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Date Posted: 19:51:54 09/10/03 Wed
Author: TimeTrial.org
Subject: California TTT at Fiesta Island cancelled

Todd Willis (Fiesta Island race promoter) e-mailed this to all, I am very upset that this has happened and that a few selfish and abusive racers have now ruined the future event for all of us. Please share your comments and let Todd know that you support his staff and the event.

Here is Todd's message:

All,

I have received this email and the one from Eugene and Jeff. I have recieved
them from a couple of sources at this point. I have read your comments.
Injuries are extremely unfortunate and I do everything I can to mitigate
accidents. It is very unfortunate that there was a wreck at a TT event. This
situation has never occured at Fiesta Island. That said, there will not be a
TTT at Fiesta Island next year. You guys can be satisfied that you have taken
the event off the racing calendar.

Dean - Dean has 4 years experience with TT's. Three less than me. Go for it.
The event is yours. Put on the State TTT in Southern California. Dean, I
expect to see you at the race schedule meeting in October. You had better be
there and have a 40k course. It is hard for me to believe that you put on
TT's and can be so publicly critical of another TT promoter. We do things
differently in California. Some of your suggestions are good and would be
incorporated if there was another TTT. Thank you. I actively solicit
suggestions and incorporate lots of them. Your metthod sucks!

As for the officials, I stand behind the entire staff 100% It was an
excellent staff of officals. You have no idea what you are talking about. Do
not criticize things you know nothing about. How can you all be so critical
of such a valuable resource as the local USCF officals? Are you all crazy? Do
you think that they will put up
with your actions and rants for $30 an event?
I seriously doubt it. We can all learn from mistakes. I can and they can. We
might try to work together in the future.

It would be great if you all never did a Fiesta Island event again. I do not
need your money.


Todd Willis
Event Organizer
Fiesta Island

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear event organizer.
As a participant in last weekends TTT and a crash casualty, I thought it
would be beneficial to let you know how the crash occurred to prevent
future incidents at your venue.
Our Team, race number 48, started out at our target pace (9 min laps)
and easily passed 3 other groups in the first lap. We were able to pass
cleanly and the teams we passed obliged us with right of way. Half way
into our 2nd lap we were passed by team 49 with two other teams drafting
them. One was an Excel team (don't remember the #) and the other was
team 22. They were in a long line of 12 riders going slightly faster
than us. When they started to slow down and the road opened up, our
strongest rider started pulling us to pass them back. We made it through
the start finish in 2nd position behind team 49 with the other 2 teams
lined up behind. When our slower riders were at the front and evidently
the faster Excel and team 22 riders at the front of their respective
teams they both passed us somewhere between the start line and the rough
road right turn. In my opinion, team 22 was riding over their ability
level by drafting other teams. As evidence by, first one of their riders
missing the right hand turn just before the rough road section and
crashing into the dirt on the left hand side, then another of their
riders loosing control, going off the right side of the road then
swerving back and crashing right in the middle of the road. Even though
we skidded so hard as to wear thru my rear tire and my team mate blew
his rear tire we were unable to stop fast enough to prevent colliding
with the crashed rider in the middle of the road. The first two of our
team, me included, went down with our team mates managing to avoid the
pile. Jim Pongratz was the worst injured on our team with a deep chain
ring cut on his knee, requiring stitches. The team 22 riders were
complaining of broken ribs and other injuries. By the way, it would be
nice to have a first aid kit available at the race. The nearby USCF
official took his time strolling to the crash site. He did nothing to
help the injured or to direct oncoming riders around the crash site.
In conclusion, fewer teams (obviously) on the course at the same time
and disqualification for teams drafting may avoid future incidents. The
field could remain at 55 teams, but there would be two flights. Assume
a first flight of 27 teams, then a 45 minute break before the next
flight of 28 teams. Then, 72 minutes would have elapsed before the
first team of the second flight started. It is reasonable to estimate
half of the first flight teams would have finished by then. Also,
starting the faster teams first would reduce the number of passes
required. As it was, having the older, mixed teams going first makes no
sense.
Another suggestion: Teams should be required to ride on the right hand
side of the lane unless they are passing another team. When overtaking
another team you would use the left hand side only until you were 4-5
bike lengths clear of the team being passed. That would allow for a
clean pass and prevent slower teams from drafting.
Regards,
Jeff Hager
Team Jet

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Eugene,

Thanks for your note. Glad to know my team's concerns are shared by others.

I don't know the audience reading these notes, but appreciate your views and
hope you can influence a safer race.

The TTT is a great race, but Fiesta Island is a poor venue for it. If USCF
simply wants entry fees, then it is the organizer's responsibility to provide
for a competitive, fun and safe course. It sounds crazy, but some people
actually do this race for fun! Not me, I wanted to be competitive, but it
was a
toss of the dice. If your team ended up in traffic the whole time, there was
no
way to really ride your own race. It turned into a team criterium with aero
bars!


Dean
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

>
> > This TTT should be outlawed. The course is unsafe, the race is out of
control. The USCF officials for this event should be removed from
future events.
> >
> > I have included just two emails from some of the ~ 5 teams that crashed.
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
Eugene Poyorena
> > __O
> > _-\<,_
> > (_)/ (_)
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------

>Dear event organizer.
> >
> > As a participant in last weekends TTT and a crash casualty, I thought
it would be beneficial to let you know how the crash occurred to
prevent future incidents at your venue.
> >
> > Our Team, race number 48, started out at our target pace (9 min laps)
and
> > easily passed 3 other groups in the first lap. We were able to pass
cleanly and the teams we passed obliged us with right of way. Half way
into our 2nd lap we were passed by team 49 with two other teams
drafting them. One was an Excel team (don't remember the #) and the
other was
team
> > 22. They were in a long line of 12 riders going slightly faster than
us. When they started to slow down and the road opened up, our
strongest
rider
> > started pulling us to pass them back. We made it through the start
finish
> > in 2nd position behind team 49 with the other 2 teams lined up behind.
When our slower riders were at the front and evidently the faster
Excel and team 22 riders at the front of their respective teams they
both
passed
> > us somewhere between the start line and the rough road right turn. In
my opinion, team 22 was riding over their ability level by drafting
other teams. As evidence by, first one of their riders missing the
right hand turn just before the rough road section and crashing into
the dirt on
the
> > left hand side, then another of their riders loosing control, going
off the right side of the road then swerving back and crashing right
in the middle of the road. Even though we skidded so hard as to wear
thru my rear tire and my team mate blew his rear tire we were unable
to stop
fast
> > enough to prevent colliding with the crashed rider in the middle of
the road. The first two of our team, me included, went down with our
team mates managing to avoid the pile. Jim Pongratz was the worst
injured on our team with a deep chain ring cut on his knee, requiring
stitches. The team 22 riders were complaining of broken ribs and other
injuries. By
the
> > way, it would be nice to have a first aid kit available at the race.
The
> > nearby USCF official took his time strolling to the crash site. He did
nothing to help the injured or to direct oncoming riders around the
crash
> > site.
> >
> > In conclusion, fewer teams (obviously) on the course at the same time
and
> > disqualification for teams drafting may avoid future incidents. The
field
> > could remain at 55 teams, but there would be two flights. Assume a
first
> > flight of 27 teams, then a 45 minute break before the next flight of
28 teams. Then, 72 minutes would have elapsed before the first team
of the second flight started. It is reasonable to estimate half of
the first flight teams would have finished by then. Also, starting the
faster
teams
> > first would reduce the number of passes required. As it was, having
the older, mixed teams going first makes no sense.
> >
> > Another suggestion: Teams should be required to ride on the right hand
side of the lane unless they are passing another team. When overtaking
another team you would use the left hand side only until you were 4-5
bike
> > lengths clear of the team being passed. That would allow for a clean
pass
> > and prevent slower teams from drafting.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Jeff Hager
> >
> > Team Jet
> >

> I was also involved in the incident Jeff wrote about and feel compelled to
> share my thoughts.
>
> Two years ago, I moved to California from Michigan, where I promoted a time
> trial series for four seasons, including the state championship race. I have
> safely managed open road courses and closed courses in metroparks (like Fiesta
> Island). I have arranged road closure with state police and have controlled
> courses with a small army of volunteers. In short, I understand how it works
> and the constraints you face. I also have put several thousand riders across
> the finish line without a single incident. Constraints are no reason to
> sacrifice your customers' safety.
>
> As a promoter, you did well. The web site worked well, you filled your field
> limit, registration appeared to go off without incident, and the weather
> cooperated. But, your USCF officials let you down. You pay these people (at
> least I assume you paid them) and should expect more. The starting crew was well
> organized but that is where it ends. The officials did very little to control
> the race. Also, there was no first aid on the course and that is inexcusable
> (that is your job).
>
> As a race promoter, I had an ambulance staged on course or nearby for every
> race. Maybe this isn't required in California? When my teammates asked for
> assistance, there was nobody available to ask. A camper offered to call 911.
> When a race official finally showed up, he did nothing. Seriously, the guy just
> stood there. I have to admit, I complained to him about course safety, and I
> wasn't nice (it is hard to be really nice after a crash). While there are
> many appropriate responses, including walking away, this guy chose to say "if
> you aren't talented enough to ride this course, then you shouldn't race it". Of
> course the crash was a sudden impact for my teammates --it had nothing to do
> with their talent (of which they have plenty). This USCF official had a lot
> of nerve and displayed as poor a form as is possible. As the promoter, you
> might think about the image this jerk portrayed on your behalf.
>
> I echo Jeff's suggestions. You need to rethink the race. There are simply
> too many people on course at one time. Fiesta Island is a tight course. The
> race was more like a criterium than a TTT. Your officials could not control
> the race -- they made no rules regarding passing (believe me, it was a
> free-for-all), they did not enforce drafting rules and this gave rise to
> conditions
> causing the crash. Add in the fact there was no first aid available, you have a
> situation that should be reported to USA Cycling for consideration if no action
> is taken.
>
> Saying there are no options available regarding use of the venue doesn't
> sound right. Certainly, the city can see its way to allowing one more hour so
> you
> can separate riders in two flights and run a safe race. Even 30 minutes
> would allow 120 people to clear the course. If your back is really to the wall,
> then explore the idea of two weekends instead of one or limiting the field size
> to fewer teams. Or, find a new venue.
>
> In the end, the race (racers, promoter and USCF) is lucky there weren't more
> crashes. Nobody needs to have a bad experience and you are the only one(s) who
> can change it. Show some leadership and make it safer.
>
> I would like to know, specifically, what you will do to make the race safer.
>
>
> Dean Ditto

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