Bike Sebring – Out of the cold and into the season.

For racers traveling from the northern states, the Bike Sebring 12/24 event offers an opportunity to not only get out of the cold, but to also warm up the legs for the upcoming Ultracycling season.

It’s the ninth year for the season opener in Sebring, Fl this weekend and temperatures are expected to top out in the very comfortable mid-70’s during the race on Saturday before dipping into the more challenging upper 30’s by Sunday morning. Nevertheless, all will be grateful to enjoy a mid-February race absent of ice, snow and cold.

This year’s event will not only be featuring the always popular 12hr, 24hr drafting and the 24hr non-drafting Race Across America (RAAM) Qualifier, but in addition, race organizers are introducing a new 100 mile event.

All races events start Saturday morning a 6:30 with three laps of the famed Sebring International Raceway before heading north on an “out and back” route to Frostproof, FL. A return to the race track brings the century rider’s day to an end while all other riders hammer out as many 11 mile short loops as possible before entering the track at 5:30PM. Twelve hour racers finish at 6:30PM and the 24hr athletes cruise the challenging 17 turn track through the night until their time expires Sunday morning.

Athletes consistently set personal records as well as event records on this very fast course and it’s not uncommon to see 24hr racers finish well in to the 400+ mile range with several throughout the history of the event going over 500. Those racing the 12hr event have been equally impressive with an overall event record of more than 270 miles with many routinely going beyond 250. Expect more records again this year!
UltraRaceNews wishes all racers and crews a safe and successful Race!

Current Bike Sebring 12/24 Records:

24HR Non-Drafting

• Men – Christopher McDonald – 500 miles – “2005”

• Women – Ann Wooldridge – 403.7 – “2005”

• Recumbent Men – Dennis Grelk – 522 – “2007”

• Recumbent Woman – Maria Parker – 474.5 – “2012”

• Handcycle Men – Thomas Lange – 403.8 – “2009”

• Tandem MF – Victor Urvanstev & Kate Marshall – 355.3 – 2011

• HPV Men – Tim Woudenberg – 310.9 – “2011”

24HR Drafting

• Men – Chris Ragsdale – 502.9 – “2008”

• Women – Schellene Foster – 389.2 – “2010”

• Recumbent Men – Jim Verheul – 523.9 – “2012”

• Recumbent Women – Jacquie Hafner – 516.4 – “2012”

• Tandem MF – Alain Abbatt & Victoryia Schundrovskaya – 344.3 – “2009”

12Hr Event

• Men – Kurt Searvogel – 271.5 – “2012”

• Women – Erica weitzman – 240.4 – “2012”

• Recumbent Men – John Schlitter & Bill Wolfe – 269.5 – “2006”

• Recumbent Women – Kristy Halvorsen – 259.7 – “2012”

• Handcycle Men – Bill Schwarz – 162.7 – “2012”

• Tandem MF – Melanie Ashby & Wayne Phelps – 239.5 – “2009”

• Recumbent Tandem – William Johnson & Deborah Kittner – 201.5 – “2012”

• HPV Men – Doyce Johnson – 258.5 – “2011”