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Bern-Bodensee-Bern by Thomas Huegli
Acherman qualifies for RAAM
The inaugural Berne-Lake Constance-Berne RAAM qualifier was held July 6 in Switzerland. The course was 608 km with about 4,000 meters of climbing. The RAAM qualifying standard was to finish in 21 hours 15 minutes (equivalent to 425 miles in 24 hours). Four events were held simultaneously:
- RAAM Qualifier Division (non-drafting), five riders started 15 minutes ahead of the other divisions.
- Elite Open Division (drafting), 31 riders started as well as four two-person relay teams.
- Randonneur Open Division (drafting), 40 riders.
- Randonneur Open 300 km Division (drafting), 37 riders started as well as one relay team.
The race began in tough conditions: the weather was about 34 C (93 F) with no cooling wind. In the RAAM division at the first control, 65 km into the race, Pius Acherman, Heiko Dietrich, and Rainer Kworra were within seconds of each other. After the second checkpoint, only Acherman and Dietrich were on a qualifying pace. The others were two hours behind. At the 300 km point, Dietrich and Hermann Bachmann gave up. Faced with a strong headwind on the return along the Rhine Valley, Kworra also yielded. During the night Acherman and Manfred Brockhaus persevered into the wind. Then at 3:00 a.m. it started to rain hard; the temperature was 26 C (79 F).
Achermann finished in 20 hours 35 minutes and qualified for RAAM. In 1999 Acherman won the Schoetz 24 Hour (drafting) race with 982 km. Brockhaus finished in 32h 8m.
In the Elite Open Division, Daniel Wyss was first in19 hours 35 minutes, Erwin Venetz was second (20h 40m) and Erwin Venelz took third (20h 40m).
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