By SAMANTHA GHOLAR
sgholar@newssun.com
SEBRING - The Rotary Club of Highlands County is hosting the 11th annual Bike Sebring 12 Hour and Ultra Cycling RAAM Qualifier event this weekend. On Saturday, cyclists, their teams and families all filled the roads between the airport and the Raceway.
Cyclists from as far as Australia, Germany, Spain and all over North America raced through the county in teams. Along the roads were other team members who were there helping out in anyway they can.
Team supporters Rahn Lieberman of Atlanta and Phil Bradley of Washington D.C. were two of the many supporters out on the road on Saturday. Their pack included six cyclists from as far as California.
"We just made it back from the first stop, in Frostproof, about 20 minutes ago. We get stationed here and wait for them," Lieberman said.
The supporters travel by vehicle ahead of the cyclists so that at the next stop the cyclists are able to get water, juice, food or whatever they need to endure the 100-mile trek back to Sebring.
"There's a pack that should be here in about 30 minutes. They are a little ahead of schedule and they are making good time," explained Bradley.
The two men along with several other supporters had coolers filled with water bottles, sports drinks, juices, and snacks for the cyclists.
After about 40 minutes the first couple of cyclists began to roll in. These cyclists were mainly on recumbent bikes.
"Recumbents are the ones that let the riders sort of lounge back and the pedals are up higher, you know," Bradley explained.
Soon enough a pack of approximately 10-15 riders zoomed through the Raceway entrance shouting out what they needed from their coolers.
The team supporters on the sidelines listened intensely and hurried to the coolers to grab what was needed as the cyclists circled back.
As the cyclists grab what they needed, they quickly hurried to get back in the race.
On Saturday evening the second portion of the Bike Sebring event will take place. The 12-hour ride allows the cyclists a safe track to ride on during the night hours. The cyclists and their supporters look forward to getting onto the track and striving to break new records.
According to Bradley, the current record for the recumbent cycle is 21.33 miles per hour. Bradley and Lieberman both believe that the record will be broken before the weekend is up.
For more information about the Rotary Club and the event fundraiser as well as a description of the routes and the riders visit www.bikesebring.com.
Sunday, February 20, 2011 - www.newssun.com/022011-sg-Bikes