Age Classes
Solos or Teams of Two
Teams of Two Only
All ages are calculated from the competitors age on 31st of December of the year of the competition, or for league events the year of the league. Midlands MBO and BMBO leagues now run November to October. For league events in November and December your age class depends on your age on the 31st December the following year. Those with an age or combined age over 39 may opt to ride in a younger age class. For those with birthdays late in the year in particular, this may better represent their age at the league events.
MBO Score events allow teams of two riders to compete (MTBO events usually do not allow teams of two).
Solos or Teams of Two
- Y18 = Youth, age 15,16 or 17
- M21 = Open Men, age 18 to 39 or combined age 34* to 79
- W21 = Open Women, age 18 to 39 or combined age 34* to 79
- M40 = Men, age 40 to 49 or combined age 80 to 99
- W40 = Women, age 40 to 49 or combined age 80 to 99
- M50 = Men, age 50 to 59 or combined age 100 to 119
- W50 = Women, age 50 to 59 or combined age 100 to 119
- M60 = Men, age 60+ or combined age 120+
- W60 = Women, age 60+ or combined age 120+
Teams of Two Only
- X21 = Mixed, combined age 34* to 79
- X40 = Mixed, combined age 80 to 99
- X50 = Mixed, combined age 100 to 119
- X60 = Mixed, combined age 120+
- G = Generation, Junior 12-14 or Youth 15-17 accompanied at all times by Adult 18+
- T21 = Tandem, any age combination
All ages are calculated from the competitors age on 31st of December of the year of the competition, or for league events the year of the league. Midlands MBO and BMBO leagues now run November to October. For league events in November and December your age class depends on your age on the 31st December the following year. Those with an age or combined age over 39 may opt to ride in a younger age class. For those with birthdays late in the year in particular, this may better represent their age at the league events.
MBO Score events allow teams of two riders to compete (MTBO events usually do not allow teams of two).
MBO Score Rules.
Midlands MBO & BMBO want the rules for our sport to be simple. The aim is to keep rules to the minimum, to achieve good public relations, safety & fairness.
Midlands MBO & BMBO want the rules for our sport to be simple. The aim is to keep rules to the minimum, to achieve good public relations, safety & fairness.
- Competitors must report to the finish even if they retire. Failure to do so may render entrants liable to search and rescue costs.
- Competitors must wear a helmet, carry a whistle and 1st aid kit - minimum of plasters and dressing to stop a severe cut bleeding.
- Competitors may use tarred public roads, RUPP's, BOAT's and bridleways plus any forest, estate tracks or white roads specified by the organisers on the event map. Use of footpaths, any other road, trail, 'out of bounds' or leaving the map area will result in disqualification from the event.
- Competitors must close all gates, pass or overtake walkers and equestrians slowly and courteously, treat the rural commmunity with due consideration and aim to cause no damage to the environment.
- Team Members must keep in voice contact at all times - including control sites and finish. Penalty 25% loss of overall score.
- Individual solo and team competitors must navigate and ride independantly of other competitors. Penalty 25% loss of overall score.
- Competitors must offer assistance to any competitors who are injured or in danger. Compensation for time lost can be awarded at the discretion of the event organiser.
- Any disputes will be handled by the event referee appointed by the organiser. Any appeals will be adjudicated by the Midlands MBO or BMBO committee.
- Pre-riding an event area is not considered to be within the spirit of the event.
- For events with control cards competitors should punch controls in the appropriate numbered box. Genuine mistakes must be reported on the finish line as mispunching. Failure to do so may mean that you will not be credited with the points for a control.
- Event organisers may add their own local rules but may not ignore these rules.
- Towing or the use of towing aids is not allowed.
- GPS units and Smart Phones with mapping capabilities are not allowed to be used to aid navigation, but you may carry one to record your route or mileage.
- Competitors are normally expected to visit controls by riding or pushing their bike. In very difficult terrain, a competitor may leave their bike while they walk to and from a control. Even without a bike, competitors must only use the tracks permitted in rule 3.
- Competitors may use any roadworthy type of pedal cycle but a rider or team using power assistance (such as on e-bikes and pedelecs) will not be eligible for ranking, league points or prizes in any category.
Midlands MBO & BMBO Standard Penalty Point System
Point deducted per minute late as follows:
1 to 5 minutes late - lose 1 point per minute
6 to 10 minutes late - lose 2 points per minute
11 to 15 minutes late - lose 5 points per minute
16 to 30 minutes late - lose 10 points per minute
Over 30 minutes late - lose all points
Note that for events with timing in seconds, lateness is rounded up to the next whole minute.
Point deducted per minute late as follows:
1 to 5 minutes late - lose 1 point per minute
6 to 10 minutes late - lose 2 points per minute
11 to 15 minutes late - lose 5 points per minute
16 to 30 minutes late - lose 10 points per minute
Over 30 minutes late - lose all points
Note that for events with timing in seconds, lateness is rounded up to the next whole minute.
Control Descriptions
The control description sheet will have:
a. The control number (To correlate the map and box on control card)
b. The control map feature. e.g. Track/path junction, wood corner
c. The object the control is attached to.
d. The location of the control from the map feature, with the bearing and distance from the map feature e.g.. Fence/Stream Crossing - 5m SW.
e. The control site value.
So typical control descriptions would read:
1, Track Bend, telegraph pole, 10m SW
2, Track/Stream Crossing, fallen tree 2m W
3, Edge of wood, Fence post 5m N of Gate
The control description sheet will have:
a. The control number (To correlate the map and box on control card)
b. The control map feature. e.g. Track/path junction, wood corner
c. The object the control is attached to.
d. The location of the control from the map feature, with the bearing and distance from the map feature e.g.. Fence/Stream Crossing - 5m SW.
e. The control site value.
So typical control descriptions would read:
1, Track Bend, telegraph pole, 10m SW
2, Track/Stream Crossing, fallen tree 2m W
3, Edge of wood, Fence post 5m N of Gate
If You Couldn't Find the Control Location
The BMBO appeals process will go through these questions:
1. Did the competitor report the missing control as soon as they finished/downloaded?
2. From the competitors sequence of controls, is it likely they visited the contested control?
Answer NO to either 1 or 2 - the competitor is not awarded the control.
Answer YES - go through questions A to C below:
A. Was the control at the marked location?
B. Was the control description correct, unambiguous and use the BMBO format above?
C. Where the mapped features at the control circle correct on the ground?
Answer Yes to all points A, B and C - The competitor is NOT awarded the control.
Answer No to any of points A, B or C - The Competitor IS awarded the control.
The BMBO appeals process will go through these questions:
1. Did the competitor report the missing control as soon as they finished/downloaded?
2. From the competitors sequence of controls, is it likely they visited the contested control?
Answer NO to either 1 or 2 - the competitor is not awarded the control.
Answer YES - go through questions A to C below:
A. Was the control at the marked location?
B. Was the control description correct, unambiguous and use the BMBO format above?
C. Where the mapped features at the control circle correct on the ground?
Answer Yes to all points A, B and C - The competitor is NOT awarded the control.
Answer No to any of points A, B or C - The Competitor IS awarded the control.
Midlands MBO League Rules
The league score from an event is calculated as the event score divided by the average event score of the top five riders, then multiplied by 1000.
The final league score for a given series is the sum of the best six scores from the eligible rounds. To be eligible for an award, a rider or team must complete at least five events. Solo results cannot be combined with pair results. In exceptional circumstances a pair may later be divided to give solo results (please contact us if you wish to do this). An event organiser is awarded a score for their event that is the average of their best three scores from the events they rode, and is highlighted yellow (this applies to the organiser's first event of the series only).
Riders or teams without MTB numbers (BMBO membership numbers) are not shown in this table, their scores will be counted if the rider or team provides an MTB number or numbers at a later date. Riders or teams with only one event result are also not shown.
If you have any queries regarding the results or believe there is an error please contact phil.botting@gmail.com
The league score from an event is calculated as the event score divided by the average event score of the top five riders, then multiplied by 1000.
The final league score for a given series is the sum of the best six scores from the eligible rounds. To be eligible for an award, a rider or team must complete at least five events. Solo results cannot be combined with pair results. In exceptional circumstances a pair may later be divided to give solo results (please contact us if you wish to do this). An event organiser is awarded a score for their event that is the average of their best three scores from the events they rode, and is highlighted yellow (this applies to the organiser's first event of the series only).
Riders or teams without MTB numbers (BMBO membership numbers) are not shown in this table, their scores will be counted if the rider or team provides an MTB number or numbers at a later date. Riders or teams with only one event result are also not shown.
If you have any queries regarding the results or believe there is an error please contact phil.botting@gmail.com