Twilight Criterium (or 6 Hours in the $@#& Rain!)

Karl Menzies crosses the finish line to win the Twilight criterium on Saturday, April 24, 2010 in Athens, Ga.

The annual Athens Twilight Criterium came to town back in April.

Its an annual, 80-lap cycling race where you have people covering the 1 KM course in about a minute per lap. In the dark. Now add rain. Sound like fun?

More photos & the story inside....





Racers speed down the course in the Jittery Joe's AM Finals event at the Twilight Criterium on Saturday, April 24, 2010 in Athens, Ga.


I didnt get any of the photos that i really wanted to. I couldn't do much with the cool light... as there wasn't any. It rained, a LOT but Think Tank Photo's Hydrophobia's came to the rescue here.



Thanks all my gear, complete with rain covers.
(Prevailing comment? "You have really small feet")

What i tried to do was to get as many photos during the opening race, but someone screwed up and forgot to download the card before overwriting it. Basically i tried to think of every realistic shot i could come up with, without having to change a lens. The rain eliminated the lensbaby shots & the fisheye shots, so i was left with mainly pans and trying to highlight the rain as much as i could, as that was the story.

Right around the time the scotchguard gave out on my shoes, i decided to just hang by the start/finish line and the pit area in an effort to get the winners and use the giant stage as a shield from some of the rain. When a lot of the lightning started moving in, i sent my card running in with the 300mm lens.



Female rider Theresa Cliff-Ryan crashes on the front stretch moments after winning the Women's Criterium event on Saturday, April 24, 2010 in Athens, Ga.

... and then there was this bizarre wreck right in front of me. From my vantage point, Cliff-Ryan was coming out of her sprint from the finish and threw her bike around a little too much and got caught up with the other riders, sending everyone tumbling. No one was seriously hurt.

There was so much more i wanted to accomplish. The rain may have made for a few cool photos but based on how sick i later got and how soaked i ended up, just wasn't worth it.



Racers streak across the start/finish line.



The women's race as seen from above.