We Noticed: Frank, Eric …
In this issue of What We Have Noticed we feature Go Fund Me pages for the families of the tragic accident victims, Eric's Big Day, a new Challenge race in Denmark, a nifty bottle opener and athletic tape.
Supporting the families of Frank Guinn and Andrew Powell
Frank Guinn is the triathlete who sadly died on Friday while getting ready for the 2014 Ironman 70.3 New Orleans, and his brother-in-law Andrew Powell was critically injured in the same accident we reported on last week. Frank Guinn left behind a wife and 7-year old triplet daughters and the road of recovery for Andrew Powell will be long and arduous, thus friends of the family have set up fundraising platforms on Go Fund Me for the families of these accident victims and we all can pitch in to support them in this time of need.
For Kimberly Guinn and their three daughters: gofundme.com/89mhhs
For her brother Andrew Powell's family: gofundme.com/89yriw
Andy Potts was an athlete Frank Guinn admired and he shared an embrace with Kimberly Guinn before the race start, and she asked him to win this race for her husband. Andy Potts delivered the win and subsequently many tears and smiles.
Eric's Big Day
As passionate cyclists we tend to influence our kids at an early age and it appears that the father of fictional young Eric must have greatly inspired him. Eric's Great Day is a beautifully written and drawn children's book by Brit Rod Waters that should delight any parent and even folks who do not even have kids. Meant for kids 4-8, our 2.5 year old twins enjoyed this hardcover book very much and wanted Mama and Papa to read it to them over and over. Plus one of our boys quickly hopped on his bike post reading and raced around the living room on it. He did however not take flowers and a backpack on his ride.
MSRP: $14.95
A new Challenge Denmark race
The Challenge Family will return to Scandinavia with a new Challenge Denmark event. It will take place in the Jutland region of Denmark on June 13, 2015 and offer both full and half distance races. With the race being held right around the Legoland Billund Resort, that should make the families of the triathletes participating in the event super happy, and might lure folks from even further away.
According to the Challenge press release the swim takes place in Fuglsang Lake in Herning, a city renowned for its sporting events and facilities. The bike segment then heads south towards Billund on a flat and fast route where athletes can expect fast times. The race will go through some of the same parts of the country where the Giro d’Italia passed through in 2012 when the race visited Denmark. The run course is centered in and around Legoland Billund Resort and is flat and fast, including a special feature of a lap around the horse racing track before finishing in the heart of Lalandia, home to Denmark’s largest water park and tropical holiday center.
MSRP: €370 for full and €185 for half
And as we mentioned it will be around Legoland.
Wisecracker bottle opener
You don't have to be a wise cracker to appreciate this bottle opener from Ahrens Bicycles that fits on a variety of rides. Available in selected colors, stainless steel and titanium, one would think that you can find an offering that suits your personal taste and bike theme. We could also suggest a beer carrier appropriate for your bike but shall keep that to ourselves for another edition of What We Have Noticed. We however have not inquired with USAT and WTC to see if they are race approved.
Options: various
MSRP: starts at $12
Dynamic Tape
We have seen a variety of athletic tapes out there now and Dynamic Tape is another competitor in that group. It is not pre-cut like SpiderTech but you can get a tape option that'll have your friends think you are sporting a major tribal tattoo. The tattoo tape actually features a beautiful design created by Norfolk Island and Tahitian artist Tihoti, but clearly you can go plain too. When applied in thin strips it is apparently quite breathable and allows water through to the skin, but can be patted dry in seconds. Another claim of the brand is that it is a well-tolerated, long-lasting tape that is quite possibly the most comfortable athletic tape on the market.
Size: 2 inches x 16.4 feet (5cm x 5m)
MSRP: $15 per roll
