I like the Elwoods for the conditions I've used them for. The Open Range 200k includes a huge variety of surfaces, most of which don't require a 47mm wide tire. But a lot of the course this year involved very deep, very fine sand. The Elwoods made the sand tolerable. I suspect the volume would also make washboard surfaces more tolerable. At the same time, the Elwoods didn't seem to slow me down very much on the dirt, clay, or paved sections. If you don't know the course conditions and want to play it safe, the Elwoods are an excellent choice. Extremely versatile.
If not for the deep, fine sand, though, I would have gone with a 700c x 38mm (or 35mm) tire like a Challenge Gravel Grinder. The Gravel Grinder is a little faster on packed dirt, clay, and paved roads. But I suspect they would have been somewhat squirrely in the Open Range's deep sand.