Your comments on the 2010 event

This was the first time this sportive has been run. For a first time effort, I thought that the organisation and route were superb. Well signposted, marshalls where needed, and hot food and drink at the finish. Overall, a great ride, well worth the entry fee, and roll on next year.
Posted by neil3072 on the CycleChat forums

Hello, Here's an email in support of one of the best sportives I have ever done. The route - one of the most varied, challenging, quiet and scenic in the UK. It was amazing. Organisation and marshalling - this was outstanding. Signposting and support from Marshalls was brilliant. Some supprted rhwcevent from 6am to 6pm and it couldn't have gone ahead without you. It was so good I felt compelled to thank every Marshall and volunteer at every major junction and feed station, what a sacrifice. They were also so friendly and helpful, it really made the day work for the participants. Post ride - this was way beyond my expectation. A great meal, goody bag, friendly reception and timed-print put with certificate - this was well beyond what you get on other sportives I have done. And next year, well I will be recommending this ride to many, it was a great experience thanks to those planning and organising the ride.
Stewart Kellett

Many thanks for putting on such a good event for us cyclists - and more so because it was your first event! The start location was a good choice, easy to find & with a sufficiently large car park for all the entrants. The signing-on was efficient & well manned. Being an old bugger, I did The Bay Dash. Excellent route & challenging enough. Everything was going well up through Cartmell till we came to Tow Top. Now although you had a "severe" warning board out, in my opinion it wasn't enough to warn the riders of the severity of the descent that they were about to encounter. There were many "offs", spills & damage caused by that "bumpy" descent. Lots of us riders were talking about it afterwards & I spoke to your Health & Safety Officer about it later. There wasn't anything wrong with the severity of the descent, simply that there was not sufficient warning of it's severity. Should you include it in next year's route? - Yes of course. Should you give more warning of the severity of the descent? - Yes you should. Some of us thought that a marshall standing just before the first hairpin & additional boards advising cyclists "to proceed at walking pace only" would do the trick. Will I ride again next year? - Yes I will. Yes - it was me who lost his saddle coming down Tow Top & rode back to the Finish 24 miles away - STANDING UP!
Gordon Morley

Thank you for a great day out. Would have never have known it was your first event had you not told us. Many established established organisers could take notes from you.
See you next year, Peter

I thought last weekend's event was great. I wrote a few comments on a cyclosport page: "wrynose or bust are you tough enough?". The administration was excellent. The feed stattions well spaced out and well stocked. The marshalls were really helpful and really friendly. The route was tough, hard and demanding.  I honestly can't fault the event and I'm looking forward to next year's run already.
Frazer Smith

Thanks for a great day (weather besides!) Sunday. Food at the finish was exceptional although it's a shame it couldn't have been distributed to the feed stops along the ride. That was our only criticism, there being only Go bars, Gels and in some, bananas. Obviously there can never be too many arrows for some, but we managed not to get lost and I'm geographically challenged at the best of times! Sorry to hear about the accidents but there were warning signs and even a marshall to warn of the most hazardous. Maybe he should be more severe in his warnings! Would like to come back next year and take advantage of your early bird offer although we can't find an online entry option yet, will this be available ?
Arthur Winstanley (Phoenix CC (Aintree)

Just wanted to say a big thank you to you and your team for a fantastic job. I did the family fun run (only got my bike on Thursday) but two friends did the bay dash and we all thought it was great day - superbly organised and run. We will all be back next year to do 'the dash' or something similar - AND we will bring friends. We thought something around the 25/30 mile mark instead of the family fun run might encourage more novices and vetran tourers to take part but we leave that to your judgement.
Kind Regards and thanks again, Jackie

Congratulations on the splendid organisation yesterday. This was one of the best organised rides of this type that I have ridden - and at age 71 years I have ridden quite a few tourist trials. Many thanks to all of those who took part in the marshalling of the event and also those responsible for planning the route. It was a grand day out! Anne and I did not get sponsorship but I will send you a cheque in the post. We both would also like to ride again next year please - I assume that you mean the date as 17th April 2011. Do we do this through the Sportindent website or should I be contacting somebody else please?
Best wishes, Mike Hutchinson Secretary: CTC Lancaster & South Lakes

I just wanted to pass on my congratulations at such a successful and meticulously well organized event. I have completed very many cycling events- tt, races, sportives, multiday stage races, endurance mtb days etc. and triathlons- sprint to ironman distances and I have never been to an event which was so simple, straight forward and hassle free. Everything other than the course was made easy! The feed stations were just the right distance apart and were kept to just what was needed- bars, gels, bananas and energy drink. The event was well marshaled (and thank you- the weather was challenging to ride in but must have been cold and miserable to marshall inL) and well sign posted so that you really should not have got lost. The goody bag was a lovely surprise and its contents very useful (nice calendar too) and the food at the end was superb- the best I have ever had at any of the events I have done (of which there has been 100’s).
Thank you Jill

I wonder if you could do me a favour. I am the rider who had the argument with the tree near Witherslack. Many riders stopped to check if I was ok, however one in particular came to my assistance moments after it happened. In my daze I think she said her name was Faye and
from a process of elimination I think it will be competitor 74 Faye Gilmartin. If you have her e-mail on record would you just forward her a quick line saying thankyou and I'm sorry I caused her a delay. I'm a bit battered and bruised but plan to be back on the bike next Saturday as part of my prep for Ironman Lanzarote. I think I have heard just about every tree joke there is from my colleagues at work. Oh and thanks to Mr Collinson (dont remember his first name), who brought me and my bike back from Gilpin Bridge with his trailer, it as much appreciated.
Simon Devereux

Reply: I will do that with pleasure and Mel (Collinson) was very taken with your young daughter when she thanked him on your behalf, he was very touched.

Firstly many thanks to all involved for a brilliant day. The route was terrific and the organisation first rate. I hope you don’t mind me commenting but the feed stations were the only thing that I would like to see improved in the future. Not all the feed stations had food and by the time I reached the second stop which only had water I was more than ready for a banana or something. In addition, the stops that had food most only had energy bars, gels and bananas (even bananas were not available at all of them). Usually there is a bit of variety at the feed stops like flapjacks, chocolate biscuits, fruit cake, malt loaf even sandwiches, sausage rolls etc as well as energy bars and gels. Perhaps if we want these other items we should carry them but this is standard fare for all of the other sportive events I have participated in (3 this year and 10 last year). Having said that the food at the end was sensational, I thoroughly enjoyed the day and would not hesitate to come back next year.
Simon

I just thought i'd reply to tell you that I thought the organization, marshalls, signs and feed stations were first class. It was my first long distance cycling event and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I feel it's also worth mentioning that I thought all the marshalls etc were not only very helpfull but were smiley and very encouraging. I will definitly be doing it again next year.
Mike Gara

Please pass on my Thanks to all at the Rotary Club for the plant, a really nice thought... and totally unnecessary! The Sportident timer is in the post to you today. Will be buying my t-shirt later today and only slightly sorry I chose the 'or bust bit!' but do remember enough to know I cycled all the way up the hill prior to fall.
Beth

Just thought I would say how well organised i thought Sunday was, just needed an official female loo stopping place, but other wise great. Energy bars, bananas and energy drinks, not sure how much more people expect. And the meal at the end was FANTASTIC! I actually said to someone, whilst cycling on Tuesday, that it was worth doing it for the food at the end.
Mary

I didn't do the Wrynose or Bust, it was the Bay Dash. However, I was most impressed with the whole day - the marshalls were all very friendly and encouraging, the signposting was excellent the food at the end and all the feed stations were excellent. I'd give 10 out of 10 for everything!
Mark Pattison

As a rider, can I say that for your first cyclo-sportive, it mas a truly magnificent effort. I have ridden many of these rides, and yours put some of the more established rides to shame. Your marshalls were extremely friendly, and did a stirling job.The route was extremely challenging, but well planned and signed. Talking to the riders during the day, the feedback was extremely positive, and I,m sure that as word gets round, your number of riders will increase dramatically. I look forward to hopefully taking part next year.
Neil

...and as for that volcano in Iceland

Unfortunately I will have to pull out. I planned to fly in to Manchester from Singapore on Thursday but the current travel chaos in Europe means I have had to cancel my flight. Sorry about that.
Ian Parkinson

We had two or three other similar apologies from people who couldn't make it