Bike, RAAM, Road Racing, Spotlight
Veloroos gear up in Swiftwick Socks for Race Across America
Jun
The Veloroos will proudly be supported by Swiftwick Socks in their challenge to win the Race Across America.
While they are racing they will be wearing either the Aspire Four Pink or the Aspire Four Black.
A FOUR-WOMAN eastern suburbs Sydney cycling team will ride non-stop across North America in one of the world’s most excruciating physical challenges.
The Veloroos will be the first all-female Australian team to take part in The Race Across America (RAAM) when they set off from California on June 20 for the nearly 5000km journey to Washington.
One of the riders – JulieAnne Hazlett, 41, Sarah Matthews, 40, Natasha Horne, 31, or Nicole Stanners, 42 – must be riding at all times and the team desperately hopes to take out its all-female category in under eight days.
Both Ms Matthews and Ms Hazlett are Coogee Triathlon Club Members.
“The idea is, you go flat out while it’s your turn on the bike,” Ms Hazlett said of the challenging event.
They will take five-hour shifts in the saddle before returning to one of two crew cars for sleep, food and treatment by a team of 12 tenders.
“We will be sleep deprived, cold and hungry at times, of course it’s going to be tough,” Ms Hazlett said.
“That is why the crew is so important … and nutrition and hydration are critical.”
The Veloroos will grind out 73km of vertical ascent between them – enough to scale Mt Everest six times.
The experienced riders and triathletes have proven they are not faint of heart.
Paddington resident Ms Stanners has twice represented Australia at the Hawaiian Ironman World Championships. But even they ponder the magnitude of their undertaking.
“We are training hard, but nobody can train to ride nonstop for seven days,” Ms Hazlett said.
They also want to win the ride into Washington.
Follow them on Facebook. To donate to their charitable causes click here.
