Polaris Challenge

22nd - 23rd September 2012

2012 sees the 21st anniversary of the original Polaris Challenge. This years event is going to be based in Yorkshire on the weekend of 22/23rd September. It will again be organised by the team at OMM and they will be handling all the event management and entries for this years event.

The Polaris Challenge is a two-day event, combining mountain biking with navigation (mountain bike orienteering). Teams of two (or solo) ride between checkpoints scattered over a large area of rugged country. Each checkpoint has a value and the aim of the challenge is to accumulate as many points as possible within each day's time limit. Distance and 'difficult to access' checkpoints carry higher values and there are tough penalties for exceeding the time limits.

The Polaris Challenge is an opportunity for a great weekend's riding through some wild country on trails and tracks- each event is very different. Who takes the Challenge? 'Anyone who loves mountain biking.' You can take the Polaris Challenge seriously and go for maximum scores or treat it as a good excuse for a fun weekend of adventurous riding.

The 21st anniversary of the Polaris Challenge will be held "somewhere
in Yorkshire". Final location to be released summer 2012

The Polaris Challenge began in Autumn 1991 as the very first two-day Mountain Bike Orienteering. It is still the biggest event of it's kind and regulalrly attracts riders from
all over the world, year after year.

It is a two day event, combining mountain biking with navigation and bike touring skills. Teams of two (or solo) ride to locate checkpoints scattered over a large area of rugged countryside. Each checkpoint has a value and the aim of the challenge is to accumulate as many points as possible within each day's limit - like an orienteering "score" event. Distance and difficult access checkpoints carry higher values and there are tough penalties for exceeding time limits.

The original Polaris Challenge format was with an overnight wilderness campsite on the Saturday night between day one and day two. Like any mountain marathon event you carry your own kit and are self supported for the full two days. This year we are offering this format again. However, those without camping kit or the inclination to carry it there will also be the option to do two days of event but returning to the warmth and safety of the camp HQ to camp or even a local B&B, and ride the second day as we do in the summer format.

Who takes the Challenge? Anyone who loves mountain biking. You can take it seriously and go for maximum scores or treat it as a good excuse for a weekend of adventurous riding through some wild country on trails and tracks.