Wednesday, June 13, 2007
RAAMED
As RAAM enters its 4th day for solo riders I find myself incessently clicking refresh on the results page, staring at the Time Station data and trying to percieve the drama, effort and emotion that is associated with the ordeal. Unfortunately very few teams have been able to come through with regular updates. Understandable. Rider care and comfort is tantamount. For most crews and rookie riders this is the culmination of many years of logistical planning and training. Now it's all on the line, with literally thousands of mile to go.
I've added links to the left to all the teams that have planned on updating and will continue to do so as I find the info.
UltraRob is really doing a splendid job following the race and and spicing it up with pictures and experiences from his own RAAM last year. Check it out.
Here's the latest video from RAAM HQ. Great clips of Larry Optis (Larry is hangin' upside down with me on the Love2Ride banner above)
Nice clips of the New Hampshire guys JohnJ and Brett.
NOTE - As you can hear in the video Brett sounds like he is loosing his voice. He's been battling upper respiratory problems since passing through the dry desert air. During the night he was taken to the emergency room, checked out, and is resting before re-evaluating.
This is a common problem for RAAM racers. It took out Jure' Robic last year, and severly slowed down Kenny Souza. Our thoughts and best wishes are with Brett and Team Walker.
As I find stuff about whats going on I'll try to leave summaries here, so check back when you can.
The race as I see it going into Day 4 :
Jure' Robic returned from last years DNF with a vengence and tried to run and hide from the field while riding 825 miles in the first 48 hours. Robic's crew was hit with multiple penalties that included going riding the wrong way in the highway, and not notifying a Time Station. The rules say too many penalties and you are DQ'd. He was only 2 away, then one was removed after eveidence showed his crew HAD tried to notify the time station, but no one was there. Jure' is really reaching his stride and averaged almost 20 mph between the last 2 Mileage Stations. He is still ahead of the average speed record set by Pete Penseyres in 1986. Photo from JureRobic.net
Wolfgang Fasching (at right leaving TS 1) is keeping Jure' in sight. The "smiling Wolf" who won the race 3 times back in the nineties.
Last years rookie winner Dani Wyss have been very close behind, in his quest to defend the title. He is currently third within 4 hours of the lead.
I've added links to the left to all the teams that have planned on updating and will continue to do so as I find the info.
UltraRob is really doing a splendid job following the race and and spicing it up with pictures and experiences from his own RAAM last year. Check it out.
Here's the latest video from RAAM HQ. Great clips of Larry Optis (Larry is hangin' upside down with me on the Love2Ride banner above)
Nice clips of the New Hampshire guys JohnJ and Brett.
NOTE - As you can hear in the video Brett sounds like he is loosing his voice. He's been battling upper respiratory problems since passing through the dry desert air. During the night he was taken to the emergency room, checked out, and is resting before re-evaluating.
This is a common problem for RAAM racers. It took out Jure' Robic last year, and severly slowed down Kenny Souza. Our thoughts and best wishes are with Brett and Team Walker.
Over night Fabio Biasiolo withdrew for medical reasons, and Hana Ebertova dnf'ed due to exhaustion.
As I find stuff about whats going on I'll try to leave summaries here, so check back when you can.
The race as I see it going into Day 4 :
Jure' Robic returned from last years DNF with a vengence and tried to run and hide from the field while riding 825 miles in the first 48 hours. Robic's crew was hit with multiple penalties that included going riding the wrong way in the highway, and not notifying a Time Station. The rules say too many penalties and you are DQ'd. He was only 2 away, then one was removed after eveidence showed his crew HAD tried to notify the time station, but no one was there. Jure' is really reaching his stride and averaged almost 20 mph between the last 2 Mileage Stations. He is still ahead of the average speed record set by Pete Penseyres in 1986. Photo from JureRobic.net Wolfgang Fasching (at right leaving TS 1) is keeping Jure' in sight. The "smiling Wolf" who won the race 3 times back in the nineties.He claims this is his last ultra event - "It began with RAAM and it will end with RAAM".
Wolfgang has summited Everest and considers completing RAAM a far greater challenge.
(Very) Roughly translated from his site
Sleeping break inlaid, after 41 hours of permanent journey! ' All together he did two hours of break. Of it he slept after a shower in the Homecar one hour actually. We have also carried out medical tests: The blood analysis was OK, the sodium salary a little bit low. Since then there is egg dish with a lot of salt and also two big inhabitants of Hamburg he has already consumed ', describes manager Doris Fasching. After the break Wolfgang found fast his Rhythm.
ED -I really don't think he was hungry enough to eat 2 whole people. Gotta love those online translators.
Last years rookie winner Dani Wyss have been very close behind, in his quest to defend the title. He is currently third within 4 hours of the lead.From Dani's crew at TS 23 : agian loosely translated :
"-in few minutes should announce itself schnari from pace car with it heidrun the stick with the newest mail's by you handed over can. thus pace car the crew gets a sensational aid into the hand over dani with mood and thus to keep awake.
-dani in letzen the two to meet for your energy thirsted, but it was to be down-loaded with difficulty mails and into pace car brought. therefore Patrick, furnished its brother, at home a new “energy for dani” address on the website.
-now it is not thus only appropriate for us still with dani and, but also with you, dani strotzt only in such a way before energy.
-these it needs even if it further so strongly to drive is and sometime to carnival and robic wants to attack.
-thus give gas and strike purely in grope which things holds - we and above all dani give finally also everything…"
hasta la Vista of the TS 23
-dani in letzen the two to meet for your energy thirsted, but it was to be down-loaded with difficulty mails and into pace car brought. therefore Patrick, furnished its brother, at home a new “energy for dani” address on the website.
-now it is not thus only appropriate for us still with dani and, but also with you, dani strotzt only in such a way before energy.
-these it needs even if it further so strongly to drive is and sometime to carnival and robic wants to attack.
-thus give gas and strike purely in grope which things holds - we and above all dani give finally also everything…"
hasta la Vista of the TS 23
Jo
hnJ is looking good at TS 1
hnJ is looking good at TS 1So stay tuned, I'll be searching the web tirelessly to gather the RAAM info.
TS 1 pics courtesy the San Diego Century Riders
TS 1 pics courtesy the San Diego Century Riders
RideOn
JB
Check out Bretts site for a recent update.
