Best event of the year

[EddieH]

I know there are still some events to go, but I thought I'd introduce this thread now.

My favourite event for a few years was one that Steve Wilson denigrated in Score magazine - WMOC 1st long qualifier in Germany - dense forest with great rock features in abundance - brilliant fun picking out the main rocks. Looking at the map this was only a small fraction of the course but it was 95% of what I remembered at the finish.

My second favourite event, and top in UK, was one of only 3 events this year held in wet weather - the Southern Chams at Epping. A delightful runnable forest but it also had quite a bit of low visbility navigation. Brilliant area and fabulous planning.

In fact the 3 wet events have been 3 of the best - Southern Champs, INVOC SOL at Battan and yesterdays MOR event at Aldroughty.

[EddieH]

Somehow I missed Craig a' Barns out (JK day 3) That ran Epping very close.

[mikey]

Best UK forest - Craig a' Barns (Hindhead would also be right up there)

Best UK urban - Settle (great mix of terrain)

Best novelty event - Brio-Tour sprint around Paris Disneyland - even though my headlamp died and I had to retire in the Pirates of the Caribbean secret (and very dark) caves.

[Spookster]

Best forest - Inchmarnock Scottish Champs Middle Race

Best urban - Holt Park, or London (Barbican), or Sheffield sprint prologue

Best novelty - Venice Splash-O

[mike g]

Best forest - Hindhead
Best urban - Bruges

[ianandmonika]

Ignoring Swedish events, Epping S Champs was excellent area (even if retired injured) as was High Dam, but most memorable was CSC Final at Teviothead. For UK urban, Kendal wasn't bad.

[Homer]

For me the best forest event was either High Dam (can't decide between Northern Champs or the Middle Distance the next day) or the Kincraig end of tour race on Loch Vaa which we gatecrashed.
Hoping it could be beaten by Bethecar Moor next weekend though...

Urban definitely Aberystwyth. More of a long sprint than a normal urban race.

[ianandmonika]

Bethecar could be interesting after all the rain - the first sloping lake?

[The Loofa]

a chance to go water-skiing then!

[Big Jon]

Best forest - Inchmarnock Scottish Champs Middle Race

Best urban - Holt Park, or London (Barbican), or Sheffield sprint prologue

Best novelty - Venice Splash-O

Glad you liked the Middle at Jubilee5 - spelling is actually "Inchmarnoch" - though the estate and OS map both refer to the woodland area as "Torphantrick Wood" - maybe we'll rename it that in future and claim a new area for some race

[graeme]

Battan SOL was magnificent, and I enjoyed a wee bit of raging against the dying of the light at the euromeeting M21E and JK relay.

Some close racing street fun in Scottish Sprints and London.

All four of the Jubilee5

[Sunlit Forres]

You just couldn't beat the Jubilee 5. Right from the moment it was first publicised ages in advance it was quality from start to finish. Attention to detail was spot on, and even the minor blip with permissions didn't detract (was it the MTBO that wasn't allowed to be "competitive" due to some FCS paperwork faff?).

Can I also mention the Moravian 'Saturday League' charity event at Darnaway Castle in August. It won't have been attended by the majority of Nopers but there were not far short of 200 for a Level D event. Watching a bunch of teenagers run it all themselves was inspirational.

[EddieH]

Inchmarnoch was very high up on my list, as was High Dam, but the 2 I nominated just gave me that extra thrill. I was buzzing for hours afterwards.

[Scott]

Best Forest - Crag a Barns - felt like going on a proper adventure
Best Moorland - UK Cup Final, Hameldon - absolutely fantastic
Best Sprint - University of Kent Canterbury - with very fun Spanish Score section
Best Views - Tennyson Down, Isle of Wight
Best Novelty - Farewell to Wheal Florence

[Ali Wood]

Best Forest - (1) Craig a Bharns JK (2) High Dam Northern Champs
Best Moorland - (1) Croeso Days 4 and 5 - Llynnoedd Teifi
Best Views - (1) Croeso Day 1 - views over to Cader Idris
Best Sprint - Catching train at Menston station