14 Jun 2002
A joint Royal Air Force/industry cycling team jets out from Britain to the United States today for the world's toughest race. They are hoping they can use lessons learned from the event to improve support to current front-line aircraft such as Tornado, Harrier and Jaguar and Eurofighter in the near future.
The Race Across America (RAAM) is a non-stop US coast-to-coast cycle race. It begins noon local time on June 18 at Portland, Oregon and will finish more than five days and 3,000 miles later in Gulf Breeze, Florida.
Four riders make up each team and under race rules at least one must be on the road at all times. Dave Cook, a recognised amateur racing cyclist and BAE Systems employee, will be riding with the RAF team. BAE Systems and CGEY (Cap Gemini Ernst & Young) are sponsoring the team and providing members of the back-up crew, which will follow the riders on their odyssey.
The Royal Air Force Cycling Team took part for the first time in 2000 with a joint RAF/BAE Systems back-up team. They won the team event, beating a Californian team who had won the race for the previous four years. Their time of 5 days, 16 hours and 18 minutes, was a new record for the course.
Team boss is Wing Commander Andy Towler, whose job involves working with BAE Systems counterparts to streamline support for the RAF front line. He believes there's a real comparison between a race like this and the goals the RAF is trying to achieve with industry as it is increasingly called upon to conduct high-pressure round-the-clock operations.
'We are using new computerised logistics and technical information systems to help simplify the complex business of keeping our aircraft operational - but at least as important is building personal relationships,' he says.
'This event will be valuable experience in working together to deliver top performance under pressure,' echoed BAE Systems rider Dave Cook.
Notes for editors:
BAE Systems has five people in the RAAM team; Dave Cook, who works on Tornado support at Samlesbury near Preston in Lancashire, is a keen cyclist and United Kingdom
National Amateur Road Race Champion 1989. He also competed in the 1992 Olympic Games Road Race in Barcelona. Dave trains with a two-hour ride from his home in the Yorkshire Dales to Samlesbury each day.
Steve Riley and Tony Croughan, who work with Dave at Samlesbury, will be part of the support team. Steve was inspired to apply to join the team when he took part in a UK coast-to-coast 'mini-event' in May. As a keen cyclist he brings to the team a good practical experience of cycling and cycling maintenance, plus 30 years driving experience and 'more than capable catering skills' (he says!).
Tony Croughan has a keen interest in sports psychology and nutrition, and also sees the partnering ethic behind the event as a good development opportunity for his warehousing role where he works with a wide range of partners. Tony is used to round-the-clock operations as he is the father of two children under the age of two
Allan Yankosky, a photographer from BAE Systems in the USA, is the team cameraman and will be shooting both still and video footage. His assistant is Dave Friedman.
