Yup, downs are drying out really fast atm. It rained on Tues but it was already dry in Stanmer (Brighton) last night. Unless it actually rains during I don’t think it will make much difference (greasy chalk excepted) Agree on the wind – that’s the biggest factor IMO and why there isn’t so much of a “leaderboard” on the one-way times. If you are flexible I’d go when the wind is most favourable and maybe W-E daytime (with the prevailing wind) and return E-W at night (when the wind is likely to drop)
Hope you are fast at gates – 200 of them in your way! I don’t see any problem riding at the same time as BHF. They will likely be quite spread out and give you a good oppurtunity to chat or targets to help winch you along as you ride. SDW is almost all double track so I don’t think you’d be held up much.
Will be very impressed if you can beat Rob Dean’s record: 18:41 = 10.7 mph average. Probably doesn’t sound fast to some people but that’s a very quick pace to keep up over 6600m of climbing.
Watch out for the Hooksway and chanctonbury junctions – easy to overshoot on those as the track appears to go straight on downhill but the SDW turns off.
Good luck!