RAAM’s first starters roll out of Oceanside, California

By Vic Armijo
The Race Across America began Tuesday at noon as the solo women and the only age 60+ male entrant rolled out of Oceanside, California.

The five women in this edition make up largest women’s’ field in the event’s 29-year history. By the 49-mile mark at the first time station at Henshaw Lake, California. the riders had spread out, with all riders rolling by within a ten-minute span.

First to make Lake Henshaw was French rider Barbara Buatois. The 32-year-old is one of two women in this year’s event who hope to become the first woman to complete RAAM on a recumbent bicycle. The other recumbent rider, 47-year-old American rider Sandy Earl, is back for her second RAAM after having pulled out on her first attempt in 2002.

RAAM Rookie Dex Tooke, the sole age 60+ male rider, had an anxious moment when he arrived at the time station before his support crew. Fortunately his crew arrived within a minute and set themselves to the task of attending to feeding and cleaning their rider and switching out a wobbly rear wheel.

“It sure is hot,” Tooke reported, which means a lot coming from a Texan, “And I didn’t realize that there was this much climbing this early.”

The 20 miles after Lake Henshaw are among the route’s most dramatic as the riders climb to over 4,200 feet, enjoy a brief view of the desert floor some and then lose over 3,000 feet of that elevation in a nine mile descent that’s been nicknamed “The Glass Elevator.” First over the summit was South African Michelle Santilhano, back after a frustrating DNF in 2009. In her quest to reach the finish in Annapolis, Maryland, Santilhano increased her training miles and made a few minor changes to her equipment, “Just fine tuning,” she explained.

Mercifully, the desert wasn’t as hot as in recent years — not that temperatures of over 90 make for pleasant cycling — but most of the field fared well across Anza-Borrego. Although Tooke did have some stomach issues and was fighting cramps. Upon his arrival at time-station #3 in the desert town of Brawley, his crew took him into his motor home to — as his wife Jonnie explained “Cool him down, wash him down and make him eat. He didn’t feel like eating earlier and I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer.”

The men’s solo field departs later on Wednesday.

Four-time winner Jure Robic of Slovenia is the favorite and reportedly has vowed to break the long-standing record of an average speed of 15.4 mph set by RAAM pioneer Pete Penseyres back in 1986. With there being variations in the course each year, average speed has long been the accepted means of comparing riders and years. In his quest for speed Robic has been racing in traditional road races on an Italian Pro-Am team and has posted some top finishes and even some wins — not bad for a 45-year-old.

FILED UNDER: News / Race Report TAGS: RAAM