2011 brings a new twist to the Polaris. We have noticed many riders new to the sport, using trail centres and pre-marked routes, do not enjoy, or may not have the experience for a full mountain navigation course. We have therefor added two pre-marked routes, along a set route – an ‘Elite’ loop – expected to take 5-7 hours for a fit rider and a ‘Short’ loop expected to take 3-5 hours. You will still receive a Polaris laminated map, and the routes will be marked on this, however along the way you will get plenty of re-assurance, marshals and sign posts

The spirit of ‘turn up with a blank map and tent and off you go’ finally sinks below the horizon……..

Or will it encourage a new generation.

I know, no-one here cares, but happy memories for me of the good old days……..

OK, I haven’t ridden any navigation events since around the turn of the millenium, so may not be too qualified to comment, but really…

The sportives are meant as a test of endurance, rather than a navigation challenge.

🙄

what’s the point in them, then?

If you were after a test of navigation and endurance you should have been at the start of the WRT this morning 😉

Alien to me. Mountainbikes are motorsport without the motor. Not rambling with wheels.

With a price increase from 70 quid for a pair last year to 60 each this year, prizes which we never recieved, checkpoints in the wrong place and no food or drink when you finish on the Sunday, think i’ll give it a miss this year!

Gareth

Shame, I’ve had some great weekends at Polaris events, and it was that survival type feel that really added to the event. But at least they are adapting to changes in the market and the sport, and I’m sure the events will still be good fun. Plus I can still get out there with my tent and my bike, and always have done even without Polaris having to organise an event.

OMM are doing it this year, who ran it last year? I know Polarus had bought it back off whoever had been running it for years, but now it appears they’ve let it go again. I may enter as I might have a good chance, seeing as it’s in my back yard!

I used to love the Polaris events but as pointed out above it’s all changed and at least they are adapting. I came to biking through mountaineering, I really noticed a different type of people riding the last time I passed them all at a trail centre 🙂

TS

Increasingly the numpties taking up mountain biking make me feel like the sad hipster who just heard his favourite band on the radio.

Personnally I feel they probably had no choice.

The success of less challenging events means that it would be daft not to consider this. Additionally it will provide a route into the full event for less experienced riders.