This is from the race promoter for the California State Team Time Trial Championships (www.fiestaisland.com) held last Saturday, he sent this out today.

I am disgusted at these racers who have now destroyed one of the best (and only) team time trial races in Southern California.

I can not believe that grown men can be so selfish as to destroy everyone else's event.



Anyway, here it is:


All,I have received this email and the one from XXXXXXX and XXXXXXX. I have recieved them from a couple of sources at this point. I have read your comments. Injuries are extremely unfortunate and I do everything I can to mitigate accidents. It is very unfortunate that there was a wreck at a TT event.

This situation has never occured at Fiesta Island. That said, there will not be a TTT at Fiesta Island next year. You guys can be satisfied that you have taken the event off the racing calendar.XXXXXXX - Dean has 4 years experience with TT's. Three less than me. Go for it. The event is yours. Put on the State TTT in Southern California. Dean, I expect to see you at the race schedule meeting in October. You had better be there and have a 40k course. It is hard for me to believe that you put on TT's and can be so publicly critical of another TT promoter. We do things differently in California. Some of your suggestions are good and would be incorporated if there was another TTT. Thank you. I actively solicit suggestions and incorporate lots of them. Your metthod sucks!As for the officials, I stand behind the entire staff 100% It was an excellent staff of officals. You have no idea what you are talking about. Do not criticize things you know nothing about.

How can you all be so critical of such a valuable resource as the local USCF officals? Are you all crazy? Do you think that they will put up with your actions and rants for $30 an event? I seriously doubt it. We can all learn from mistakes. I can and they can. We might try to work together in the future.It would be great if you all never did a Fiesta Island event again. I do not need your money.

XXXXXXX

Event Organizer

Fiesta Island

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Dear event organizer.

As a participant in last weekends TTT and a crash casualty, I thought itwould be beneficial to let you know how the crash occurred to preventfuture incidents at your venue.Our Team, race number XXXXXXX, started out at our target pace (9 min laps)and easily passed 3 other groups in the first lap. We were able to passcleanly and the teams we passed obliged us with right of way. Half wayinto our 2nd lap we were passed by team XXXXXXX with two other teams draftingthem. One was an XXXXXXX team (don't remember the #) and the other wasteam XXXXXXX.

They were in a long line of 12 riders going slightly fasterthan us. When they started to slow down and the road opened up, ourstrongest rider started pulling us to pass them back. We made it throughthe start finish in 2nd position behind team XXXXXXX with the other 2 teamslined up behind. When our slower riders were at the front and evidentlythe faster XXXXXXX and team XXXXXXX riders at the front of their respectiveteams they both passed us somewhere between the start line and the roughroad right turn. In my opinion, team XXXXXXXwas riding over their abilitylevel by drafting other teams.

As evidence by, first one of their ridersmissing the right hand turn just before the rough road section andcrashing into the dirt on the left hand side, then another of theirriders loosing control, going off the right side of the road thenswerving back and crashing right in the middle of the road. Even thoughwe skidded so hard as to wear thru my rear tire and my team mate blewhis rear tire we were unable to stop fast enough to prevent collidingwith the crashed rider in the middle of the road. The first two of ourteam, me included, went down with our team mates managing to avoid thepile. XXXXXXX was the worst injured on our team with a deep chainring cut on his knee, requiring stitches.

The team XXXXXXX riders werecomplaining of broken ribs and other injuries. By the way, it would benice to have a first aid kit available at the race. The nearby USCFofficial took his time strolling to the crash site. He did nothing tohelp the injured or to direct oncoming riders around the crash site.In conclusion, fewer teams (obviously) on the course at the same timeand disqualification for teams drafting may avoid future incidents. Thefield could remain at 55 teams, but there would be two flights.

Assumea first flight of 27 teams, then a 45 minute break before the nextflight of 28 teams. Then, 72 minutes would have elapsed before thefirst team of the second flight started. It is reasonable to estimatehalf of the first flight teams would have finished by then. Also,starting the faster teams first would reduce the number of passesrequired. As it was, having the older, mixed teams going first makes nosense.Another suggestion: Teams should be required to ride on the right handside of the lane unless they are passing another team. When overtakinganother team you would use the left hand side only until you were 4-5bike lengths clear of the team being passed. That would allow for aclean pass and prevent slower teams from drafting.

Regards,

XXXXXXX

Team XXXXXXX++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

XXXXXXX, Thanks for your note. Glad to know my team's concerns are shared by others. I don't know the audience reading these notes, but appreciate your views and hope you can influence a safer race.The TTT is a great race, but Fiesta Island is a poor venue for it. If USCF simply wants entry fees, then it is the organizer's responsibility to provide for a competitive, fun and safe course. It sounds crazy, but some people actually do this race for fun! Not me,

I wanted to be competitive, but it was a toss of the dice. If your team ended up in traffic the whole time, there was no way to really ride your own race. It turned into a team criterium with aero bars!

XXXXXXX
EDITED