We Noticed: Aero Testing Opportunity, Former Pro Needs Kidney Transplant

Long-time forum member and occasional contributor Brian Stover is running an aero testing opportunity in Tucson, Arizona next month.

Stover, along with fellow forum member Marc Graveline, will be performing testing using The Gizmo aero sensor. Testing will take place March 20th through the 23rd in Tucson.

According to Stover, riders can expect at least three hours of testing along outdoor bike paths in Tucson. “This is usually enough to test anywhere from 4-10 iterations of your position and equipment,” said Stover.

Stover was one of the key drivers behind a Slowtwitch Forum crowd sourced independent bike shootout, and has worked with numerous elite professional and age-group athletes on aero testing for years. Graveline, meanwhile, is a pioneer in aerodynamic field testing for cycling, having worked on the Notio Konnect aero sensor and now The Gizmo. He’s also consulted with World Tour teams.

Space for this opportunity is limited. More details, as well as information on registering for the test, can be found in the forum thread.

Former Pro in Need of Kidney Transplant

Ray Botelho, a 20-plus year veteran of professional triathlon, has been diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease and is in need of a transplant.

According to social media posts, Botelho was diagnosed following a viral infection caused by undiagnosed Lyme disease. Both of his kidneys are no longer functioning properly, and a transplant is required. Botelho is on the transplant waiting list; however, the estimated list time is more than 5 years. His stated goal is to find a living donor prior to needing dialysis, which appears to be needed in the next 12 to 24 months.

More information on his need can be found here.

Botelho’s perhaps most famous moment as a professional triathlete was at IRONMAN Lake Placid 2014. Botelho earned 7th place at the event, which would have been the first finisher to not earn a paycheck. However, a crowd-sourced effort led by The Real Starky and Dark Mark raised over $7,000 to pay the 7th place finishers, earning Botelho (and fellow 7th place finisher Rachel Jastrebski) more than all but the race winner on the day.

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