Well there was a pleasant southerly tailwind and not too much rain for this year’s edition, which was welcome! As always there was a great atmosphere, and lots of variety in what people were riding.

The following riders won our awards for Courage, Perseverance and Camaraderie, and get a $50 voucher from Omafiets bicycle shop.

The Award for Courage – to the rider on the most inappropriate bike
Sax Cucvera – Sax was hard to miss, on his tandem, with “George” the skeleton strapped to the back! George was pedalling the whole time, but it’s hard to say how helpful he was.

The Award for Perseverance – to the rider who was the last to arrive at Newcastle Baths
Carl Davison – Carl had an unfortunate run-in with a roundabout in Bateau Bay, and ended up in Gosford hospital with 7 broken ribs. Undaunted, he’s already planning to ride next year’s Newcastle Overnight!

The Award for Camaraderie – to the rider who most graciously aided another in their hour of need
Yoon Kim & Yung Lik Wang – Yoon & Yung were riding with Carl when he took his tumble. Not only did they wait with him until the ambulance came, but they walked his bike 1.5km to a 7-11 who stored the bike for Carl. Yoon & Yung even thought to finish Carl’s ride on his Garmin!

An honorable mention goes to Julian Guinane, who assisted a couple of riders with punctures.

We’ll see you all next year!