SI Volunteer Wanted for Dragon’s Back Race

[Shane Ohly]

Volunteer with Experience of SI Wanted for Dragon’s Back Race

After a twenty-year break, the Dragon’s Back Race is returning to Wales this September. It is a five day, 200 miles + mountain race from North to South Wales taking in most of the significant mountaintops along the way.

I am looking for someone with experience of using SI to help at the event. I have some experience of using Multiday Auto Download myself, so you wouldn’t be left on your own. I would like this person to take charge of the start, finish, downloading and any queries each day (there would be other things to do as well!).

Volunteering as a race marshal is great fun and I am confident that marshals will have some memorable experiences, make some new friends and share many laughs. However, it is hard work and you can expect some very long hours. For example, our earliest starts will be 0600 each day and we can expect our slowest competitors to finish as late as 0000. During this time we will need to provide food (we have a professional catering company actually doing the cooking), man the start, finish and support points. Each day we will also need to dismantle, pack, move and reassemble the entire overnight event centre, which includes mess tents and all the competitors tents. We also have checkpoints to place and collect in, working a day ahead and behind the competitors. We'll be busy!

Marshals will be camping with the competitors at the overnight camp and will need to provide all their own camping and sleeping kit.

Berghaus have agreed to sponsor the race and will be providing a 'uniform' for all the people working on the event. This will be top quality Berghaus clothing and equipment (think waterproofs, fleece, thermals, rucksack etc but details TBC) that will have Dragons Back Race branding on them. These items will be very exclusive! Marshals will be able to keep this kit after the event but will be required to wear it throughout.

You would need to be available from Sunday 2nd through to Saturday 8th September. There will be a full marshal briefing at 1600 on Sunday 2nd September in Conwy.

What is provided for marshals:
1) YHA accommodation on the evening of Sunday 2nd September in Conwy (if required).
2) Breakfast, packed lunch and dinner on Monday 3rd, Tuesday 4th, Wednesday 5th, Thursday 6th and Friday 7th September.
3) Celebratory feast on the evening of Friday 7th September.
4) Breakfast on Saturday 8th September.
5) Parking in Conwy.
6) Return transport to Conwy (if required).
7) Transport* to each overnight event centre or other work location.
8 ) Reasonable, cost of travel expenses to Conwy, and if required to use your own vehicle during the week, expenses for this as well.
9) Berghaus 'uniform'.
10) Free entry to the next Dragon's Back Race.

*Transport: We will have a mini bus available for moving people around but will require some marshals to use their own vehicles.

What is not provided for marshals:
1) Dinner on Sunday 2nd September. There are plenty of restaurants in Conwy, whilst full kitchen facilities and meals are available at the YHA.
2) Drinks at the Celebratory Feast.
3) Packed lunch on Saturday 8th September.

If you are interested, please email me: info@DragonsBackRace.com

Thanks, Shane

[McCloy]

You want someone to volunteer to play quite an important role in a commercial race which lifts £50,000 (£57,500?) in entry fees and is sponsored? You're joking right?

[Copepod]

For those interested in fell running, navigation challenges, following racers' progress etc, there will be updates at www.dragonsbackrace.com . Registration starts tonight, so we'll know who makes it to the start line. Surprise speaker tonight....

[Jethro]

Looks like nobody volunteered to help, as results - and even a start list - are conspicuous by their absence!

[ba-ba]

Entries are here. Main O Folk are Rob Baker (SYO/DPFR) and Steve Birkenshaw (WCOC/BorrowdaleFR), although I dare say there's some tenuous links I've missed.

Helene Whitaker (nee Diamantides) is the reigning champion.

there were lots of updates on the race twitter feed (@TheDragonsBack) and the Trail Running Mag feed (@trailrunnermag) earlier in the day.
I imagine web updates may take some time, I don't know how many dragons come with excellent wireless coverage nowadays.

[ba-ba]

SleepMonsters say that Steve B won the day in 10 hours (8hours over predicted time), with Rob 23mins behind. Only 12 finished within 12hr20mins of the start.

The route for day 1 took in all the Welsh 3000ers. Tough!

[JK]

SleepMonsters say that Steve B won the day in 10 hours (8hours over predicted time), with Rob 23mins behind. Only 12 finished within 12hr20mins of the start

The route for day 1 took in all the Welsh 3000ers. Tough!

I find it hard to believe that Steve took 5 times the expected time - I hope that is a typo!

[Spookster]

The race report is on Sleepmonsters here. Stevie B was 2 hours longer than expected, not 8!

Great to see two orienteers leading the way, but obviously it's only the early stages of this epic race.

[JK]

...
Helene Whitaker (nee Diamantides) is the reigning champion.

The original race (as I recall) was for teams of two as well as solos. Helene won the pair category with Martin Stone (AKA Mr Staminade and more recently Mr SI-UK) after a battle with Adrian Belton and Mark McDermott (both renowned for their 24 hour exploits in Scotland and the Lakes respectively).

I seem to remember John Redmayne (SLMM Klets winner) won the solo.

I have no idea whether there is pairs and solo this time or if it is just solos.

I hope they are all enjoying themselves today; it'll be the Rhinogs next I guess

JK

[King Penguin]

The Rhinogs may not be all that high but they are some tough little summits.

[Spookster]

Day 1 results are now on the Sleepmonsters Facebook page.

Only 37 finishers out of 82 starters. If that rate of drop-out continues, there won't be many left at the end...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/SleepMons ... 3053666339

[ba-ba]

This year is solo, although alliances are bound to be made (big pack of Spaniards, Trail Magazine have a group of readers relaying it).
This morning's report - a slight shortening of the route in the Rhinogs.
Report of the day's events. Steve won again, taking an 'over' RC to Rob's 'round' RC.

and yes, 8hrs behind the day1 schedule was a typo...

JK - Martin Stone gave a presentation before they set off. I also thought all competitors were in pairs in the original (until people dropped out) apart from Rune Larsson who got special dispensation as 'others would slow him down'

although I am going just going off memory of Feet in the Clouds and this article

[JK]

Maybe I mis-remember then, I just noticed on their website the results from the original:
http://www.dragonsbackrace.com/results/1992-results/

It seems to have quite a few solos (which include a pair so I can only guess that means that they were a pair who changed to solo or something like that).

I wasn't there but I seem to recall from reports at the time that there was a solo class and JR won it. His usual MM partner was Craig Harwood, but I don't recall hearing of Craig doing it. No doubt there are some Macc H guys to on the forum who could ask him.

[graeme]

29 runners survived the first three days: JOK peloton still going strong
Some results...

[Spookster]

The race has finished, with 29 people making it all the way.

http://www.sleepmonsters.com/racereport ... le_id=7762

http://results.sportident.co.uk/home/mu ... 18910d0e52

Well done Steve! (in fact, well done anyone who even attempts such an epic undertaking)