Date: 9/1/02

Event: World Solo 24hrs of Adrenalin Championships

Name: Chris Eatough

City: Baldwin

State/Province: MD

Country: USA

Age: 27

Place: 1st

Category: Pro

CLASS +/or Age group: Senior

Team: Trek/VW

XC Race Bike: Trek Fuel 100

Yes, we arrived at Silverstar on Thursday, which gave us a day and a half to prepare. I rode a lap of the course on Thursday and Friday. The elevation was between 5200
and 6000, which can affect some people, but I seemed comfortable with it. It was great to have my dad and John with me. It allowed me time to rest and relax whilst they set up the tent, tools, and gear, and took care of all the heavy lifting!

Jon Posner - Chris & Mike Eatough

Tinker Juarez (4 Time National Champ and Olympic Competitor) was just 8 seconds behind you on the first lap. Thereafter it seemed that you steadily increased the gap. Did you have any interesting verbal exchanges with the Super Star? Actually, we never spoke. We really didn't ride side by side at any time. For the first two laps, Tinker was usually about 5 or 10 seconds behind me up the long climb. The downhill was fairly technical, and I was able to extend the gap each time to about 30 seconds.

The first 2 laps, Tinker worked hard to bring me back in, but I think it was taking a toll, and he didn't bother after that.

Course conditions went from extremely dry and dusty to torrential downpours and 35mph winds. How did your Lupine Light work under these conditions?

The Lupine light was perfect. It was so bright, that I only needed to ride with one light, when most people use one for the bike and one on the helmet. When you consider that the Lupine already weighs about half a pound less than most systems, I was saving around 2 and a half pounds! The brightness of the Lupine was also impressive, and I was able to ride the technical downhill just as fast at night as during the day.

It seems that your ability to stay on the bike without much of a break was a real advantage. Did your support team always have the proper items for you throughout this grueling event?

Yes, we were well prepared and my dad and John worked tirelessly to keep me going. My stops were almost all less than 30 seconds. John would make the short 200 yard ride from the pits to checkpoint 3 every lap to see me go by. I would tell him any special requests for food, drink, clothing, bike setup, etc. at the checkpoint, and he would radio to my dad in the pits. They were absolutely on top of everything. At the end of the freezing cold/wet/stormy lap, they had me in dry clothes, wrapped in a blanket, and drinking hot chocolate in less than no time!

How would you rate the course as far as technical difficulty – and were the technical sections any more difficult with the extreme rain?

The initial long climb (about 30 minutes on a smooth gravel bike path) was not technical, but the ensuing downhill was quite challenging, with steep drops, roots, rocks, and narrow traverses. It was dry and dusty at first, then the drizzle in the night packed down the dust, then the heavy morning rain turned it into a raging river. Even in the wet, I was still able to ride the downhill, and my bike handled superbly (Trek Fuel 100 with Rock Shox Sid Carbon Fork, Hayes Disk Brakes, and Bontrager Super X Tubeless Tires).

What was the length of a lap and which lap did you consider was the most difficult?

The early laps took around 50 minutes. The organizers claimed it was 15 miles around, but I think that seems too long, probably more like 12 miles. The most difficult lap was definitely around 7am, when the storm hit. This lap took me about 1 hr 25 mins. Luckily, the 30mph wind was behind me for the steepest and most exposed climb, and it pushed me up it faster than I had the entire race. When I came into the pits, I was shaking uncontrollably and my teeth were chattering. The soloists were all trying desperately to warm up, and nobody went back out for at least 30 minutes, until the rain stopped and the wind died down.

Your closest competitor after Tinker Juarez (who DNFed after 17 laps possibly due to hypothermia) was a full hour and 42 minutes behind you but forced you out to do one more lap. How long were you able to rest before completing your final lap?

I stopped for almost an hour. I was ready to go at any time, but didn't need to until one of my competitors went out. They weren't catching me as long as they sat in the pits! When Ariel went out, I followed him.

Did you have to switch bikes at all or did you ride the same one throughout the whole race?

I switched bikes every lap. I have two Fuels, and I like to ride a clean bike with a freshly lubed chain. It is mandatory to dismount at the scoring tent anyway, so why not remount onto a new Trek?

What do you consider to be the most important attribute for a 24 Hour Solo racer?

Obviously, endurance is a big part, but mental toughness and a positive attitude are also very important. 24 Hours is a long time to be on the bike, and you are always going to be in some discomfort the entire time. You have to find something to keep you going, and for me it is the encouragement and support of my pit crew, my friends and family, and my fellow competitors.

To withstand such adverse conditions and persevere achieving a THIRD STRAIGHT 24HR WORLD SOLO CHAMIPIONSHIP TITLE – it can’t get much better than that……….. will you be back next year to try for an unbelievable FOURTH year in a row?

Of course! I would also like to contest the 24 Hr Solo National Championships next year (I should be a dual citizen of the US and Great Britain by then).