Race Across America

The Race Across America ( RAAM ) is a well -run annual bike race that runs from the west coast of the United States to the east coast. The aim is to cover the distance of 4,800 km at a total height difference of more than 51 816 m within a fixed time limit.

Race Mode

There are on the track about 57 checkpoints, which are to pass through. In order to finish the race successfully, a time limit must be adhered to: For individual drivers, this limit is 12 days and 5 hours. This means an average speed of about 17 km / h, including all breaks, sleep, and traffic-related stops. Each participant can choose when and where he wants to insert itself naps. He must balance between the value of additional travel time and the possibility of regeneration by sleep by it. Most campers sleep daily average of about two hours. Whether participation in the Race Across America because of the physical and mental stress leads to permanent damage is controversial.

The RAAM was the first time in 1982, at that time, held under the name Great American Bike Race with four participants. Over the years, RAAM was expanded to include a women's and a variety of team and Age Ratings ( seniors).

Outstanding participants

The most successful participants in the individual race of Men is the Slovenian Jure Robič, who won RAAM five times. Has become a legend Rob Kish, who went 20 times during RAAM until 2005 at the start, 19 times reaching the goal and for this celebrated three victories. Also three victories reached the Austrian Wolfgang Fasching. In 2006, the Swiss Dani Wyss won the first "rookie" ( first appearance of a driver ). 2012 repeated this feat again a Swiss, this time Reto Schoch.

On a special tactics grabbed Michael Nehls 2008 Return: Instead of restricting sleep to a minimum, he drove every day in about 15 hours about 400 miles and had so minus meal breaks every night around 6 hours of sleep. He got away with it in seventh place and received an award as one participant who has the most slept in the history of the race. By his own account he was not overtaken on the road once.

Also succeeded in the Austrian Christoph Strasser in 2013 as the first to finish all under 8 days of the race.

Mortality

Previously there were two deaths during races. 2003, the team member Brett Malin was killed in a collision with a truck. The accident occurred at Pie Town, New Mexico. Died in 2005 RAAM pioneer and solo participants Bob Breedlove in a collision with an oncoming vehicle near Trinidad, Colorado. The circumstances of the accident is still unclear, since Breedlove was traveling alone, his escort vehicle drove a few miles behind him.

Winners Men Singles

  • 2004 Slovenia Jure Robič
  • 2005 Slovenia Jure Robič
  • 2006 Switzerland Daniel Wyss
  • 2007, Slovenia Jure Robič
  • 2008 Slovenia Jure Robič
  • 2009 Switzerland Daniel Wyss
  • 2010 Slovenia Jure Robič
  • 2012 Switzerland Reto Schoch

Winners Women's Singles

  • 2004 - not at the start
  • 2005 Sweden Cat Mountain
  • 2006 United States Shanna Armstrong
  • 2007 - not in the target
  • 2008 - not in the target
  • Daniela Figueiredo Genovesi 2009 Brazil
  • 2010 France Barbara Buatois
  • 2011 Israel Leah Goldstein
  • 2012 SchweizTrix Zgraggen

Records

Trinidad (Colorado) Australia
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