Steven R Holland

Well....First I want to wish a speedy recovery to all who crashed.
Crashing is no fun, however, it is a part of bicycle racing :-(

Candi Murray states: "It is the riders responsibility to ask".

"If" D's information is indeed correct, they did ask at the start of the
race.

And the answer was "I don't know the answer to that, I forgot to ask.
But, I'm sure it does."

So the question "was" answered: "But, I'm sure it does".

Sprinting at the end of a race with only one lane available, with the
size of that particular womans field [~25-30] in my opinion would be no
different than a mens field [in some cases 70-90 or more] with two lanes
available.

So I do not believe having only one lane available to sprint "should"
have been a factor in the crash.

STEVEN R HOLLAND
17203 SE 30th St.
VANCOUVER,WA 98683-2300
H-360-891-3924 C-503-780-7296
___0
\ \~
( )/ ( )
"Losing feels worse than winning feels good"

Candi Murray

There is no set centerline rule. It depends on the race, whether the finish
is controlled or not and other variables. It is the riders responsibility to
ask. I had been told by other women that they spent an entire lap talking
about it. Why they did not go back and ask the official or ask me at the
line when they got bell I have no idea.
Candi

-----Original Message-----
From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On
Behalf Of masessa@charter.net
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2006 9:47 AM
To: obra@list.obra.org
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Omnium Women's Field Crash

After this horrible crash I heard (first hand as my girlfriend was in this
race) that the obra official at the start didn't know the center line sprint
rule. She told the racers not to cross the center line. Someone asked if
that applied to the finish sprint and she said "I don't know the answer to
that, I forgot to ask. But, I'm sure it does." I wasn't at the finish, but
I heard everyone was bunched up in the one lane and I'm sure that's why.
I'm not trying to point fingers, but the rules should be made clear and the
officials should know the rules so the chances for these crashes can be
minimized.
I haven't done many road races, is the 200 meter rule the same in every race
or does it vary?
D

---- Thomas Sugahara wrote:
> For those who haven't heard, there was a significant crash in the women's
field that happened right at the field sprint during the road race. From
all accounts, I understand that a woman panicked, taking Kay Bork down into
the field causing a huge pileup.
>
> My wife, Tessa is admitted to the hospital with four broken ribs and a
punctured lung. It's pretty painful for her to breathe but she should be
ok.
> Rebecca Bader has a shattered arm, required surgery but should be ok
otherwise.
> Kay Bork was also banged up pretty badly, and there were also many others
with road rash.
>
> I'm glad it wasn't worse. If anyone has any photos of the crash, please
let me know.
>
> Thank you to Candi, Mike and all the others that helped out.
>
> Kenji
>
> PS. Also... congrats to Kennett for winning the 3 race on a solo
breakaway... must be that oatmeal he cooked up in his Goodwill water boiling
unit.
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> OBRA mailing list
> obra@list.obra.org
> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra
> Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org
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Malcolm, Gary

As always, it is up to the riders to be as safe as is possible and ride
within their respective experience and comfort zones.

A women's bunch sprint of that magnitude is a rarity in the races I've
attended and I suspect that that newness coupled with the tight road
conditions led to the crash. I personally hate being in the pack sprint for
this very reason. Up front or sit up is my motto! There's really not a lot
of 'fault' to be found. Bunch sprints are dangerous and are riddled with
wrecks - that's part of the adventure of road bike racing - otherwise we'd
have a lot more Time Trialists out in the group start races :-)

Like Ms. Murray said, keep the Health Insurance and Fire-Med premiums paid
up.

I hope all the scraped and broken riders are healing quickly this morning,

Gary Malcolm

-----Original Message-----
From: .David.Auker. [mailto:DaVAuk@Hevanet.com]
Sent: August 28, 2006 11:07 AM
To: masessa@charter.net
Cc: obra@list.obra.org
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Omnium Women's Field Crash

masessa@charter.net wrote:

>After this horrible crash I heard (first hand as my girlfriend was in this
race) that the obra official at the start didn't know the center line sprint
rule. She told the racers not to cross the center line. Someone asked if
that applied to the finish sprint and she said "I don't know the answer to
that, I forgot to ask. But, I'm sure it does."
>

In my understanding, the "whole road for the sprint" would be decided on
a per-race basis, so there's no guarantee that the final 200 meters will
be any different than the rest of the race's center line rule. Getting
county permits for road usage is one aspect of the difficulty in
procuring the entire road even for a section. Ideally, yes, it's best,
safest for all involved, but not always possible.

David

> I wasn't at the finish, but I heard everyone was bunched up in the one
lane and I'm sure that's why.
>I'm not trying to point fingers, but the rules should be made clear and the
officials should know the rules so the chances for these crashes can be
minimized.
>I haven't done many road races, is the 200 meter rule the same in every
race or does it vary?
>D
>
>---- Thomas Sugahara wrote:
>
>
>>For those who haven't heard, there was a significant crash
>>
(...)
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OBRA mailing list
obra@list.obra.org
http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra
Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org

.David.Auker.

masessa@charter.net wrote:

>After this horrible crash I heard (first hand as my girlfriend was in this race) that the obra official at the start didn't know the center line sprint rule. She told the racers not to cross the center line. Someone asked if that applied to the finish sprint and she said "I don't know the answer to that, I forgot to ask. But, I'm sure it does."
>

In my understanding, the "whole road for the sprint" would be decided on
a per-race basis, so there's no guarantee that the final 200 meters will
be any different than the rest of the race's center line rule. Getting
county permits for road usage is one aspect of the difficulty in
procuring the entire road even for a section. Ideally, yes, it's best,
safest for all involved, but not always possible.

David

> I wasn't at the finish, but I heard everyone was bunched up in the one lane and I'm sure that's why.
>I'm not trying to point fingers, but the rules should be made clear and the officials should know the rules so the chances for these crashes can be minimized.
>I haven't done many road races, is the 200 meter rule the same in every race or does it vary?
>D
>
>---- Thomas Sugahara wrote:
>
>
>>For those who haven't heard, there was a significant crash
>>
(...)

masessa@charter.net

After this horrible crash I heard (first hand as my girlfriend was in this race) that the obra official at the start didn't know the center line sprint rule. She told the racers not to cross the center line. Someone asked if that applied to the finish sprint and she said "I don't know the answer to that, I forgot to ask. But, I'm sure it does." I wasn't at the finish, but I heard everyone was bunched up in the one lane and I'm sure that's why.
I'm not trying to point fingers, but the rules should be made clear and the officials should know the rules so the chances for these crashes can be minimized.
I haven't done many road races, is the 200 meter rule the same in every race or does it vary?
D

---- Thomas Sugahara wrote:
> For those who haven't heard, there was a significant crash in the women's field that happened right at the field sprint during the road race. From all accounts, I understand that a woman panicked, taking Kay Bork down into the field causing a huge pileup.
>
> My wife, Tessa is admitted to the hospital with four broken ribs and a punctured lung. It's pretty painful for her to breathe but she should be ok.
> Rebecca Bader has a shattered arm, required surgery but should be ok otherwise.
> Kay Bork was also banged up pretty badly, and there were also many others with road rash.
>
> I'm glad it wasn't worse. If anyone has any photos of the crash, please let me know.
>
> Thank you to Candi, Mike and all the others that helped out.
>
> Kenji
>
> PS. Also... congrats to Kennett for winning the 3 race on a solo breakaway... must be that oatmeal he cooked up in his Goodwill water boiling unit.
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> OBRA mailing list
> obra@list.obra.org
> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra
> Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org

Gary Malcolm

That was HORRIBLE!

I was right at the finish line cheering at one second and then watching
bikes whip by my head the next second. Bodies everywhere, people screaming
in pain and everybody absolutely shell shocked at 12 of 20 or so riders on
the ground. What a cluster bomb!

It looked to me like the field was just packed in so tight nobody could even
peddle and the next thing I saw was Kay's front wheel at 90 degrees to her
bike... hard to sprint that way! Then BAM, a wave of people went over the
top. Man-O-Man that must have really hurt. Mike Murray and his crew were
tending to people before I even started moving.

Tessa is really going to be hurting for a while, broken ribs are a
nightmare. A bunch of folks helped get riders off the road and collect the
all the broken bits while the gauze and saline solution was flying. Poor
Rebecca, who broke her arm, was alternately sobbing in understandable agony
and then making quite mellow inquiries on the whereabouts of her bicycle.
That's a woman with her priorities in the right place :) What a toughie... I
hope you're feeling the happy effects of some good narcotics tonight.

Watching the finish line tape later we saw three riders finish... and then
an all-white bike flip by the camera (does that count as a placing?). Not
something you want to see with any regularity

Best wishes to all those sore and broken folks tonight, I sure hope for a
speedy and full recovery

Gary Malcolm

On 8/27/06, Rick C Johnson wrote:
>
> There are some dramatic photos of the crash. I've heard they will be
> posted with a link from the Bend Cycling website.
>
> Best wishes for all those for who the healing has already begun.
>
> Rick
>
> Thomas Sugahara wrote:
>
> >For those who haven't heard, there was a significant crash in the women's
> field that happened right at the field sprint during the road race. From
> all accounts, I understand that a woman panicked, taking Kay Bork down into
> the field causing a huge pileup.
> >
> >My wife, Tessa is admitted to the hospital with four broken ribs and a
> punctured lung. It's pretty painful for her to breathe but she should be
> ok.
> >Rebecca Bader has a shattered arm, required surgery but should be ok
> otherwise.
> >Kay Bork was also banged up pretty badly, and there were also many others
> with road rash.
> >
> >I'm glad it wasn't worse. If anyone has any photos of the crash, please
> let me know.
> >
> >Thank you to Candi, Mike and all the others that helped out.
> >
> >Kenji
> >
> >PS. Also... congrats to Kennett for winning the 3 race on a solo
> breakaway... must be that oatmeal he cooked up in his Goodwill water boiling
> unit.
> >
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >OBRA mailing list
> >obra@list.obra.org
> >http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra
> >Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org
> >
> >
> >
> _______________________________________________
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> obra@list.obra.org
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>

--
Gary Malcolm
/\
/ \/\ ........ __o
/\/ \ ---... .. \<,
_/ \_______(_)/(_)

Rick C Johnson

There are some dramatic photos of the crash. I've heard they will be
posted with a link from the Bend Cycling website.

Best wishes for all those for who the healing has already begun.

Rick

Thomas Sugahara wrote:

>For those who haven't heard, there was a significant crash in the women's field that happened right at the field sprint during the road race. From all accounts, I understand that a woman panicked, taking Kay Bork down into the field causing a huge pileup.
>
>My wife, Tessa is admitted to the hospital with four broken ribs and a punctured lung. It's pretty painful for her to breathe but she should be ok.
>Rebecca Bader has a shattered arm, required surgery but should be ok otherwise.
>Kay Bork was also banged up pretty badly, and there were also many others with road rash.
>
>I'm glad it wasn't worse. If anyone has any photos of the crash, please let me know.
>
>Thank you to Candi, Mike and all the others that helped out.
>
>Kenji
>
>PS. Also... congrats to Kennett for winning the 3 race on a solo breakaway... must be that oatmeal he cooked up in his Goodwill water boiling unit.
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>OBRA mailing list
>obra@list.obra.org
>http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra
>Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org
>
>
>

Thomas Sugahara

For those who haven't heard, there was a significant crash in the women's field that happened right at the field sprint during the road race. From all accounts, I understand that a woman panicked, taking Kay Bork down into the field causing a huge pileup.

My wife, Tessa is admitted to the hospital with four broken ribs and a punctured lung. It's pretty painful for her to breathe but she should be ok.
Rebecca Bader has a shattered arm, required surgery but should be ok otherwise.
Kay Bork was also banged up pretty badly, and there were also many others with road rash.

I'm glad it wasn't worse. If anyone has any photos of the crash, please let me know.

Thank you to Candi, Mike and all the others that helped out.

Kenji

PS. Also... congrats to Kennett for winning the 3 race on a solo breakaway... must be that oatmeal he cooked up in his Goodwill water boiling unit.