Hi Zeke,
A bid for great weather has been submitted.
I know from my own experiences that the old southern route easily used to be the quicker choice due to more motorways and subsequently higher average speeds. 17 hours on either the Northern or new Southern routes won't be comfortably within speed limits overall. As this is a mass organized Saddlesore rather than an individual one safety is paramount and we'd rather riders pace themselves than just tear round so they can brag about what time they finished in.
What's the point in bombing around and getting back only to wait around locally until it's safe to come in and finish. Just spend a bit more time enjoying the ride. My best time for North Clockwise was 18.5 hours in 2013 and I know I wasn't hanging around
So 18 hours seems like a fair time.
And I agree, I think the times for both Northern and Southern routes will be far more aligned this year. My own paramaters and stop times I have entered on my mapping programmes put the difference between the North Clockwise and Southern Anti-clockwise at 45 minutes (for me).