the world showing up to compete. The race was televised on ABC's Wide World of Sports through 1986. In 1989, team divisions were added to introduce new elements of technology and strategy: a category for HPVs and faired bikes resulted in record speeds, and a four-man team division gave racers the option of riding together or taking turns, allowing them to balance higher speeds against longer rest periods. In addition to races across the full span of the United States, shorter races with a similar format have been included within RAAM; among these are a 24-hour version and the Race Across the West (RAW), typically ending in Durango, Colorado. The solo division of the most recent (2018) race began on June 12 in Oceanside, California; teams started on June 16, 2018. The finish line was once again in Annapolis, Maryland. Divisions The race has been held in many different divisions over the years. In 2008, for example, these were: RAAM: Solo Female RAAM: Solo Male RAAM: Solo Male (50–59) RAAM: Solo Male (60–69) RAAM: Solo Male – Recumbent (50–59) RAAM: Two-Person Male RAAM: Two-Person Male (50–59) RAAM: Two-Person Mixed RAAM: Four Person Male RAAM: Four Person Male (50–59) RAAM: Four Person Male (60–69) RAAM: Four Person Female RAAM: Four Person Female (50–59) RAAM: Four Person Mixed RAAM: Four Person Mixed (50–59) RAAM: Eight Person Race Across the West: Solo Male Race Across the West: Solo Male (50–59) Race Across the West: Solo Female Race Across the West: Two-Person Mixed (50–59) Race Across the West: Four-Person Male 24 Hour: Four-Person Female 24 Hour: Eight Person Fatalities and injuries There have been three fatalities in the race's history. In 2003, team rider Brett Malin was killed when he was hit by an 18-wheel tractor-trailer outside Pie Town, New Mexico. In 2005, solo participant Bob Breedlove was killed in a collision with an oncoming vehicle near Trinidad, Colorado. Details are lacking because he was by himself (his support crew was a few miles behind) and the only witnesses were in the vehicle that collided with him. Outside magazine investigated the crash in its November 2006 issue. On June 16, 2010, participant Diego Ballesteros Cucurull of Spain was critically injured when he was struck by a car near Wichita, Kansas. A little less than one month later, Ballesteros was home in Spain and undergoing rehabilitation. He is paralyzed from the waist down, but hopes