skip wrote:
If that was a 24 hour race I would say it was a hell of a feat for
anyone,
let alone a 48 year old, and expecially so if it was done without
drafting.
Are there previous records for the event, Mr. Gorilla? Has anyone
broken
the 500 mile mark?
skip
Here is Rich Pinto's full report from the Bacchetta list:
Subject: Recumbent history made at Sebring 12/24 race (rambling, long)
Recumbent and upright history was made at the Sebring RAAM
qualifier
this weekend, with simultaneous super human performances by 48 YO
recumbent
rider Jim Kern, and 32 YO upright rider Chris McDonald.
Bacchetta team member's James Ossa, Jay Copp and Bill Wolf also
did
extremely well, medaling in their various categories despite some
serious
intestinal and other medical problems. The event conditions were
really tough, and
it really took their toll on all of the riders at the race, with DNF's
being
common on both the 12 and 24 hour races.
The Bacchetta team ended up completing their first centuries
between
4:25 to 4:45, with three of the four riders competing in the no draft,
24 hour
division.
The Sebring course (despite being in supposedly flat Florida) has
not
been kind to those attempting to qualify for RAAM. The constant high
winds,
hills, and slowdowns for stop signs and turnarounds really conspired to
keep the
speeds much lower than they would be in ideal conditions.
The former course 24 hour record holder (431 miles) from England
was
there doing the 12 hour race, and was previously the only male to ever
qualify
for RAAM (minimum 425 miles in 24 hours) at the event.
Both Jim Kern and uprighter Chris McDonald were in the RAAM
qualifier
division, where any drafting or proximity to other riders at any point
would
result in a disqualification.
On a day that was pleasant and sunny but very windy, the riders
set
out at 6:30 AM on a three mile loop of the 3.7 mile Sebring race track,
then an
89 mile loop out on the open roads, and then back to do multiple laps
on the
11.2 mile loop on the local roads. RIders would experience hundreds
of
hills, stops and slowdowns for traffic and turnarounds in the course of
the 12 hour
daytime ride, very far from an ideal course to maximize speed.
After 6:30PM, the 12 hour race concluded, and the 24 hour
riders rode
onto to the mostly unlit concrete (with many expansion joints) Sebring
racetrack for the 3.7 mile night loops.
In the end, Bacchetta Aero rider Jim Kern ended up with 486.5
miles,
just 26 seconds short of completing the lap that would have given him
over 490
miles. Jim was riding a borrowed bike, with just a couple of mile test
ride
to fit him to the bike. Jim's final average speed was 20.41 MPH for 24
hours.
We knew he had a chance to get his last 3.7 mile lap, and even people
who
did'nt know Jim got drawn into the screaming frenzy at the finish line
as the
official 24 hour time clock expired.
Jim's 24 hour distance was more than doubles the previous UMCA
12 hour
recumbent record of 241 miles set by Bryon Grimley in 2000.
The upright rider Chris McDonald finished with 500 miles (!!)
shortly before the time expired. IMO, after looking at the conditions
and tracks
involved in other UMCA upright records, his was possibly the single
best one
day performance on an upright in the history of the UMCA.
Chris is the coach of a professional womens team in Denmark, and
a US
citizen who has been living abroad for the last several years. He had a
Danish
documentary film crew following him during and after the race, as he
has
apparently got quite a reputation in his adopted land. I got to talk
to him and
his dad for quite a while during and after the race, both very nice
people.
Thanks again to Jim, James, my St. Pete buds Jay and Bill, the
tireless and supportive wives of Jay and and James... Carla and Conchi
(sorry if I
mispelled!), James son Jimmy, last years RAAM relay crew member Terry
Frank
(and her killer pooches Crystal and Rudy)
Also congrats on the great 24 hour bent performances by Larry
Grahm
and Dave Balfour! Great job guys!
Support was tougher than I thought, I'm going to sleep now for
about
two days ;)
Rich Pinto
Bacchetta Bicycles
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