Archive for September, 2007

Now it’s your turn: Share your Riccione meet adventures

An Italian student in my wife’s ESL class says Riccione is known as a wild-and-crazy resort where, like Las Vegas, whatever “happens in Riccione, stays in Riccione.” But when it comes to the world masters meet, don’t be shy! Meet results barely scratch the surface, so take advantage of the miracle of email and send […]

September 16, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Daprano, Raschker WRs lead Americans in Riccione finale

Led by the world records of two Atlanta-area athletes, Americans combined for several dozen medals in the final two days of the 17th World Masters Athletics Championships in Riccione, Italy. The meet ended today with the powerful German and British teams claiming many relay medals, but Team USA collected plenty of hardware and also set […]

September 15, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Yikes! National Masters News goes for the fool’s gold

The September issue of National Masters News is out, and despite its 44 pages, it has only a handful of ads. A single back-page ad probably accounts for the bulk of its non-subscription revenue this month — a full-color production featuring photos of masters stars Frank Condon, Kathy Jager, Nolan Shaheed and Rick Easley. Yes, […]

September 14, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

American thrower finds his own Field of Dreams

This is the most haunting masters track story I’ve ever heard. I’ll let M55 world silver medalist Tom Fahey tell it himself. This is what Tom posted on The Ring after getting back from Riccione worlds: “Ralph (Fruguglietti) was born in Italy and speaks Italian fluently. He was visiting Venice and heard of a training […]

September 13, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Barrineau wins big jumpoff to claim M50 title at worlds

A dozen years ago, in a dramatic clash of Olympians, Jim Barrineau beat Dwight Stones for the M40 world high jump championship. Yesterday’s M50 event at Riccione might have been even more exciting than the Buffalo showdown. In 1995, Jim won with a jump of 2.11 (6-11). Yesterday, he cleared 1.81 (5-11 1/4) to beat […]

September 13, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Riccione Raschker named USATF Athlete of the Week

Ten years ago, when she was 50, Phil Raschker won an incredible 10 gold medals at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Durban, South Africa. But a decade has slowed her down. She may end up with only eight or nine world titles this year. At age 60, she’s won seven golds at Riccione worlds […]

September 12, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Witness to worlds vote: Sacto was losing at one point

John Schumacher of the Sacramento Bee wrote a wonderful account of the General Assembly vote at Riccione in the 2011 worlds contest. John, a respected track writer, made only one booboo — referring to the “WMA Council” as the deciders. No matter. The best nugget was this: “The voting . . . in Riccione provided […]

September 12, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

Procrastinators R Us: USATF posts a talent survey

This is news? On Monday, USATF informed us officially that it has a stretching research project. But didn’t you hear about that last July 1? Yup, cuz I posted it. So I don’t feel so bad about exposing my own shameful delay. For the past four or five weeks, I’ve been aware that USATF has […]

September 12, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Riccione runs out of time: No rules changes in 2007

Jerry Bookin-Weiner, USATF Masters throwing events coordinator, reports that the General Assembly at Riccione had to vacate its rented auditorium by 6 p.m. — and so wasn’t able to discuss any of the dozens of rules-change proposals on the agenda. How sad. Folks (like the Aussies) fly thousands of miles and can’t even get a […]

September 11, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Latest action video from Riccione has Phil, Nadine

If you can put up with the annoying “Technologic“ sound track, here’s a series of quick cuts from Monday’s events at Riccione, including Phil Raschker’s 200 finish in the W60 race and the close 200 contest between Canada’s Carol LaFayette-Boyd and Californian Nadine O’Connor. W80 sprinter Pat Peterson and some jumpers, spearchuckers and weight throwers […]

September 11, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed