Pro Men Ready to Go

Photo by: Tish Gorman

Despite the downpour the night before, Disney Marathon was dry (mostly) for the 6:30 am start. Pro Men went first followed in 2 minute waves by Pro Master Men, Pro Women and Master Women, Advanced Open, Fitness Open. Derek Parra and Jennifer Rodriguez were on hand to start each wave of skaters with a 10-9-8 countdown. It was a slow marathon due to the wet ground and the technical aspects of navigating the theme parks, but we had a great time. GT Skaters, as usual, did well despite the slippery conditions on the boardwalk and a couple of missed turns.

In the Pro Men division, Jono went off on a flyer and the group gave chase. Jono led the whole group on a wrong turn because the motorcycle escort got so far ahead of them that he lost everyone. Fortunately since everyone followed Jono, they were all in the same boat and they just regrouped and started off on the correct route. Kim Foster wasn't as fortunate. She didn't realize that you had to make the right hand turn down the avenue to the finish line and continued straight. The other pro ladies made the turn and so after all her hard work during the Marathon, Kim had to settle for 15th.

The slippery conditions led to more than one fall, a fact to which Stephen Dawson can attest. The biggest casualty of the day was Kathryn Hyzer who, like Stephen, went down not once, but twice. She broke her wrist on the second fall and had to make an emergency trip to the the hospital to have that taken care of. She jokingly says that she was "first" in something -- first racer to the hospital. Kathryn certainly deserves the purple heart for injuries sustained, especially after her accident last fall when a driver almost took her out while she was skating. Kathryn, we hope you are recuperating well, and that you won't let a little cast keep you from joining us at practice.

Greg Gorman surprised himself and even his coach by placing highly in the Advanced Open division, finishing just behind Pro Men entries Chad Rigsby and Thomas Lobo. He was 8th overall and 2nd in his Age Division.

Here are the Team Placements. If I missed anyone, please let me know. I don't have the results for the kids' races on Saturday, so if anyone has them, please forward.

GT Speed Team Results

Pro Men Place/Name/Time 5 Jono Gorman - 1:19:36	Pro Women Place/Name/Time 4 Mandi Howard - 1:30:04 15 Kim Foster - 1:30:25
Advanced Skaters Men - Open Place/Name/Time 8 Greg Gorman - 1.22.53 18 Steve Stewart - 1:28:16 43 Matthew Spicer - 1:32:22 81 Stephen Dawson - 1:36:18 120 Jim Walsh - 1:44:20	Advanced Skaters Women - Open Place/Name/Time 30 Courtney Bellais - 1:30:12 47 Lillian Mitchell - 1:32:23 99 JJ Meadows - 1:39:16 155 Lisa Johansen - 1:47:30 156 Kelly Epley - 1:47:32 218 Jackie Smith - 1:55:14 275 Christy Brookshire - 1:59:50

Derek Parra

Photo by: Tish Gorman

The Fitness wave is off!

Photo by: Tish Gorman