White Horse Challenge Time

poprad

Started reading the White Horse Challenge thread lower down and then realised it was from last year.

My time was exactly the same as last year (6hr 31 minutes, I'm ashamed to say). However, last year we waited for a couple of slower riders and I reckoned I'd lost at least 20 minutes (based on Garmin 305 log). I can't figure out whether I haven't recovered from stuffing myself over Xmas and the inactivity over the winter or whether it was the headwind.

This time I stopped for about 10 minutes at each feeding station, waited a couple of times at the top of hills, chain came off a couple of times, but all in all didn't feel I could go much faster. I would have said that I must have beaten last year by 15-20 minutes so was amazed when the time was exactly the same. There was quite a headwind in places so maybe that was it?

How did other peoples times compare with last year.

sunburntknees

Almost certainly the wind.

toontra

It was a weird one for me this year. I felt I was going well but was 14 minutes down on last year (5h 15m). Some of that was to do with siding solo for the last 50 miles, but I also went off course several times, especially in the last section, and had to flag down cars to ask the way. Either the signs hadn't been properly put up or locals had been messing with them. Either way not good.

Also, the reduced timing equipment meant no split times. 2 years ago there were 2 course timing stations, last year 1, this year none. Together with the vastly reduced variety of cakes at the finish and their huge increase in price (£1 up from 50p), I'm beginning to think the organisers are getting a bit lazy and a bit greedy.

poprad

Yes, that's how I felt. Went better than last year, but slower.

I heard other people say they'd gone off course, but I found the signing OK.

magliaceleste

I thought it was great as usual. 4h 44m here.

Didn't manage to get into any big groups this year but did ride more or less the whole route with one guy which helped a lot.

Same (nice) route as before. Not entirely sure how it was possible to get lost. However I prefer the older timing chips with split times too. I reckon they should have a mat on the Uffington White horse (or a marshall at the bottom) and probably a marshall near the bottom of Blowingstone hill just before.

I can't believe there is moaning about the price of cakes...

toontra

magliaceleste wrote:

I can't believe there is moaning about the price of cakes...

Well, if they double in price in 1 year then I think it's at least noteworthy.

There were definitely at least 3 missing signs, one at a crucial junction, and at least one pointing in totally the wrong direction that had presumably been tampered with.

Red GT

I managed to complete the course without getting lost but that’s mainly because I was being dragged around by some very good riders. For what its worth I thought it was well signed, I’ve seen a lot worse!

It was my first WHC and I thought it was great preparation for the Etape, I will be signing-up again next year...

toontra

The results are still not on the WHC website. How long does it take?

I'm really beginning to think something's awry with the organisation this year. More entrants (i.e. more income) but less on offer (no split timings, no big-screen display they had last year at the finish showing the times).

Red GT

I think they went up on the Sunday but they were definitely there by the next day.

Look on the homepage, first line;

http://www.whitehorsechallenge.com/imag ... il2010.xls

I guess they haven’t had a chance to transfer them to the right hand side yet. Hope that helps.

Mendip rouleur

Given that it is a charity event I don't think you can begrudge an extra 50p for a cake. My first time and I thought all in all it was one of the better sportives I have ridden. Sure there was only one timing mat, but I actually thought the feedstops were pretty good along with route signage etc.

Think that by limiting the entrants to just 650, it is hard to absorb all the increases in costs without dramatic increase in entry fee, which for a charity event, with a nice feel caused by low numbers, is fair play I think.

toontra

Fair enough. I guess I'm just whinging because things seem to be not as good year-on-year whereas you would expect them to improve, especially considering the increase in numbers. Maybe they will pick up again next year - no doubt I'll be there to find out

juggler

toontra wrote:

The results are still not on the WHC website. How long does it take?

I'm really beginning to think something's awry with the organisation this year. More entrants (i.e. more income) but less on offer (no split timings, no big-screen display they had last year at the finish showing the times).

results were on the website Monday or Tuesday. There was also a wide screen display at the finish showing the times.....it was in the marquee / awning that had the bikes next to the timing mat at the finish.

jamespiggot

The cakes were free for cyclists who had taken part in the event!

I was slower this year, maybe partly due to the wind but mostly to riding like an idiot.

The profit from this event goes to charity (www.wateraid.com) so talk of the organizers getting greedy is a bit wide of the mark.

Also as far as I can make out the number of participants hasn't changed, max is 650 or so but actual finishers on the day is more like 550 or so?