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20th Race Across America (RAAM)
Portland, Oregon to Pensacola, Florida. June 16 - ?
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What Is Victory?
By David Jacobson
Some RAAM racers believe victory is finishing. Others think victory is finishing first. Still others dream of setting records. Whatever their thoughts, victorious racers have one thing in common: they have conquered themselves.
This trait appears in Team RAF/BAE Systems/Cap Gemini Ernst & Young as they prepare to arrive here in the next hour or so. For all their blood and sweat (honestly, there were no tears, even when that Springfield ER doc was wrenching David Green's shattered elbow), RAF's victory is less physical than mental and emotional.
How so? When Green went down on those Colorado railroad tracks, the team deflated briefly. Riders and crew alike had to first come to grips with the threat to their teammate's well-being. Then they had to readjust their understanding of the racing challenge they faced.
Twenty minutes into their rest after an eight-hour shift, riders Steve Wilcox and Dave Cook were suddenly back on, ready to spell Keith "Jacko" Jackson, who was sharing Green's shift. But when they went back out into the brutal Colorado headwind, it was no longer about cracking their two-year-old course record.
All the training and mental preparation in pursuit of that goal was moot, despite Green's insistence that he would ride again. Now it was about outrunning the competition, about trying to finish in less than six days, and most importantly, continuing to compete with dignity and honor despite the setback.
Crew Chief Stephen Masters shook his head briefly, reconsidered, changed the shifts once, then again to keep the remaining three riders razor sharp and focused on their new goals. Shift leaders Neil Jones and Neil Storey applied their unique brands of motivation.
Not every team member agreed with every other team member as to the proper approach. There were doubts. There was confusion. Then there were 500 miles left, and in the heat and humidity of an Arkansas afternoon, the riders joined the crew in believing they would achieve their mission.
The collective psyche conquered itself and reminded every weary, sweat-soaked limb to continue pushing. In so doing, RAF was victorious. And soon they will cross the finish line first.
They Rose Above
A large crowd gathered out of curiosity and at the urgings of MC Greg Pressler to cheer on the first finisher of the Insight Race Across America, Team RAF/BAE Systems/Cap Gemini Ernst & Young. David Green's elbow injury kept him from riding across the finish as all had hoped.
However, Green joined his mates onstage as Race Director Lon Haldeman draped medals over their necks. Team and crew posed for press photos. Then it was down to the soft white-sand beach to douse each other with bubbly and dive into the drink. Hours later, the lads were still frolicking in the warm Gulf.
Within 24 hours, MCs at two time stations--Kosciusko and Pensacola--greeted the riders with British music. While Kosciusko's MC offered "God Save The Queen," Pressler opted for slightly more energetic selections from The Who. Two bikini-clad young women decorated themselves with stickers the RAF team handed out and waved a Union Jack.
Meanwhile, many other racers continue to labor. Team SAS should hit Pensacola shortly after midnight. Barring disaster, Wolfgang Fasching will arrive next, the solo winner, at 10:00 Tuesday morning. He leads Rob Kish by about 200 miles. Kish holds a 60-mile lead on Allen Larsen, who is holding off a charge by Stefan Lau. Lau trails Larsen by 40 miles and leads Fredi Virag by about 100.
In the two-person team competition, Team Clif Bar leads Team Millennium/IRSA by about 90 miles. With the weather and the water so beautiful in Pensacola, crowds will gather to cheer on all finishers.
Results - as at day 8
Men's Solo
Time Section Time Distance covered To go Average speed
1 Wolfgang Fasching 50 23:00 2850.7 141.2 13.84 miles per hour
2 Rob Kish 44 18:26 2580.5 411.4 12.81
3 Allen Larsen 44 22:01 2580.5 411.4 12.59
4 Stefan Lau 43 22:00 2526.4 465.5 12.32
5 Fredi Virag 41 21:00 2424.8 567.1 11.89
6 Franz Venier 39 21:07 2342.0 649.9 11.47
7 Sam Beal 39 23:33 2342,0 649.9 11.34
8 Arend-Jan Koning 38 20:07 2292.8 699.1 11.29
9 Guus Moonen 37 20:10 2225.0 766.9 10.95
10 Michael Lau 37 23:38 2225.0 766.9 10.77
11 Wolfgang Kulow 33 23:35 1956.4 1035.5 9.47
12 Ricardo Arap 30 7:56 1758.2 1233.7 9.21
13 Ish Makk DNF 24 21:34 1434.9 1557.9 10.82
14 Mark Patten DNF 21 16:45 1281.3 1710.6 12.35
15 Byron Rieper DNF 21 21:18 1281.3 1710.6 9.68
16 Fabio Biasiolo DNF 18 12:52 1082.2 1909.7 14.26
17 Jack Vincent DNF 9 18:20 571.1 2420.8 9.96
Women's Solo
1 Sandy Earl DNF 16 13:47 986.6 2005.3 9.79
Tandem Mixed
1 George Thomas & Terri Gooch 36 20:33 2168.6 823.3 10.65
Two Person Men's Team
1 Team Clif Bar 40 20:21 2375.5 616.4 15.8
2 Team Millennium/IRSA 38 20:19 2292.8 699.1 15.25
3 Leader Bike USA 35 23:02 2088.9 903.0 13.65
Two Person Mixed Team
1 Team Two Roads DNF 20 13:58 1211.0 1780.9 12.62
Four Person Men's Team
1 Team RAF/BAE SYSTEMS/CG 54 14:45 2991.9 0 20.67
2 Team Swiss Academic Skiclub 53 23:29 2892.4 99.5 18.85
3 Team San Diego 48 21:40 2767.0 224.9 18.24
Four Person Women's Team
1 Team ZISVAW 42 22:12 2473.4 518.5 16.25
Four Person Mixed Team
1 Team No Limits 44 22:15 2580.5 411.4 16.95
2 The Twin PAC 38 23:15 2292.8 699.1 14.96
