From my point of view that worked out really well.
I was getting quite worried in the days leading up to the event because it felt like I was getting a constant flurry of messages from people saying they wouldn't be riding because of:
a) weather - we were back to early spring, which meant 0°C at the start & single digit maximum
b) COVID
c) non-COVID illness / not yet COVID illness in drossall's case
However in the end a good turn out (numbers below).
The Essex and Suffolk Borders 200 riders were off from the station between 8am and 8:30am, with Felstead rider managing ~500 m before having to quit (see above), which was a really shame. Apart from him there were only a few other DNFs despite the biting wind.
The companion ride was
The Essex and Suffolk Estuaries 100, which was two 50 km loops, one in Essex to Harwich & back and one in Suffolk to Shotley, with a big group of riders from Kent Velo Girls, which was great. Herman Ramsey, who set up the original 200 ride (plus Green & Yellow Fields 300 and Asparagus & Strawberries 400) was stamping cards in Harwich and afterwards at the finish in Manningtree, which was brilliant. Results for the 100 are here:
http://www.aukweb.net/results/archive/2022/listevent/?Ride=22-311After sending off the 100 km riders we headed out to Great Chishill Windmill in Cambridgeshire to run a checkpoint with a load of food for The Essex and Suffolk Borders 200. It would be possible to have this as an info, but makes it more of an event IMO and allows me to interact with the riders on the event rather than just sending people off and seeing them again 8+ hours later. The weather worked out well, with snow only starting as we were packing up. After closing we found one rider out of time having had two punctures, but some food and air from the track pump helped and he finished well within time.
After driving back to Manningtree Station Buffet we relieved Herman of his controller duties and waited for the 200 riders to finish. People arrived in a variety of states, but the warmth of the buffet bar and support of the staff helped no end. Final two riders arrived just after 9pm, tired but pleased.
There's a decent amount of climbing on the 200 due to the constant ups and downs, which surprised a lot of people. But despite that there were a number of people who were on their first audax and longest ever ride; well done all!! Provisional results are here
http://www.aukweb.net/results/archive/2022/listevent/?Ride=22-257psyclist had the brevet cards for the Buntingford 200 starters and they set off at 08h30. I briefly glimpsed some of these riders in Lavenham as I drove back from the Great Chishill Windmill checkpoint, but otherwise I didn't see these riders. As the organiser it's a bit odd knowing there are riders out who you never see, but from comments I've received the concept worked really well, esp as some of the Buntingford starters wouldn't have made the effort to start in Manningtree. Results will be updated once everyone has posted back their brevet cards (as it had to be a postal finish).
Manningtree 200
http://www.aukweb.net/results/archive/2022/listevent/?Ride=22-257Entries = 68 entries
Starters = 35
Finishers = 31
Manningtree 100
http://www.aukweb.net/results/archive/2022/listevent/?Ride=22-311Entries = 66 entries
Starters = 42
Finishers = 42
Buntingford 200:
http://www.aukweb.net/results/archive/2022/listevent/?Ride=22-202Entries = 37 entries
Starters = 25
Finishers = 19