2013 Bike Blenheim Palace

hd_andy
hd_andy Posts: 28
edited March 2013 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
Anyone know why this has been cancelled?

http://regonline.activeeurope.com/build ... ID=1127623

Comments

  • simona75
    simona75 Posts: 336
    If it has been I'm surprised, was completely sold out last year.
  • JSS
    JSS Posts: 55
    From the official website:

    We regret to inform you that Bike Blenheim Palace will not be taking place in 2013.

    Many thanks for your support,


    The Bike Blenheim Palace team
  • JSS
    JSS Posts: 55
    A more detailed explanation here:

    http://www.sportive.com/bike-blenheim-p ... -cancelled
  • Der Kaiser
    Der Kaiser Posts: 172
    I rode this last year and was impressed with the organisation, route and rest stops.

    I wasn't so happy with the finishing arrangements and the goodies afterwards.

    Wasn't planning on doing it in 2013.
  • JSS
    JSS Posts: 55
    Further update:

    Paul Orsi from the Blenheim Palace Estate office said that he regretted the event would not be happening again but that financially it did not support itself: "Years of time and energy has been spent building it up but it simply was not making a financial return. Whilst we enjoyed doing we need to have a focus on making money to preserve a World Heritage site. We wanted to find an events partner to work with who could make it work but in the end we could not find one.

    "It is quite sad. All five events were fantastic and the one last year was the best one of all. But the costs were very high and we could not continue to support it as it never quite turned the corner."
  • hd_andy
    hd_andy Posts: 28
    Good research!

    I rode it last year as well and I thought it was marketed very well. They had it as a "bike festival" and there was a load of traders there as well.

    Shame because it was really nice riding in and out of the grounds of the palace.
  • moserism
    moserism Posts: 12
    Real shame, i would have thought that if it was a sold out event they may have been in a good position to go through a transition and make it into something profitable and sensitive to the world heritage surroundings.
  • nferrar
    nferrar Posts: 2,511
    How can they not make it financially viable? Presumably they don't have any event hire costs if it's the estate themselves that run it and they have traders there who must be paying for the privilege (not many sportives have this to get extra cash). I hope it wasn't all the Brompton bollocks that was the problem :p
  • Peddle Up!
    Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
    A great pity. I've really enjoyed riding this for the last two years. It's always been very well attended and the facilities are on a par with other events that cost the same or less.

    I guess it was required to return a profit and the returns weren't deemed sufficient. :(
    Purveyor of "up" :)

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