Samoa tackles Race Across America

Samoa is entering two teams for the Race Across America (RAAM) cycling event next year, June 2016.

This was announced in Apia yesterday by the Samoa International Events in association with Samoa Triathlon Federation.

Race Across America is a cycling race that begins at Oceanside, California on the West Coast of the United States to Annapolis, MD (50km east Washington DC) for a total of 3,000 miles (4800 kilometers) coast-to-coast across the U.S.A.

R.A.A.M is widely recognized as the world’s toughest endurance bicycle race. It is open to solo racers as well as 2, 4 and 8-person teams.

The team will be entered under the name Team Samoa. The entry is for four cyclists per team, each, with its own support crew of 10, including; 4x drivers, masseuse, doctor, nutritionist/cook, bike mechanic, photographer/media spokesperson and a additional backup staff.

Leading the charge are three local cyclists, Daniel Afoa (50) Falefa, Darren Young (44) Apia, Elia Lasa (25) Falefa, plus, our international riders Paul Glenn (54) Auckland, Mariusz Mazur (36) Poland, Katheren Leitner (32) Auckland with the other two spots yet to be confirmed. The Team Samoa concept is the brainchild of Daniel Afoa, the team captain who has been working in putting the team together for the last twelve months.

Selecting the team has not been easy – whilst priority was given to Samoan riders both here and overseas – it really came down to affordability for each rider. The cost of entering the race including travel, support and other race costs is the responsibility of the riders plus the support crew.

It will cost the riders US$6,000 each and support crew US$3,000 each plus airfares to be a part of the team. The team being announced today are the individuals who have paid their initial deposit to the team fund.

Daniel Afoa says; "Entering this race will hopefully have a major positive influence in the awareness, development and creating future opportunities for locals in both cycling and triathlons. Three years ago cycling and triathlons were non events in Samoa, there was nothing".

Samoa International Events have changed all that starting with small local swim meets, progressing to an international swim series which this year will host another strong field of international participants in its fourth year in early August.

Triathlons was introduced in 2013, at the time, none of the riders in Team Samoa announced today rode a bike. Today two of these riders Daniel Afoa and Darren have participated and successfully completed full Ironman events overseas another major milestone for Samoa based athletes.

Daniel and his training partner Darren are key figures in this development. Their dedication and commitment to riding, swimming and running is making the difference on our younger athletes like Elia and other up and coming cyclists and triathletes.

Elia needs little introduction his story has been well documented in the last couple of years, born in the U.S.A and abandoned as child found himself in Samoa at a tender age of three, he is an integral member of the team and a true reflection of Samoan story of persevering in the face of adversity.

The three overseas riders Glenn, Leitner and Mazur, are all friends of Samoa International Events and regular participants in the Samoa Swim Series, Warrior Race and other events over the last three years.

Now that the team is announced each rider will focus on a gruelling training schedule for the next twelve months which will also include no less than 4-6 Ironman events each.

Team members will meet regularly by video link and share training data websites to measure and monitor progress.

The team will gather in Samoa in September for the Ford Samoa Cycle Challenge. That will be the first opportunity for the team to train and ride together