Wildflower: A ref's eye view

First off to any and all of you that were out there Saturday my hats off to you. You are all tough as hell.
It rained all Saturday night and it was raining when the first pro’s hit the 60 degree water at 8am

My job as assistant long course referee was to follow the top 10 female pros around the course. It was 52 and raining when they came past our staging area at the top of lynch hill, they rode up beach hill but the weather made it too hazardous to mix racers and Honda Goldwings along the lake. the first 10 women went past ,one had a vest, one had arm warmers the olthers only a wet speedo style tri suit.
once we turned onto interlake the first 2-3 women had pulled away but the remaining group started to wage a tactical stagger ballet that would last until nasty grade. By mile 10 we were in a feezing downpour. my face was stinging from the impacts of what felt like really small hail. The women pro’s had to be suffering trerribly but they just charged on. For those of you who have never watched a Stagger ballet performed you have really missed out as I got to watch 15+ miles of the best racing I have ever seen. the lead pro of the group has the right to any place on the road and where ever she decided to move everone behind had to adjust postion to the rider in directly in front to avoid a stagger violation, it was a thing of beauty. I was amazed to see every one of the female pros just will there numb extemities to carry them up and over Nasty grade then down the 2 mile descent on soaked windy roads. Ladies I can truly say I was impressed and at the same time deeply humbled.

I went around a second time to work the course with the older age groups. they faced less rain but fiercer winds but a good portion of them made the cutoff and finished the run including a friend of mine who is outrageously cruzing though her mid 60’s… Marion I’m truly happy and amazed at your strength and determination you did it girl>>>

Eric