Race Across America

LIEUTENANT COLONEL BHARAT PANNU 6TH IN SOLO MALE UNDER 50, EARNS ARMED FORCE CUP
If At First You Don’t Succeed
11 Days, 23 Hours, 36 Minutes

Lt. Col. Bharat Pannu’s (India) quest for a Race Across America finisher’s plaque and jersey has been, much like RAAM, long and difficult. Had things worked as planned, he’d have earned those precious keepsakes in RAAM 2019. But misfortune prevailed—during his final training in Borrego Springs prior to RAAM 2019, he broke a collar bone 20 days before the start. He then planned to return for RAAM 2020, but of course, RAAM went on a COVID19 hiatus in 2020.

Pannu was finally able to compete in RAAM 2022. He rode well initially, but his pace lagged and he was the last RAAM soloist to reach Durango, Colorado. He pressed on, but eventually he withdrew after reaching Greensburg, Indiana. The reason given for his DNF (Did Not Finish) was “exhaustion.

This year, the Indian Armed Forces Electronics and Mechanical Engineer (EME) made it all the way to Atlantic City, finishing in 11 days, 23 hours, and 36 minutes, earning him a finisher’s plaque and jersey, AND RAAM’s Armed Forces Cup presented to the fastest active military solo racer. The joy shared among Pannu and his crew shined brightly on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. When he took to the stage and was asked how it felt to reach and then pass Greensburg, Indiana, he replied, “Old memories. It was tough to pass the point. But we noted that we were passing that point about 36 hours before we passed it the last time.”

His race went well, “It went as per plan,” he said. “Though there were a few surprises as well—route changes by RAAM really took us by surprise. We never anticipated that it would be adding about 15 to 20 hours to our race time. We were expecting about 5 to 6 hours. My favorite part was Colorado. It was fun riding there—very beautiful.”

Pannu’s military experience prepared him well for the various weather changes along the route, “Being in the army, I’ve stayed in all parts of India—from the Himalayas to coastal areas and the desert plains. So the desert, for me it was okay. But the humidity combined with the heat for the last two days in the Appalachians was actually quite challenging.”

He ended his finish line chat with praise for his crew, “The job of the crew is to keep me reminded that I’ve come to the US for the Race Across America because in the last five days, I was tending to forget after my sleep breaks that I’ve come here for a race. That was a very difficult challenge for them.”

Pannu Ultracycling

$AVE MONEY. REGISTER BY AUGUST 15, 2024
Take advantage of the discounted entries until August 15. Plan ahead for the best prices for all three races!

The 2025 event dates:

Race Across America - June 10 & 14, 2025 - raamrace.org

Race Across the West - June 10, 2025 - raceacrossthewest.org

Race Across the East - June 18, 2025 - raceacrosstheeast.org

6-12-24 HOUR WORLD TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
202412- & 24-Hour Races are Sold Out!

Still want in? Watch for cancellations.
𝟔-𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐲.

Borrego Springs, California

November 1st - 3rd, 2024

Come help us celebrate our 10th Year in Borrego Springs.

The 24-Hour and the 12-Hour of this year’s 6-12-24 Hour World Time Trial Championships are sold out. However, it’s been our experience that some riders will cancel. When they do, we’ll make their entries available. So if you missed out and want to race, check our registration page often.

Borrego Springs was chosen for many reasons … the weather is near perfect – sunny, with an average daytime high of 80F, nighttime low of 55F, and less than 1/3” (8mm) rainfall during the month of the race, although there can be a surprise now and then. Borrego lies at the foot of the Coast range in a small desert valley. The town is entirely surrounded by Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California's largest state park and second largest in the nation. The area is easily accessible from San Diego and Los Angeles. With a population of only 3,500, the roads are low traffic, safe. There are no stoplights!

Register Here: https://www.24hrworlds.com/

10 YEARS AGO

SPIEGEL SALE!
San Marino carbon fiber frames for only $1,200!

Spiegel Bicycle’s San Marino frame is very popular among ultra-cyclists, with several of the top names in RAAM, RAW, and WTTC riding these wonderful carbon fiber beauties to victory.

We need to make some room in the RAAM Headquarters warehouse, so we’re clearing out our inventory of San Marinos for just $1,200 each. Don’t delay. When they’re gone they’re gone!
Order yours here:https://www.raamrace.org/online-store/Spiegel-San-Marino-Custom-Bicycle-Frames-c57886011

We have one of each of the frames described below. What size is right for you? Refer to the third image.
San Marino with the Race Across the West blue graphics.
Size: Medium. Brake Type: Rim
San Marino with the Race Across America red/white/blue graphics.
Size: Medium. Brake Type: Disc.
San Marino with the Race Across America red/white/blue graphics.
Size: XLarge. Brake Type: Disc

SILVER STATE 508
Reno, NV - September 13-15, 2024
Don't Delay! Standard Registration Pricing Ends August 16th!
Register Here: https://www.the508.net/registration-1

A Race Across America produced event!

Founded by John Marino in 1983 and recognized as "The Toughest 48 hours in Sport," Silver State 508 is the world's premier weekend ultra cycling race. This 508-mile bicycle race is revered the world over for its epic mountain climbs, stark desert scenery, desolate roads, and its reputation as one of the toughest but most gratifying endurance challenges available, bar none.
Solo, two-person relay, and four-person relay divisions are offered, with sub-categories for standard bikes, tandems, recumbents, fixed gear, and single-speed bikes.
Silver State 508 is a Race Across America (RAAM) Qualifier.
Silver State 508 starts and finishes in Reno, NV, and crosses northern Nevada on Hwy 50, also known as "the loneliest highway in America."
Racers under 30 years old can receive 20% off the entry fee.
Full race information can be found at the508.net, and be sure to follow the Silver State 508 page for news and updates.

3-TIME RAAM FINISHER KABIR RACHURE TO RETURN IN 2025

Here’s a great video about Kabir Rachure (India), a lawyer from India who is also a very fast ultra-cyclist who has completed the Race Across America three times, and has gotten faster each time. His first RAAM in 2019 took him 11 days, 22 hours, and 43 minutes, (10.71 mph average). He chopped off nearly 11 hours in 2022 when he rode in in 11 days, 11 hours, and 30 minutes. Last year cut off a huge chunk--10 Days, 19 Hours, 21 Minutes (11.71 mph average) and finished second in the under-50 solo male category. Will 2025 be the year he trims even more time and finishes in under 10 days? If he can, he might even take one more step up on the podium.

Not only is Rachure fast and capable, he’s also a super nice guy with a sense of humor. Last year when he finished, he rode under the finish line arch wearing a Garfield the cat shirt, sandals, and casual shorts—much to the amusement of his crew. “I was tired of wearing bike shorts,” he said with a shrug.”

Kabir Rachure
Seats
Bikes

https://www.dw.com/en/meet-kabir-rachure-indias-ultracycling-pioneer/video-65107188?fbclid=IwY2xjawEkarpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZNW7g1T9aa3-IluwWNbwt69s71zU8kXzaO_DFjrQRf7mBIIDk_KFkzZOg_aem_Ae6tWcqwcVhl6_OeykitCw

Meet Kabir Rachure, India's ultracycling pioneer – DW – 08/09/2024 Kabir Rachure is a lawyer, but his passion is cycling. Rachure is the pioneer of ultracycling in India. His dream is to become the world's most successful long-distance cyclist. But the sport comes with risk.

TEAM WASHINGTON: It’s a Family Affair
5 Family members & 3 Friends Finish 8-Person RAAM
8 Days, 16 Hours, 22 Minutes, 14.7 mph average

One of the most unusual and most inspiring 8-person teams to ever take on the Race Across America, arrived on the Atlantic City Boardwalk in New Jersey 8 days, 16 hours, and 22 minutes after leaving the Oceanside, California Pier. The team was made up of the Punke family; with mom, Lori; dad Tim, sons Tucker and Jack; and the youngest female to ever finish team RAAM, 13-year-old daughter Kiki. Filling out the team were friends Brian Pomper, and David Marchick.

The Punke family is from Mercer Island, Washington, hence the team name, “Team Washington.” Dad Tim started doing triathlons when he was 16 and has completed a dozen full and half-Ironmans. Tim has also participated several times in RATPOD (Montana's Ride Around The Pioneers in One Day). When not biking or running, Tim runs the West Coast Office for Monument Advocacy, a government relations and public affairs consulting firm. Mom Lori is quite the athlete too—she's run more than 10 marathons, including a couple of Boston Marathons.

On the finish-line state, Tim explained how their RAAM effort began. “It wasn’t actually me. I had a buddy, who said, ‘Let’s go do RAAM as a 4-person team,’ and I got really excited about it, but then he bailed. So I said to my wife Lori, ‘We should think about doing something like this,’ and she said the only way she would do it is if we did it with our whole family. So we put together an 8-person team, grabbed three of our best friends, and put it together.”

Lori commented, “I think if we’d have known everything that’s involved we might have gotten cold feet. But because we were novice and scrappy, and had a lot of spirit to get this done, that’s what brought us across the line.”

Daughter Kiki, RAAM’s youngest female finisher ever, said, “It was amazing. It was so beautiful and so fun. It was really cool.” Though she admitted that being with her two brothers for a week had its challenges, “Ahh…you know—it’s a lot.” Though the two brothers had good things to say. Jack said, “It was a great time. I was lucky to spend time with so many great people. It was a super-fantastic experience.” And Tucker described the experience as, “Testing! It was a lot. But I think it was really fun. We all had a good time and got to know each other. We just had a blast!”

Crew chief, Natalie Oliver summed it all up, “I’m not gonna lie—it was tough. But if there are two things I can take away from this experience, I think what pushed us through this is heart, and perseverance. This is definitely by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. And I couldn’t have done it without these amazing people by my side—especially Inkum as well. She was kind of my rock there. We were both experiencing a lot of similarities. But at the same time, we all helped each other out and picked up different loads. This was just an incredible experience.”

The team raced in support of Legacies Alive, an organization for the Gold Star Families of the United States. The term “Gold Star” describes a family member who has lost a loved one in military service. https://legaciesalive.com/uncategorized/tim-punte-family/
http://www.legaciesalive.com

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RACE AROUND AOMORI
(August 17, 2024 - Shin Aomori Station, Japan)

The Race Around Aomori is Japan’s first RQ. There are 2 distances – 650km and 1,000km. Both are RAAM Qualifiers.



The Race Around Aomori 650 is open to Solo riders as well as 2 and 4-person teams. Riders will start and finish at the Shin Aomori Station, a 3-hour journey from Tokyo. The 650km (400 mi) route with 10,348 mt (33,950ft) of elevation gain passes through the most scenic areas of Aomori Prefecture, located at the northernmost tip of the Island of Honshu.



The Race Around Aomori 1000 is open to solo riders as well as 2 and 6-person teams. Riders will start and finish at the Shin-Aomori Station. The 1000 km (620 mi) route with 15,181 mt (49,806 ft) of elevation gain is a large loop around the boundary of the Aomori Prefecture.



Both routes take riders from the Pacific Coast to the Sea of Japan Coast. They follow mostly minimal traffic roads along rugged coast lines with thick pine forests, birch covered mountains, large lakes, and rice fields and apple orchards that spread out from the foothills of the perfectly shaped volcanic cone of Iwaki Mountain.

More information … https://ultracycling.jp/about-raa/

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIM SKIPPER
& CONGRATULATIONS ON 22ND RAAM TEAM FINISH

Team Skipper 7 Days, 20 Minutes, 18.20 mph average
4-Person 60-69 Male

All of us with the Race Across America hope that RAAM Hall of Fame member Tim Skipper (USA) has a great birthday today. And we also want to recognize him and the rest of Team Skipper for their strong finish at this year’s RAAM.

Just as it wouldn’t be June without RAAM, it almost wouldn’t be the Race Across America (RAAM) without Tim Skipper (USA) fielding a team. Over the years the Los Angeles, California software consultant has fielded RAAM teams of varying sizes and even tandem and fixed gear teams.

This year’s effort, his 22nd, was a 4-Person Male Age 60-69 team made up of Skipper, Robert Kelly (USA), Brad Wiggs (USA), and Peter Horton (UK). The team was gunning for the record set in the 2014 edition of the RAAM when the 4-person Male Age 60-69 team Equipe Hubert Schwarz completed that year’s 3,020-mile course in 6 days, 14, hours, and 18 minutes (19.08 mph average).

In the end the German’s record still stands, but Skipper was nonetheless proud of his team’s effort, “I felt very good about it,” he said on the finish-line stage, “The wind didn’t go our way. We had the opportunity of breaking that record, I believe. RAAM Hall of Fame member Tim Skipper, “Each RAAM experience is special in its own right. This team has an enormous amount of experience and skills. Just amazing. Each time they have a little bit different flavors of this and that—the Brazilians last year. But we have a very very strong team—the crew did an exceptional job. They spent many many hours awake and these racers are just expert racers. Pros, they’re pros.”

Along with their racing effort, the team raised funds through Cyclists Fighting Cancer a charity that enables children and young people living with cancer across the UK to regain their physical fitness and mental wellness by giving them new bikes, adapted trikes, tandems, other equipment, and support. Physical activity is a key element in rehabilitation from treatments. To learn more visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/peter-horton-1707727403919

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR RACING BUDGET
2025 RAAM/RAW/RAE Early Registration Rates Until August 15

Registration for the 2025 races is open. Take advantage of the discounted entries until August 15. Plan ahead for the best prices for all three races!

The 2025 event dates:

Race Across America - June 10 & 14, 2025 - raamrace.org

Race Across the West - June 10, 2025 - raceacrossthewest.org

Race Across the East - June 18, 2025 - raceacrosstheeast.org

Crew/Racer Seminars - TBD - raamrace.org

All event updates will be posted on the race website. Stay tuned and lock in your dates!

PHOTOS ARE NOW AVAILABLE
RACE ACROSS AMERICA
RACE AROSS THE WEST
& RACE ACROSS THE EAST
during this year's Race Across America, Race Across the West, and Race Across the East, RAAM Media spent long days and long nights out on the course documenting the race. The stunning images they captured show their love and dedication to RAAM, RAW, and RAE. We are now making these pictures available to purchase for personal use only directly from the photographers. Details are below.
We kindly ask that you respect our photographers' craft and copyright. Please do not screenshot photos or attempt to obtain photos without properly compensating the photographer.
Vic Armijo been photographing and writing about RAAM races every year since 2006. His photos are at https://vicarmijo.smugmug.com/RAAM-2024
RAAM RAW and are all in one gallery. Use the search box on the upper right of the page to find your rider or team by their number. It's searchable by rider/team number. RAW riders, when searching be sure to include the "R" "E" before your number.
RAE finishes are here: https://vicarmijo.smugmug.com/RACE-ACROSS-THE-EAST-FINISHES
Digital downloads ($25) and 5x7 prints ($20) are available.
For commercial use, please contact Vic at [email protected].

Jen Magnuson's galleries are at:
https://www.jenmagnusonphoto.com/gallery-collection/2024-Race-Across-America/C0000p3vKY1EFiCM
https://www.jenmagnusonphoto.com/gallery-collection/2024-Race-Across-the-West/C0000KAwFz1ueHEE

Photos can be searched by bib number or team/racer name.
Personal use digital download - $25
5x7 Prints - $20
8x10 prints - $25
Additional prints and commercial or editorial use licenses are available by contacting [email protected].

RAAM STORE
Re-stocked and Ready For YOUR order.
The online RAAM Store has been updated and is fully stocked to include merchandise from the 2024 RAAM, RAW, and now RAE races. New items include bike jerseys, t-shirts, posters, and more.

https://www.raamrace.org/online-store

SILVER STATE 508
Reno, NV - September 13-15, 2024

Don't Delay! Standard Registration Pricing Ends August 16th!

Register Here: https://www.the508.net/registration-1

A Race Across America produced event!

Founded by John Marino in 1983 and recognized as "The Toughest 48 hours in Sport," Silver State 508 is the world's premier weekend ultra cycling race. This 508-mile bicycle race is revered the world over for its epic mountain climbs, stark desert scenery, desolate roads, and its reputation as one of the toughest but most gratifying endurance challenges available, bar none.

Solo, two-person relay, and four-person relay divisions are offered, with sub-categories for standard bikes, tandems, recumbents, fixed gear, and single-speed bikes.

Silver State 508 is a Race Across AMerica (RAAM) Qualifier.

Silver State 508 starts and finishes in Reno, NV and crosses northern Nevada on Hwy 50, also known as "the loneliest highway in America."

Racers under 30 years old can receive 20% off the entry fee.

Full race information can be found at the508.net, and be sure to follow the Silver State 508 page for news and updates.

TEAM ONE LIFE: New 4-Person Mixed 50-59 Record & $60K Raised to Fight Cancer
6 days, 12 hours, 11 minutes,19.62 mph average
“We had a good crew and crew chief, so we didn’t have to think.”

Team One Life, the 4-person team that won this year’s Race Across America (RAAM) Age 50-59 category is driven by passion—passion for the race and for Special Love, the children’s cancer support effort that they raced in support of, and raised $60,000 for. The team, made up of Brian Hetherington, Rick Phelan, Dave Lundberg, and Amy Hite, is a group of amateur athletes, all with long lists of marathons, Triathlons, Ironman events, and cycling events to their credit. Hite has done 41 full-distance Ironman races including six finishes at the Ironman World Championships!

At the finish, the team, clad in their colorful kits, was in great spirits, as was their crew, having just set a record with an overall average speed of 19.6 mph. When asked how their race went, Hetherington claimed, “We just made it up as we went along!” But then revealed the true nature of their victory, “We had a good crew and crew chief, so we didn’t have to think. We had the easy job—they—the crew, had the hard job. Literally, the strategy was right there. Our crew chief, Alyssa (Godesky) called all the shots and told us when to hold back, and when to push harder. We were doing 6-hour shifts and then we were doing 20-minute on average pulls. In West Kansas when it was blowing sideways I think Rick and I were doing—what?—5-minute pulls at times.”

The idea to take on RAAM came about by chance when team leader Hetherington, who lives in Annapolis, spotted some RAAM racers. “The first few years that I was living in Annapolis I was seeing its riders and crews go by and I'm like, ‘What's this?’” he explained. “So, you know, I was racking my brain with, okay, I'm a strong cyclist. I'm a strong endurance athlete besides getting into triathlons. What can I do with this?”

“We’re racing to support Special Love for Children with Cancer. That organization, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, puts on programs to support kids dealing with advanced cancer treatments, and they also do financial help for families with kids going through treatment. At their summer camp program, they do a parents' weekend, and they do a brothers and sisters' weekend. They also do some virtual sessions of which we're actually in the midst right now of scheduling and planning a virtual session that we're going to do with the kids on Race Across America.”

Hetherington provided more detail on Special Love. “I've worked with them with my company since about 2015 and recently joined the Board of Directors. I've been the company lead. Since we started working with them we would help by volunteering at some of their camps. And we also did a lot of work with the infrastructure; repairing facilities and stuff like that at the camp that they use. RAAM, it was a natural fit. I already knew the organization; I knew how they were run. They're fairly lean with just four or five full -time employees. And yet they run the organization very well. They get a lot of support from the Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina areas.”

To help them surpass that $60K mark, visit: https://tinyurl.com/59yyadnb
To learn more about this worthy charity, visit: www.specialove.org

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Atlantic City Sports Commission
Brian Hetherington

HAPPY 62nd BIRTHDAY DR. VINCE
Enjoy $62 off Infinity Bike Seats! Join us in celebrating the inventor of the best bike seat in the industry! ❤️

Use discount code Bday$62 at checkout.
https://infinitybikeseat.com/

WOLFGANG FASCHING’S RETURN TO RAAM
3-Time Solo Winner Crews for Floro Racing Team

Floro Racing Team, an Austrian squad in this year’s Race Across America (RAAM) had a crew of 21—perhaps the largest crew we’ve ever seen for a 4-person team. Blending in almost anonymously with his fellow crew members was 3-time solo RAAM winner (1997, 2000, and 2002) Wolfgang Fasching (Austria). With the wealth of experience gained in 8 RAAM—all of which resulted in finishes—he was appropriately assigned to be a team captain.

We had a very pleasant chat with the RAAM veteran at the finish line in Atlantic City, where Fasching told us how it was for him to be back in the thick of RAAM. “So many memories!” he said. “On the road, as I followed the team it was very emotional for me when I saw the huge country and the different roads and streets. I was often near to crying. Yes, I had tears in my eyes because I had so many images in my mind about my story, my history, and that it's remembered to me that I loved this race. I loved this race. It was a big, big, big thing for myself that changed my life, that changed my whole life because when I did this, after that I wrote eight books, I gave seminars, I gave speeches about motivation, mental strengths, and so on. That's my profession now, that depends on Race Across America."

Six-time RAAM solo winner Christoph Strasser (Austria) seems to be following the same path; using his RAAM wins as a foundation for becoming a motivational speaker. Fasching commented on Strasser, the man who early in his ultra-cycling career had sought Fasching’s advice. “I'm very happy that Christoph is so strong and has had such a great history in RAAM. He put this on a new level. When I cycled I had a normal bike, I think my first time was with a steel frame. Now, it's very important that you use a time-trial bicycle too. It's very nice to see that, the development. When I cycled here, I thought it's possible to do under 8 days. I knew that, but it was not possible for me. But he did it and that makes me very happy that he did this.”

“Not every racer has the luck that I had in finishing. And I was always on the podium, I would say I had a lot of good luck. Even in—I think—1998, when I crashed nearly 200 miles before the finish and broke my collarbone, my team helped me to still finish—finish in second place. That was a very, very exhausting situation. But after we finished, it was a huge emotion for us. And I did it all together, not for myself, always with my team. And my team was the most important part in everything that I did.”

A surprising comment Fasching made is that in watching current RAAM solo riders, he can’t fathom that he ever did it himself.” I cannot imagine that one person can do this. To cycle 5,000 kilometers, it now doesn’t seem possible to me.”

Fasching is still very fit, and rides nearly daily, “I love cycling and I will cycle ever, ever, ever.” But when it was mentioned that Dave Haase (USA) who is older than Fasching, finished as fourth solo overall, Fasching smiled and replied, “Really?” That's nice and congratulations to him, but it's not my way to do this. No. I think I did a cycling race my last time when I was 39 years old and I think that was a good decision to say, okay stop. Very often I dream about Race Across America. When I wake up, I'm very happy that it's just a dream, not reality. But my story, for myself is that I started eight times and I finished eight times. Race Across America is part of my life and is one of the most biggest parts of my life.”

Fasching
Racing
Christoph Strasser
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FLORO RACING TEAM: 2ND 4-Person Under 50 Male
6 Days, 7 Hours, 46 Minutes, 20.19 mph average
“The race was perfect for us, especially because of the crew.”

While they were Race Across America (RAAM rookies), the four men on Floro Racing Team, rode a fine race, finished strongly in second place, and most importantly, had a great time doing so. Adi Stöger, Bernhard Goll, Peter Brandenburger, and Florian Werner, supported by a crew of 21 (including 3-time solo RAAM winner Wolfgang Fasching) were in second for much of the race, fell back to third later, but fought back into second in the Appalachian Mountains.

Perhaps their most challenging times came in Kansas, where the seemingly endless winds lowered their pace, but not their morale. The weather was kind to them in other ways—they never encountered any rain.
On the finish line stage Stöger said, “The race was very good. The plan was to finish under seven days. And now we’re here in six days and---I don’t know—so I would say the race was perfect for us, especially because of the crew. So we have to thank the crew because we were able to only do bicycling.”

That bicycling was done on some unique bikes made of wood. Stöger commented, “They are made in Austria. We love them. They are made of ash wood, and they are very comfortable for us. They are very easy to drive for 5,000 K, 3,000 miles. So better for our asses.”

𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗻𝗮𝗲𝘀 𝟮𝟰 – 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟳, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 – 𝗘𝗯𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘂𝗽, 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸)
𝗥𝗔𝗔𝗠 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗘𝗥

Race organizer, Uggi Kaldan, recently informed us that the Helnaes 24 will be held this year. Apparently, he has had many requests from riders who wish to qualify for RAAM 2025. In response, he has organized a special edition of the Helnaes 24.



In his words, “A RAAM Qualifier event only ... 24 hours to Qualify for RAAM … there will be no 6-hour, 12-hour, draft … no draft riders on the course to disturb the qualifiers. It’s 24 Hours to qualify for RAAM only. There will be no short laps in the end, only the beautiful long lap of 34 kilometers.” To Qualify for Solo RAAM, men must ride 646km (19 laps) and women 544km (17 laps). The event will be limited to 99 riders.



The race will start/finish in Ebberup, which is about 40km SW of Odense, on Funen, the 3rd largest Island in Denmark.



There will be “race catering” – gels, energy bars, cola, apples, bananas, cucumber, salt, water, coffee and energy drinks. There will be Saturday evening pizza from the grill and Sunday morning breakfast bread and coffee.



Anybody who’s been to Denmark knows, that the roads are exceptionally well-maintained, the country is immaculate, and the people are friendly – they are ranked among the happiest in the world. You should take advantage of this special opportunity to qualify for RAAM.



MORE INFO: https://helnaesrq.dk/