On June 22, 2019, Thorsten Eisingerich, the Director of the Austrian Embassy’s Press & Information Service, attended the Race Across America (RAAM) Awards Banquet in Annapolis, MD to present the first place finisher’s trophy to fellow Austrian Christoph Strasser for his sixth win of the “world’s toughest endurance race” (The New York Times) from the West to the East Coast (completed in only 8 days, 6 hours and 51 minutes). On the occasion, Strasser was also inducted into the RAAM Hall of Fame under the cheers and standing ovations of his fellow cyclists, the crews, the volunteers and the organizers. He is the most successful solo male in RAAM history and achieved five of the ten fastest speeds, including the overall record.
Embassy Representative Thorsten Eisingerich congratulates the Austrian ultracycling pro rider Christoph Strasser on his success
Christoph Strasser was born in 1982, the same year as the first RAAM, formerly known as the “Great American Bike Race” took place and he was dreaming about it since he was a young cyclist. The race has seen ten Austrian victories in the men’s solo traditional category by four cyclists (Franz Spilauer, Wolfgang Fasching, Severin Zotter, and Christoph Strasser); three of them hail from the state of Styria, the so-called “Green Heart of Austria” and also the birthplace of former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Besides Strasser, more Austrians were successfully in the RAAM this year:
Among them the “Team Alpha” from Upper Austria, as well as …
… the "Team Rotary RAAMs Polio" (with three Austrians including one lady and a senior American biker!), which raised $1 million for the charitable cause of eradicating polio. #endpolio
As the awards ceremony went on, some cyclists were still on their way to make it to the finish line on Annapolis’ waterfront. (c) Kulwadee Tongpubesra Eisingerich
#RAAM #AustriansAbroad #Jawui
All photos, if not noted otherwise by Vic Armijo / Race Across America