has been carefully designed to be as flexible and inclusive as possible, to enable people to participate irrespective of ability or experience.

WATERPROOF MAP
Course map printed on waterproof paper with all the checkpoints marked. Each team receives one copy. Extra copies can be pre-ordered when you enter online if desired.

CHECKPOINT DESCRIPTIONS
A copy of checkpoint descriptions and values printed on waterproof paper, together with a summary of key points.

ELECTRONIC SCORE CARD
Hire of an electronic score card that you use to record your visit at each checkpoint. You don't have to bring / buy / separately hire your own electronic scoring device.

EVENT BASE FACILITIES
Facilities at the event base typically include parking, toilets and indoor space / shelter as standard. Changing rooms and showers are also included if available.

WATER STATIONS
Drinking water is provided at all transition points so you can top-up your water bottle during the race. Just add your own energy powder / electrolyte tablet to flavour to your taste.

KAYAK EQUIPMENT
Hire and transportation of sit-on-top kayaks, paddles and buoyancy aids. Solos and pairs get one kayak whilst teams of 3/4 people get two kayaks. Each kayak can easily be paddled by one person on their own or 2 people together.

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
A professional medic (e.g. EMT or paramedic) will be on standby at the event to solely provide medical advice and assistance. In addition, Quest staff are first aid trained, qualified and equipped.

SAFETY COVER
Appropriate safety cover both on and off the water. This includes a safety boat on the water where possible, and safety kayakers and/or a land based safety team where not. Your safety is our number one priority.

PERMISSIONS & LICENSES
Licenses are needed for kayaking on most bodies of water in the UK, as are permissions for gaining access to the water and holding an event on it. In addition, permissions are also required for events involving running/cycling in many areas, and landowners charge fees for this.

COURSE PLANNING
Our professional course planner has over a decades worth of experience behind him. A great deal of time and effort is put into course planning and recce's, to ensure routes are passable and courses are designed for everyone (and not just the top few).

RISK ASSESSMENTS
Each event is comprehensively risk assessed as part of the planning process. These risks are reviewed both before and during the event, and steps are taken to avoid or reduce risks where necessary.

TIMING, SCORING & RESULTS
Hire and placement of an electronic control at each checkpoint which records your visit there. This time data is used to calculate your score and produce the results.

PRIZES & TROPHIES
Prizes/trophies are awarded to the winning person in each class at every event. In addition, series prizes/trophies are awarded to the top individuals at the final event of the year.

ENTRY ADMENDMENTS
The leader (as designated on your entry) can amend your entry for free up until one week before the event. See your entry confirmation email for details on how to do this.

UNRIVALED EXPERIENCE
With over 20 years of Questars adventure races behind us, you will benefit from the unrivaled experience we've built up over the past two decades to bring you some of the best events in the business.

Great Kingshill, Chilterns

CAR PARKING
Onsite parking at the venue for participants

INDOOR SHELTER
Hall providing large indoor space and shelter

EVENT CATERING
Hot and cold food and drinks available onsite

CHANGING ROOMS
Ladies and gents changing rooms and showers

TOILETS
Permanent facilities with flushable toilets and running water

DUO FULL / DUO TASTER
(5 HOURS / 3 HOURS)
08:00 Map collection opens
09:00 Earliest start time
12:30 Latest finish (Taster)
13:00 Prize giving (Taster)
14:30 Latest finish (Full)
15:00 Prize Giving (Full)

RUN ONLY / BIKE ONLY
(2 HOURS)
09:00 Map collection opens
10:00 Earliest start time
12:30 Latest finish time
13:00 Prize giving

The times given above are provisional

The times above are given as an indication only and may alter slightly (by 10-15 mins) depending on participant numbers. Final timings will be confirmed in the week before the event when the start list is published.

If you would like to start later (run/bike/taster only) or earlier this is possible, it just means you will not be included in the prize giving. This is to allow families to all take part. Please email [email protected] in advance to arrange.

Bikes can be hired from Cyclexperience and collected from the event base on the day.

Cyclexperience have been providing a bike hire service at Questars adventure races for over 15 years now. They are offering the usual package for Questars participants which includes delivery, onsite support, post-ride maintenance and cleaning.

Hire bikes must be booked in advance. Booking at least a month in advance is strongly recommended to ensure availability.

- High spec Mt bike
- Cycle helmet
- Bike pump
- Puncture protection
- Collect at the event
- Return at the finish
- On-site support
- Damage waiver

Each team will receive one copy of the course map on waterproof paper, with all the run and bike checkpoints marked on. Extra copies of the course map can be provided for each team member, at no extra cost.

The course map uses Ordnance Survey (OS) 1:25000 Explorer map data.

There are separate checkpoints for each of the three disciplines. Within each discipline, you can visit as many checkpoints as you wish, and in any order (unless specified otherwise). It’s a good idea (but not mandatory) to visit at least one checkpoint in each discipline, after all it is an adventure race!

Different colours and labels are used to identify the run, bike and kayak checkpoints from each other. These are normally marked on the course map as follows…

TRAIL RUN CHECKPOINTS
Red circles on the course map display the location of the trail run checkpoints. The number of each trail run checkpoint is prefixed with the letter R on the map.

MOUNTAIN BIKE CHECKPOINTS
Blue circles on the course map display the location of the mountain bike checkpoints. The number of each bike checkpoint is prefixed with the letter B on the map.

KAYAK CHECKPOINTS
Black circles on the course map display the location of the kayak checkpoints. The number of each kayak checkpoint is prefixed with the letter K on the map.

THE CHALLENGE
To collect as many points as possible in the quickest time

Checkpoint Values
Each checkpoint (CP) has a points value. These are given to you on the checkpoint descriptions and values sheet that you collect as you cross the start line (i.e. when your race time begins).

The checkpoints are unmanned so you will need to use the descriptions to locate the electronic control at each checkpoint. This control is what records your visit at each checkpoint and what earns you the points for each checkpoint that you visit.

DUMMY CHECKPOINTS
Just to keep you guessing a little before you actually start, a few of the checkpoints marked on the course map do not exist! These dummy checkpoints have no description or points value.

Which checkpoints are dummy checkpoints will be revealed to you on the checkpoint descriptions and values sheet. So the first thing you’ll want to do when you start is to cross the dummy checkpoints off your map. You don’t want to waste your time by visiting a checkpoint that’s not there!

FROM ONE DISCIPLINE TO ANOTHER
Ignoring the kayaking for the moment which is covered in the next section below (i.e. taking the kayaking out of the equation) then...

If the transition point (TP) is located at the event base…
You should aim to transition only once between the trail running and the mountain biking. For example, if you choose to run first, it’s best to visit all the trail run checkpoints that you wish to visit before transitioning over to the mountain biking. In this instance your race would look something like this…

START - RUN - TP - BIKE - FINISH

Or if you were to bike first, then it’s best to visit all the mountain bike checkpoints that you wish to visit before switching over to the trail running. In this case your race would look like this…

START - BIKE - TP - RUN - FINISH

If the transition point (TP) is remote…
You will need to cycle to and from the transition point if it’s remote (i.e. not located at the event base). In this instance you can visit mountain bike checkpoints both before and after you do your trail running, so your race would look something like this…

START - BIKE - TP - RUN - TP - BIKE - FINISH

Why can't I run to and from a remote transition point?
If you ran from the start to a remote transition point to do your mountain biking then how would your bike get to the transition point? You would have to either carry your bike with you on the run or drop your bike off at the remote transition point before you start (and pick it up again after you finish), neither of which are practical.

But I want to run first (or last), how can I still do this?
If you want to run first you can still do so by cycling direct from the start to the remote transition point to do your trail run, leaving the vast majority of your mountain biking until after your trail run. Likewise, if you prefer to run last you can still do this by doing the bulk of your mountain biking before your trail run, leaving just enough time to cycle from the transition point back to the finish after your trail run.

Designated transitions are marked on the course map. These are the only places where you can change discipline and are marshalled throughout the race.

Usually there are two transitions. A kayak transition (KT) where you get on and off the water to kayak. And a separate transition point (TP) where you switch from run to bike and vice versa.

The kayak transition (KT) is often located remotely out on the course somewhere so you will need to run or cycle to and from it. The transition point (TP) is sometimes located at the event base and other times it’s at a remote location.

You will be allocated a kayak time slot if you select the option to kayak when you enter.

Your kayak time slot will be published on the start list in the week leading up to the event. This time slot is the only time during which you may visit the kayak checkpoints. You do not have to use all this time. You can start kayaking any time within your allocated time slot, but you must be off the water BEFORE the end of your time slot.

Failure to do so has a knock on effect in terms of the smooth running of the event for everyone else and therefore incurs a hefty penalty (even if you go over by one second – it’s electronic).

If you opt to kayak, you will need to fit your running and biking in around your kayak time slot. You can do this by breaking either your trail run or mountain biking to do the kayaking, or in any other way you like as shown below…

YOU CAN ONLY KAYAK WITHIN YOUR TIME SLOT

THIS CAN BE EITHER BEFORE, AFTER OR IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR TRAIL RUN OR MOUNTAIN BIKING

• BEFORE RUN: KAYAK - RUN
• IN THE MIDDLE: RUN - KAYAK - RUN
• AFTER RUN: RUN - KAYAK
• BEFORE BIKE: KAYAK - BIKE
• IN THE MIDDLE: BIKE - KAYAK - BIKE
• AFTER BIKE: BIKE - KAYAK
• If you do your kayaking in the middle of your mountain biking then you can visit mountain bike checkpoints both before and after you kayak. Similarly, if you do your kayaking in the middle of your trail run then you can visit trail run checkpoints both before and after you kayak.

The time limit is typically five or six hours depending on which race you enter. You do not need to use all this time; you can finish whenever you want before you reach the time limit.

If you go over the time limit then you will start to lose points. Up to 5 points will be deducted for each minute (whole or part) that you exceed the time limit. These penalty points accumulate very rapidly so it’s best to err on the side of caution and allow sufficient time to get back to the finish before you reach the time limit.

KIT LIST
Wondering what kit to bring for your next Adventure Race? This page lists what you need together with other items that you may find useful to bring if you have them.

WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING (PER PERSON)
Cycle Helmet
Mountain Bike (or similar)
Running Backpack
Water Bottles / Hydration System
Race Food
Windproof Top

WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING (PER TEAM/SOLO PARTICIPANT)
Bike Tools
First Aid Kits
Emergency Foil Blanket
Whistle
Mobile Phone
Map Pen
Watch

WHAT WE ADVISE YOU TO BRING
Drinking Water
Trail Running Shoes
Wristband / Buff
Gloves
Long sleeve top
Leg Cover
Sun Cream / Sunblock
Sun Hat / Cap
Anti Bacterial Hand Gel
Compass
Map Case
Bike Bell
Bike Lock
Waterproof / Dry Bag