Matt
Tricklebank from South Yorkshire's Woodseats Explorers was part of the winning
team at the September 2003 Apex Challenge...
What made you decide to enter the Apex Challenge?
We'd seen a flyer up about the competition in our Scout hall and decided someone had to show everyone else how it's done. We ended up with the team name Wonk Toad. It was supposed to be Wonk Tnod which is "Don't Know" backwards, but we got it wrong on the entry form.
How much preparation did you do before the competition?
We didn't really do much at all. We just had a tactic to go as fast as our slowest man. When we arrived on the day of the competition we couldn't believe how many were there. That's when we decided to come up with a better strategy. We decided to keep moving if there was more than one team waiting at an activity base and we also decided to go get the points from the bases and controls as far from the start as possible first.
Once you started, did it work out like that?
Basically we legged it to the furthest bases and got one where we had to ride a motorised lawnmower around an assault course quite early. On the way up to that one we picked up quite a few points from other controls. When we found the base that was the disco dancing machine hidden in a tent, but there were a few teams waiting there so we carried on to get some other points and then went back to that one. Most of the bases were easy enough to find but you had to know where you were on the map at all times. We saw one team of lasses who hadn't the foggiest where they were, much to our amusement! We eventually managed to get to the finishing point with 15 minutes to spare but we were absolutely shattered!
Which was your favourite activity base?
I reckon the best one was the bomb disposal one as we'd never seen anything quite like it before. You were given a box that we were told was a bomb, that had to be carried around an obstacle course. It had to kept perfectly level and not shaken around too much. There was a motion sensor inside it and if you shifted it too jerkily an alarm went off and you were only allowed to do that three times or you failed the activity.
How difficult was it trying to get round everywhere in six hours?
Well we managed it but we were absolutely wrecked by the time we had finished. We signed in at the finishing point and worked out that for another team to beat us they had to be back wihin the next 10 minutes and also get every point possible.
Is there anything that you wish you'd taken with you but forgot?
Water and energy food is essential. I could have done without my waterproof coat because it was a warm day, but it was still good to have it with me. You never know when there could be a sudden downpour. A first aid kit's useful in case you fall over, and don't do what my team-mate did and forget your asthma inhaler if you've got one.
Would you recommend the Apex Challenge to other people?
Definitely.
The prizes are a real incentive to tro to win. We got some really good fleeces.
I wore mine recently on a trip. It kept me really warm when it was so cold
our tent froze! We won a tent to share between us as well and some tickets
to got the Ski Village in Sheffield. We decided to donate our tent to the
Scout unit and we're allowed to book it in whenevr we like. So far it's
been used at the foot of Ben Nevis, on a canoeing weekend and a trip to
South Wales. The day itself is great. We've never been to another competition
like it.
So finally what are your top tips for teams wanting to win the competition?
1. Make a rough plan of your route but don't stick to it rigourously.
2. Be prepared to double-back on yourselves.
3. Keep moving and don't stop for more than about 15 minutes unless you're
actually doing an activity base.
4. Don't be democratic. It doesn't work. If the map reader says something's
a certain way then that's the way it is. If they're wrong you can have a
go at them later!
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