Saturday, December 23, 2006
Ironman Florida 2006 swim photos
These photos were provided by Alan Erquitt (thank you, Alan!), taken from the 19th-floor condo high above the swim course at the 2006 Ironman Florida. They show many more support watercraft than I observed while I was swimming, which I was glad to see.
Swimmers went around the course counter-clockwise for two loops. If you click on the photos to enlarge them, they give a good perspective of the routing swimmers took around the buoys (you can see many, many swimmers improperly cutting inside the first orange turn buoy). You can also see some swimmers that were swept to the east (left in the photos) by the current, although the wind-driven surface waves are coming from the opposite direction (towards the west). Due to the current, it seems that it would have been advantageous, in between loops, to run as far along the sand as possible rather than swim at an angle opposing the current.
The sand bar over which many people stopped to walk, about 50 yards off the beach, is clearly visible as a lighter band.
(I tilted the first one to level out the horizon before I got seasick.)
My edits of Photo #2 are below:
Swimmers went around the course counter-clockwise for two loops. If you click on the photos to enlarge them, they give a good perspective of the routing swimmers took around the buoys (you can see many, many swimmers improperly cutting inside the first orange turn buoy). You can also see some swimmers that were swept to the east (left in the photos) by the current, although the wind-driven surface waves are coming from the opposite direction (towards the west). Due to the current, it seems that it would have been advantageous, in between loops, to run as far along the sand as possible rather than swim at an angle opposing the current.
The sand bar over which many people stopped to walk, about 50 yards off the beach, is clearly visible as a lighter band.
(I tilted the first one to level out the horizon before I got seasick.)
My edits of Photo #2 are below:
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Barney Rice update
Rice family and NA Sports announce the creation of the Barney Rice Memorial Fund and Foundation
BOULDER, Colo.-The Barney Rice family, in conjunction with North America Sports, has announced two ways for triathletes and others to honor him. The creation of the Barney Rice Memorial Fund and the Barney Rice Memorial Foundation will assist Mr. Rice's children and raise funds for underprivileged children.
Mr. Rice was 35-year-old resident of Kalispell, MT who passed away after competing in the 2006 Ford Ironman Florida triathlon this past November. Mr. Rice was married and the father of three boys. He was a member of the Vigilante Triathlon club.
The Barney Rice Memorial Fund has been put in place to assist Mr. Rice's sons, one of whom has medical condition that requires continual medical care. These funds will directly benefit the Rice family and also go towards the college education of Rice's sons.
NA Sports will match the first $10,000 raised for the Barney Rice Memorial Fund and urges athletes and others from the triathlon community to contribute to this fund.
"We urge the triathlon community to help us raise funds for the Barney Rice Memorial Fund," said NA Sports President and eight-time Ironman World Champion Paula Newby-Fraser. "This provides an opportunity for triathletes to help support a fallen member of the triathlon community."
Checks can be sent to the following address:
Barney Rice Memorial Fund
c/o DA Davidson & Co.
P.O. Box 128
Kalispell, MT 59903
Mr. Rice's triathlon club (The Vigilante Triathlon Club) has also set up a foundation in his memory, the Barney Rice Memorial Foundation. This long-term foundation will raise funds for underprivileged children in the greater Pacific Northwest.
A number of his fellow triathletes will race in Mr. Rice's honor in 2007 including a large contingent at Ford Ironman Florida. These athletes will race to raise awareness and funds for the Memorial Foundation. These athletes include:
2007 Ford Ironman Coeur d'Alene
Jane MacDonald
Bob Morris
2007 Ford Ironman Florida
Mike Rydell
Jeff Jaraczeski
Jabby Young
Jose Desouza
Reed Malvick
Danny Mendel
Laura Nyhus
The club will also compete in a number of other triathlons, marathons and running races in 2007, honoring their teammate along the way.
"Barney had committed to a lifestyle which defines us all" said Mike Rydell, Barney Rice's cousin and fellow member of the Vigilante Triathlon Club. "Everyday he was forced to test his limits, to achieve them then surpass them. Barney knew the Ironman was not just a race, but rather a lifestyle, a lifestyle in which ordinary men and women can become extraordinary on a daily basis. Some people say you can tell a lot about a person by the way they look. I say, you can tell a lot about a person by the way they live. Barney lived his life to the fullest, and we (the
Vigilantes) are honoring that everyday."
To contribute to the Barney Rice Memorial Foundation, please send checks to:
Barney Rice Memorial Foundation
c/o JCCS
Attn: Steve Mehaffey
P.O. Box 989
Great Falls, MT 59403
For more information on the Foundation and the Barney Rice Memorial Fund, log onto www.vigilantetri.com.
BOULDER, Colo.-The Barney Rice family, in conjunction with North America Sports, has announced two ways for triathletes and others to honor him. The creation of the Barney Rice Memorial Fund and the Barney Rice Memorial Foundation will assist Mr. Rice's children and raise funds for underprivileged children.
Mr. Rice was 35-year-old resident of Kalispell, MT who passed away after competing in the 2006 Ford Ironman Florida triathlon this past November. Mr. Rice was married and the father of three boys. He was a member of the Vigilante Triathlon club.
The Barney Rice Memorial Fund has been put in place to assist Mr. Rice's sons, one of whom has medical condition that requires continual medical care. These funds will directly benefit the Rice family and also go towards the college education of Rice's sons.
NA Sports will match the first $10,000 raised for the Barney Rice Memorial Fund and urges athletes and others from the triathlon community to contribute to this fund.
"We urge the triathlon community to help us raise funds for the Barney Rice Memorial Fund," said NA Sports President and eight-time Ironman World Champion Paula Newby-Fraser. "This provides an opportunity for triathletes to help support a fallen member of the triathlon community."
Checks can be sent to the following address:
Barney Rice Memorial Fund
c/o DA Davidson & Co.
P.O. Box 128
Kalispell, MT 59903
Mr. Rice's triathlon club (The Vigilante Triathlon Club) has also set up a foundation in his memory, the Barney Rice Memorial Foundation. This long-term foundation will raise funds for underprivileged children in the greater Pacific Northwest.
A number of his fellow triathletes will race in Mr. Rice's honor in 2007 including a large contingent at Ford Ironman Florida. These athletes will race to raise awareness and funds for the Memorial Foundation. These athletes include:
2007 Ford Ironman Coeur d'Alene
Jane MacDonald
Bob Morris
2007 Ford Ironman Florida
Mike Rydell
Jeff Jaraczeski
Jabby Young
Jose Desouza
Reed Malvick
Danny Mendel
Laura Nyhus
The club will also compete in a number of other triathlons, marathons and running races in 2007, honoring their teammate along the way.
"Barney had committed to a lifestyle which defines us all" said Mike Rydell, Barney Rice's cousin and fellow member of the Vigilante Triathlon Club. "Everyday he was forced to test his limits, to achieve them then surpass them. Barney knew the Ironman was not just a race, but rather a lifestyle, a lifestyle in which ordinary men and women can become extraordinary on a daily basis. Some people say you can tell a lot about a person by the way they look. I say, you can tell a lot about a person by the way they live. Barney lived his life to the fullest, and we (the
Vigilantes) are honoring that everyday."
To contribute to the Barney Rice Memorial Foundation, please send checks to:
Barney Rice Memorial Foundation
c/o JCCS
Attn: Steve Mehaffey
P.O. Box 989
Great Falls, MT 59403
For more information on the Foundation and the Barney Rice Memorial Fund, log onto www.vigilantetri.com.
