TOM Gibbs bagged a second Lakeland Lanequest series crown despite defeat in the final race.

The Backbarrow international adventure racer was denied a clean sweep at Staveley by Ulverston's David Heffernan, but had already done more than enough to seal the men's title.

A hard charging and determined David Heffernan managed to visit all 30 control points in the cycle orienteering event with 16 minutes to spare inside the two-hour time limit.

That was four minutes ahead of Gibbs and cemented his position as a deserved runner-up.

Gibbs was full of praise for the series after his triumph, and said: "I’ve done a lot of racing around the world and the Lanequests are some of the most fun races that I have done.

“You can’t beat the speed, both physical and mental, that the events give, plus the great atmosphere.

“Also, it's the only series where a cake is the main prize, though I don’t remember agreeing to share it with everyone!"

More than 300 competitors tackled the Lanequest events over their six-week run, encountering enough hill climbs and tough tracks to resemble a stage of the Tour de France.

Brigsteer, Hawkshead Hill, Tow Top, and Cross O'Greet were among the slopes completed by riders trying to read maps afterwards.

Helen Jackson underlined her dominance of the women's' solo class with another masterclass win at Staveley, shared on this occasion with Steph Jones, on 290 points.

Jackson's series triumph, her second in a row over two-time runner-up Jo Cleary, secured the dubious privilege of sharing the now famous cutting of the cake ceremony with Gibbs at the packed post-event prize giving ceremony hosted by series co-sponsors Wheelbase and Wilf's Cafe.

Likewise dominant for the second year in succession in the juniors class was Jack Smith, who took the final event with a score of 260.

By contrast, the generation pairs saw the series clinched at the last moment.

There was a tie on the night for first place between Paul and Jim O'Reilly and Derek and Stewart Allison, on 270 points, with the latter pair clinching the series, leaving last year's runners-up as bridesmaids yet again.

With the largest and most closely-fought class, the adult pairs and threes was thrown wide open by the non-appearance through injury on the final two events of early leaders Rachel and Mike Toyn.

That meant it was game on for the main contenders among the 76 competing teams.

On the night, it turned out to be a dead heat between Sally Ozanne and Kieren Hodgson, Lee and Ben Procter, and Sarah and Andrew Crozier on 290 points.

But the series win belonged to the Procters, who delightedly received their prize from sponsor Toby Dalton, of Wheelbase, as well as a slice of the winners' cake.

SERIES RESULTS

Solo Men: 1. Tom Gibbs, 1228 pts; 2. David Heffernan, 1198 pts.

Solo Women: 1. Helen Jackson, 1090 pts; 2. Jo Cleary, 1030 pts.

Juniors: 1. Jack Smith, 990 pts; 2. Hannah Cleary Hughes, 630 pts.

Generation Pairs: 1 Derek and Stewart Allison, 915 pts; 2. Paul and Jim O'Reilly, 906 pts.

Adult Pairs and Threes: 1.Lee and Ben Procter, 1086 pts; 2.Bruce Attwood and Sally Ward, 1027 pts.