About Race Across America
In 1982, four riders lined up in Santa Monica, California and raced to New York in the Great American Bike Race. That first running of what became the Race Across America was won by Lon Haldeman, one of the world's great ultra-distance cyclists. The race has been run every year since then. What makes RAAM unique is that it is not raced in stages, drafting is not allowed and entry is open to men and women alike with little regard to age, to teams and solo riders and to upright and recumbent bikes. The challenges lie in completing the event and in competing within one's entry category.
For the 2007 running of the race, there are 192 riders registered to ride. In addition, there are four teams of eight riders doing 24 hours of RAAM. For team Velokraft, the category challenge is not only the two man recumbent division but also the two man (upright) team division. The teams will finish in six or seven days while the leading solo rider will finish in nine days.
A team will race in relay mode other than when weather conditions demand that echelon riding would be beneficial - team members are permitted to draft their own team members. A fully supported team will ride continuosly with support typically coming from three vehicles - one to follow the rider (pace car), one to leapfrog with the next rider (frogger) and one to carry the resting team and crew (RV). Typically, riders will do shorter pulls during hte daytime hours (say one hour at a time) and longer pulls at night (say three to four hours). Sleep is possible but will be very fragmented - and sleep deprivation is the toughest challenge for riders and crew alike.
The route passes through 56 time stations and elevation ranges from 170 feet below sea level at Mecca, California to 10,550 feet at Wolf Creek Pass in Colorado and climbs in total 108,000 feet. The route croses the five longest US rivers and crosses 15 state lines. The most Southerly point is the start at Oceanside, California and the most Northerly point is Urbana, Ohio. The longest straight section is 22 miles (nothing compared to the longest straight road in Australia which is 90 miles).
Australian interest
Australia has long had an interest in the race with Gerry Tatrai competing solo eight times, winning twice (1993 and 1998), finishing third four times and finishing fourth once with only one DNF. Cassie Lowe competed in the Solo Women's division in 2000 and 2001. In 2007, Glenn Druery is joined also by Kerry White, an Australian living in Colorado, riding in the Solo Women's division and Richard Vollebregt in the Men's Solo division. Richard holds the record for riding across Australia set in 2006 taking 22 hours off the prior record. Peter Wilson from Kyabram in Victoria rides in a two man Donate Life team and Monique Hanley from Yarragon in Victoria rides in an eight man team for Team Type I