RAAM changes hands

The 3,000-mile Race Across America will have a new owner and race director for 2007. Fred Boethling, a cancer survivor and the 60-plus solo RAAM record holder, has agreed to buy the race from Jim Pitre and Lon Haldeman who have run it for the last six years.

After setting the age-group solo record in last year's RAAM, Boethling said: "I wanted to make a statement about age and lifestyle choices. Aging doesn't mean the end of life as you know it."

On Monday, Boethling appointed Terry Zmrhal as the Race Director. Zmrhal outlined the pair's plans for the 2007 event: "Our highest priority is to put on a great race for the riders and crews. We will build on the 25-year legacy to produce a high quality race." Zmrhal is a 15-year veteran of the sport and raced two-man RAAM in 2002.

The 26th Race Across America is due to start on June 10, 2007 when the solo competitors head east from the Pacific Ocean to the finish in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Relay teams will tackle the same route two days later.