Event Reports
CARDIFF BURN – 23rd OCTOBER 2011
The 2nd Cardiff Burn was held on Sunday 23rd October and once again competitors, ran, cycled and kayaked all afternoon. This year, however we added an extra twist which involved a ‘Special Phase’.
The special phase was a little of a shock to some as it involved a tactical element! Basically, in the time it would take one of the pair to find 3 checkpoints around the bay, the other member of the pair would have to spend this time in the Crossfit Box. We had invited the guys from Cardiff’s Dragon Crossfit down to our event centre to help out.
Crossfit is a strength and conditioning programme that tests even the fittest and strongest of athletes. Andy, founder of Dragon crossfit, explained to the competitors during the briefing that the exercises they would undertake would involve squats, burpees and press ups. For some this lasted for 8 minutes, for others they were subjected to a whole 16 minutes! Andy called the routine, punishment!
The event started at 12 midday with a run around the Cardiff Bay loop that passed over the barrage bridge, alongside Penarth marina and around Cardiff’s only 5 star hotel, St David’s. Following this, female and mixed pairs hopped into the kayaks and competed a rather windy and choppy 3k kayak to the large white sails half way out into the Bay. Male and family pairs jumped straight onto their bikes and after quickly referring to their maps, headed off to Castle Coch. Some chose the cycle trail, whilst other headed on the roads.
At Castle Coch, a 6 km singletrack mountain bike phase awaited them. The conditions were perfect due to the abscents of rain in the days leading up to the event and the course was marked out very clearly with not a single competitor getting lost. All, but two, pairs managed to get both checkpoints and complete the course.
Back in the bay, all categories then endured Andy’s ‘punishment’, before doing their final phase, cycling for female and mixed pairs and kayaking for family and male pairs.
The winners of both the male and female pair categories were the same winners from Swansea Burn and hence they are definietely the ones to beat in 2012!
Amongst the competitors were David Lyle & Matthew Meads, who managed to raise a fantastic £1200 for their charity Care for the family. If you’d like to sponsor them you can still do so here. Having just seen their post on facebook, I think they are suffering a little today following their intense physical activity on Sunday so do support them.
We also had family pair Wade & Luke Bryne, who also competed in Cardiff Burn 2010. Luke is our youngest competitor at 10yrs old and managed to comeplte the full course and come 4th In the family category.
We really enjoy organising Cardiff Burn and want to make every year better. Given this we will be sending out feedback forms to all those that took part. We’ve already had some great suggestions and will certainly take thoses on board. The 2012 calendar of events will be published soon so keep logging on and please please help us to grow our events by spreading the word.
Full event results and photos are available here.
CONGRATUALTIONS TO ALL
MINI BURN – 8th OCTOBER 2011
Out first Mini Burn was a hit!
…and here is what you had to say about the day.
‘The event was very relaxed yet well run and brilliant fun to take part in’
T’hank you for a fantastic event, we will certainly be signing up for more in the future!’
‘My daughter and I had a blast’
‘I just wanted to say how much fun I had last weekend at the Mini Burn. It was my first ever and shall be entering again’
Margam Park was the venue of our first Mini Burn Event on Saturday 8th October. Competitors experienced 5km of running, 10km of cycling, 1km of kayaking and some navigation to conclude the event.
Pairs had to work together to negotiate the hills, steer the kayaks and find all of the check points that lay on route.
Amongst our competitors was Jessica Heighway who was our youngest female competitor at 8yrs old. she was accompanied by her father Lee, who toegther came in an impressive 4th position in the family category. Competitors could chose to race either in the male, female, mixed and family category or as a non-competitve pair.
Competitors began with a flat 3km run that took then around the lower Deer Park. When they returned to the event centre, it was straight onto the kayaking phase, where two loops of the lake was watched by all. There was some interesting steering going on at one point and funny comments such as “ah we missed the buoy”, but Neal & Joe from Cardiff Canoe Club were on hand to offer advice and provide moral support for those first timers. Everyone managed to stay in the boats and complete their two laps and Neal got a good upper body work out by completing almost 50 laps of the lake!
It was then time for the cycling phase, which started off deceptively flat before heading off onto the top of the Margam Mountain. The climb was tough and for most, the journey back down equally so but the reward of having completed the 10km loop made it all worthwhile. I’m sure some juniors were having to push their Daddy’s up the hill!
The final stage was back on foot, where competitors were handed a map of Margam Park Gardens and had to find five check points. Everyone managed this, even though at one stage a loan racer came back claming to have lost his partner. He was sent back to find the other half of his pair and after 10 minutes all were found and the day was complete.
Our events are more than just tests of fitness, it’s also about teamwork and strategy. That’s what makes it so unique and to be good at all three is a real skill.
There are not many rules to Mini Burn as we want to keep it as relaxed and enjoyable for everyone as possible but the rules that do stand are as follows:
- Pairs MUST stay together at all times
- Pairs MUST follow the perscribed route
- When on a bike, cycle helmets MUST be warn at all times
Luckily, the rain did not appear, as forecast, and even though it was a little windy and cold, the smiles told the story.
For us at Multisport Wales, it was an absolute pleasure to be able to put on an event that saw young and not so young and fit and not so fit, take part in an event doing sport that for some had not been attempted before.
Margam Park was the perfect venue and we shall certainly be back there in 2012 with another Mini Burn Event.
I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part and those that helped out on the day. Again, the success was down to you.
Please help us to continue to organise these events by spreading the word!
SWANSEA BURN – 26th JUNE 2011
The sun is certainly shining on the BURN SERIES!
The second event in the series was held in Swansea last Sunday, 26th June where the competitors had to deal with more than just the demands of the Burn. The sun was out in full flow, reaching temperatures of 27 degrees C.
Similar to Cardiff Burn in October 2010, the crystal blue skies made the picture perfect postcard.
Once all competitors had assembled at the event centre, following their briefing and some serious studying of maps, the race was on. We had a real mix of young and older, local and those from across the border, experienced and first timers and it made for a fantastic day.
The event began with an 8km run along Swansea’s beautiful beach. With the blistering temperatures and the deep sand the going was tough but the first runners emerged at the end of it looking strong. On-lookers cheered and many quizzed our marshals about what on earth was going on!
Following the run, the competitors returned to the event centre, for a quick mouthful of water before taking to their bikes for the next 2hrs or so.
First stop was in Clyne Valley, where the competitors had to overcome a very muddy and sometimes technical 6k loop. The route was very well marked with arrows and tape and everyone emerged out of the wood with very large, yet muddy smiles. Local bike group, Clyne Riders helped to ensure the smooth running of this phase. Thanks guys!
Next to come was some navigation, so now competitors needed to use their brain power as well as physical power to find four check points that we had laid out on Kilvey Hill. At this point I have to say a huge thanks to the Kilvey Hill marshals who allowed me to drag them all over the hill at speed, because I knew that the first competitors were due to arrive in five minutes and we needed to get the check points set up!
We did mark out some suggested routes but the competitors were allowed to choose where they went. The aim was to get all four check points. Most of them managed this with not too much problem just gathering a lot more mud on their way around.
The downhill technical section on Kilvey Hill was experienced by many, some voluntarily and others not, where their partners had insisted on giving it a go. Hats off to you!
The final phase was particularly opportune. A 3km kayak in the River Tawe was the perfect cooling off phase but still competitors raced their hearts out as they set off down the River Tawe to reach their final check point.
On the water we had the Swansea Martime Volunteer Service as well as Joe & Neal from Cardiff Canoe Club who all put in an amazingly co-ordinated show. The water was sparkling in the sunlight and the bridges over the Tawe filled with spectators.
With a 10.00am start, the first team were back at 12:23:43 having completed Swansea Burn in an amazing 2hrs 23 mins and 43 secs. It’s going to be the one to beat!
As everyone returned to the event centre at the end of the race, the official Burn Series t-shirt was handed out to all who took part in the day.
I have to say a huge thank you to my family and all marshals who made the day the success it was.
We are always keen to improve on what we do and since the Burn Series is still a new concept, we are working hard to find the perfect mix. We have compiled a feedback form that will go to all marshals and competitors shortly so would really appreciate hearing your comments.
It was lovely to return to my Mac on Sunday night to see some of the comments left on our facebook page. Thank you!
‘Excellent day,thank you! And an extra thank you for the weather! :-)’
‘Very enjoyable event, and really looking forward to the next one! :-)’
‘Excellent event! Thoroughly enjoyed!’
‘Well done to you Maria! and to your family and all those who helped out! What a fantastic, sweaty, sandy, muddy & wet day! Roll on another exciting adventure from Multisport Wales! ;-)’
‘Thank you Maria, family and all your team. great day out, thanks for the mud and sunshine!!’
‘Swansea burn!! I’m burnt to a bloody crisp lol! Amazing day, thoroughly enjoyed and will defo be back again’