Sunrise and Snowdrop Audaxes 2023 - The Final Countdown

[WorcsPhil]

Well, that was enjoyable!

That's the Beacon RCC Snowdrop/Sunrise Audax over for another year, and I hope that whether you're an old hand, or new to the event, all the riders enjoyed it. The weather was fine if a little cold, and the optional headwind for the final section was well worth the additional money I paid for it. A headwind is cheaper to order than floods, or swarms of locusts, so I may go for that every year now, although I do like the look of the worldwide superstorm as featured in the film 'The Day After Tomorrow'... but that doesn't come cheap, and the entrance fee would have to rise to just over a thousand pounds each... anyone?

Anyway, we had 295 entrants, 211 starters and 208 finishers with no reports of any incidents or accidents, and for that I am entirely grateful.

Many thanks to all the Beacon volunteers who were...

At the HQ: Claire Dignon, Mick Stanford, Neil Orchard and Carol Wainwright
At the controls: Dave Cole and Mark Rigby
In the cold of the car park: Dave Cox, Karl Walton and Andy Wrightson

Many thanks to you all. Also many thanks to Danni and her team at Whitlenge Garden Centre who coped admirably with the invasion of 200+ bike riders. This is an excellent HQ, and one we're lucky to have. There are not many venues who could cope with so many cars, riders, food requests, and space needed, so we're very grateful...

It's not a race but for those interested, first back on the Sunrise was Paul Mansfield of Droitwich CC, and first back on the Snowdrop was Simon Dighton of Beacon RCC, both riders back in around 4hrs 15mins, clearly neither rider having enjoyed a big slap-up breakfast at the controls to warm themselves up...the last rider back was at 16:50, just 14mins inside the cut-off.

So I'll put my feet up now for another year, and the Audax organising baton now passes back to Philip Whiteman with the next Beacon audax being the Kiddy Killer in July, but before that of course we have other local events, and definitely one for your diaries is the Droitwich CC Hay Skivers 200 on Friday 5th May, one day before we all tuck into coronation chicken sandwiches and raise a glass to the new king. Oh, and if you can't make the Friday of the coronation weekend, don't forget Roy Bishop's excellent Shenstone (near Lichfield) audaxes on Sunday 7th May, with 4 rides available 50, 100, 150 and 200kms...all details (and entries) on the Audax website of course.

Thanks again and see you next year!

Phil Richards
Organiser