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Interview with
Craig Shaffer - Team Captain
1st Place 5 Person Team SOFA KING FAST Craig Shaffer, Lyn Shaffer, Nick Shaffer, Dan Lachman, Tim Kane |
Has your team raced as a team before this race?
Yes, We raced at Snowshoe '00 together and placed 10th in the 5 person open category. We also raced last year at Cannan with Nick and another rider. Dan and Lauri Webber got us a 3rd place win at Allamuchy "99". The core of the team Lyn, TK and I have been at all of the 4 races.
Did the team do anything special to prepare for this race?
Yes, this year we put in more road miles and I spent less time on the trails. We rode 2 centuries and a few of metric centuries.
How many laps did each member do during the race?
Dan and I put in 4 laps and the rest of the team rode 3. I wanted to try and get Nick out for one more lap but we ran out of time. We did not need the extra lap but it would have been nice to be up 1 lap over the other teams.
Who had the fastest lap times on your team?
Nick had our fastest lap time of 1:09.
Was everyone on time for their next lap in the transition area?
We had a great support crew. They had us down there and logged in well before the other rider came.
Was the team strong from start to finish?
We came into this race wanting to win. Our race from start to finish was very close with two other teams. One team had a run of bad luck during the night laps and the other team pulled ahead by 10 minutes in the early morning hours. We had our 3 fastest riders in rotation to finish the race. With each lap we added minutes to a strong 1st place finish.
Did you have a good support crew?
Good? No, they were "GREAT" Karen (who never camped before) and Kristine did a wonderful job supporting the team.
Did anyone change clothes, shower, or nap during the race?
When we came in off our lap the support crew had our shower bags and took the bike back to the camp site. After a refreshing shower and a sandwich a soft sleeping bag was waiting. Sleeping was tough, napping is a good word for what we mostly did.
Did you have any unusual problems?
I flatted out on my 2nd lap, broke my tire lever and lost my instant-flate top. Two solo riders who were very cool helped me get back into the race. That is what I liked about this race, the people were great and would help out in anyway they could. Everyone expected an easier course because last year's course was much easier.
Did the technical nature of this year's course cause any problems for your team?
No not at all. All our riders are very strong technical riders. After a line started to form on the course the laps seemed to flow smoother. What rocks?
Were you happy with the way the race was run?
The race was a lot of fun. Sarah does a fine job and with the new course it only got better. What other races are out there that give you great swag and feed you after the race.
If you could do the race again, would you do anything differently?
No not at all. We all had a great time.
Is there anything you would like to add?
See you next year.