Richard Raschdorf
Location: Long Beach, NY
Rich Raschdorf is the president of the New York Adventure Racing Association (www.nyara.org), and a helicopter pilot in his spare time. For being the only man on the all woman team of Towanda Glaxo at Primal Quest '04, Rich has embodied the Wingnut mentality. But his actions at Primal Quest earned him our respect as our second Featured Nut. During the race, Richard and his team sacrificed time to rescue two fellow racers who became stranded on the side of a crumbling cliff. At one point in the 400 mile race, the so called "suggested route" lead teams up an 80 degree pitch of packed dirt. The conditions of the wall quickly deteriorated as teams scrambled up, pulling out the few roots and loose handholds that were available. By the time Rich and his team reached the gully, there were two racers from another team stranded on the wall, precariously clinging to a lone tree, with no means of getting up or down. Rich and his team stopped to lend a hand. Rich advised the two racers to tie themselves to the tree with their packs so that they could safely spend the night on the wall until they could devise a safe way to get them down. At daybreak, Rich climbed the 80 degree pitch up the wall and put together runners and various other rope gear, and set up an anchor up top with the makeshift rope so that his team, and others, could safely ascend the wall. By this time, the racer that was still in the tree (his companion managed to scramble to safety) was able to secure a way off the tree himself to reach the anchor that Rich had set up. The selfless acts of sportsmanship continued as the team then declined time compensations from the race directors. When word of the rescue reached the race committee, and a sportsmanship award was handed out for the rescue, to the wrong team (who accepted it anyway), Rich just shrugged his shoulders and went home happy. We are here to give Rich and his team the credit they deserve. It's this type of sportsmanship that puts Adventure Racing into a better class of competitive sport. Thank you, Rich, for being an excellent example of true class.
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