Irish Minister for Sport supports Team Ireland

Mary Hanafin TD, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Ireland, has sent this letter of support to Team Ireland in anticipation of Gay Games VIII. Thanks to Frank Kelly of Out in Ireland who has led the efforts to organize Team Ireland.

Éire go Brách!

Previewing the Gay Games in Cologne

Ross Forman of Chicago's Windy City Times (a Gay Games media sponsor) has written a Gay Games Cologne preview. Ross will be reporting for WCT in Cologne.

Hector Torres has a simple goal for Gay Games VIII in Cologne, Germany: finish among the top three in all of the sports that he participates in.

Well, he also has another goal: to have fun.

Torres, 32, has a loaded schedule—on the competitive side of his international journey, that is. He is participating in the Olympic triathlon, the 10K run, the 5K run, the 26.2-mile marathon and three cycling events ( criterium, mountain bike and time trial ) .

"I am extremely excited [ for ] the Games," said Torres, who lives in Orlando, Fla., and only ran the marathon at the 2006 Games in Chicago. "This time around, I feel stronger, fearless and driven. I have been training smart and hard for the past couple of years. I am confident enough within myself that I will have a great performance."

Torres is the head coach for Tri Peak Athlete, LLC and the Central Florida YMCA. He is one of about 9,600 registered participants from around the world heading to the quadrennial sports and cultural extravaganza ( July 31-Aug. 7 ) that is making its debut in Germany. Past Games have been held in San Francisco ( twice ) , including the first ever, in 1982, as well as Sydney, Vancouver, New York City and Amsterdam.

About 2,500 U.S. residents will join Torres in Cologne.

Read the full preview HERE.

Dancing duo prepares for the Gay Games

It’s a Sunday afternoon and a couple of men walked into Sizzling Fillo, a Filipino restaurant a stone’s throw away from Lidcombe station in Sydney, for a very late lunch.What they didn’t know was that they were just about to gatecrash an intimate party – a ‘send-off’ party if you like – for two Filipino-Australians who dare to dream big. Albert Dimarucut, a well-known Filipino dancer and choreographer, and Brian Lorenz Babon, a multi-talented artist who won a major singing competition, have set their eyes on going to the VIII Gay Games, Cologne 2010.

Competing in the ‘dance’ sports category, Albert and Brian have to be at the eight-day event to be held from July 31 to August 7. To be in the running, they had to be nominated by an association and were chosen by FLAGCOM and Friends (Filipino Lesbian and Gay Community). The catch is, they have to finance the trip themselves and, with less than a fortnight to go, are yet to secure company sponsors to help fund all their expenses. But as the saying goes, if there’s a will, there’s a way. One of their close friends, Armando ‘RC’ Reyes, hosted a despedida with the help of Sizzling Fillo’s owners (who gave the venue at no charge) and invited guests.

Brian said they have wanted to be part of the Games for a long time now. “It’s held every four years and we thought, we should do it – this is the year,” he said. Not that their end goal is to get the gold. Asked what they would do to differentiate themselves from their rivals, Brian smiled and said they’ll just show their best and have a good time. “We’re just going to have fun,” he said. Judging by their passion and pedigree, there’s a good chance they might just make history and become the first gay Filipino-Australians to go to the games.

Continue reading HERE.

Chicago Athlete profile: Roger Bashore, track and field

Jim Budzinski from Outsports.com gives us a first person profile of Chicago track athlete Roger Bashore.

"My involvement in the Gay Games began with the New York closing ceremonies in 1994. I handed out information and buttons for one of the sponsors. At that time, participating in the Gay Games hadn’t crossed my mind. A few years before, I put my racing shoes away and retired from competition.

Prior to Gay Games V in Amsterdam, a friend of mine approached me to run in a 4×400-meter relay team with him. I wasn’t competing seriously at the time, so it was an interesting proposal and I decided to go. Although the relay team never came to be, I had a great experience in Amsterdam and won a bronze medal in the 1,500 meters. I have participated in every Gay Games since.

There have been highs and lows over the years. I had the flu in Sydney in 2002 but had a great time anyway. I only got to run the 800- meter prelims on the track before spending a few days in bed. By the end of the week, I had recovered enough to run the 10K road race and came away with a gold. My partner and I used our time on the other side of the world to explore New Zealand and the Great Barrier Reef. It was an amazing trip that we may have never had if it wasn’t for the Gay Games."

Read full article HERE.

Interview with San Francisco Gay Games Athlete Reggie Snowden

L.K. Regan of RealJock.com gives us a preview of San Francisco track athlete Reggie Snowden.

"In the lead-up to the Gay Games, we are interviewing a few of the inspiring athletes traveling from the U.S. to Cologne, Germany to compete at the end of this month. Today we're introducing Reggie Snowden, a 45-year-old track and field athlete from San Francisco. Read our interview with Reggie, get to know him, and get in the spirit of the Games!

"Can you tell us a little about your background?

"I am originally from Portsmouth, Hew Hampshire and born in Kittery, Maine. Currently I call San Francisco my home after attending Yuba Community College and California State University, Chico. I have always been athletic. I play football, volleyball and tennis besides running. I love track and field and have been competing for 30 years. Former All-American in high school and I specialize in the 110 hurdles. I also triple jump, long jump, and make myself do the 400 intermediate hurdles. I have been trained to compete in multi T&F events. In high school at the end of the year, I competed in the Decathlon and progressively got better until my senior year when I placed second. I left high school with various school records in the hurdles and triple jump, and with multiple MVP awards."

Read the full interview HERE.

Washington DC's Heister and Ashley going for the gay gold in golf

Joey DiGuglielmo from the Washington Blade profiles Andrea Reister and her partner Marty Ashley competing together in golf in Cologne.

The Gay Games medals that lesbian attorney Andrea Reister keeps in her office at Covington & Burling on Pennsylvania Avenue — three golds and a silver for cycling — have had a somewhat unexpected effect.

Natural conversation starters, Reister says they’ve been a way to come out to clients without making a proclamation.

“People who know me very well know it’s just part of my persona,” she says. “They’ve become a very positive aspect of who I am. And it’s an easy way to get it out there without making it a big deal. They’re something everybody can relate to.”

Reister, 52, is gearing up for her third Gay Games. She competed in Sydney in 2002 and in Chicago in 2006 but is switching gears for this eighth installment of the Games, which kicks off next weekend in Cologne, Germany. She and her partner of nine years, Marty Ashley, will compete together in golf.

Read the rest of the story HERE.

Kara Wilson on the way to Germany

Follow Kara Wilson's news on her blog, Spin Slayer.Here's a recent post on her plans for Gay Games VIII.

I do a short acoustic tour, with Debbie Fox on drums, in Germany, then land in Cologne on the 28th to begin my preliminary training and beer (biergarten!) sampling. I found a partner for my mixed doubles competition, his name is Peter, he’s 62 and from Munich, i’m really thinking we will be a perfect match! We won’t get to practice together until the day of the event, but who cares! It’s the Gay Games! I will participate in the women’s singles and mixed doubles events and I am SO excited i can’t deal. I am so grateful to all of you, sponsors and donors, friends and fans, for all your love and support in helping me get to the Gay Games – as Leslie Hall puts it “Congratulations on following a dream that no one else wants, so i know you’re going to succeed”!!! BUT, there is gonna be hella tough competition for me at the Gay Games, i’ve seen some youtube footage of German women playing table “tisch” tennis, and it’s ROUGH you guys…i need to work on my “game face”!

Georgians go for gold at Gay Games

Laura Douglas-Brown from the Georgia Voice in Atlanta reports on Team Atlanta's preparation for the Gay Games in Cologne.

"There won’t be as many athletes marching behind the Team Atlanta banner when Gay Games VIII opens in Cologne, Germany, but participants say the spirit of camaraderie and competition remains strong.

Some 160 athletes from Atlanta participated in the last Gay Games, held in Chicago in 2006. Thanks in large part to the longer distance — and therefore increased costs and vacation time requirements — only about 30 will make the trek to Germany for this year’s Games, which get underway July 31 and run through Aug. 7.

About half of the Georgians attending the Gay Games are members of the Atlanta Rainbow Trout. That includes the 11-member water polo team and about six other swimmers, according to Sean Fitzgerald, a Trout member and secretary of the Federation of Gay Games, the international organization that puts on the quadrennial competition and cultural showcase.

“This is really a worldwide event,” Fitzgerald says. “For the Rainbow Trout, we go to straight competitions all the time, and we are welcomed at those events and allowed to participate. In a lot of places in the world [gay athletes] don’t get that opportunity.”

Read the rest of the article HERE.

Australian Freezone eyes gold in Cologne

From the Sydney Star Observer (Gay Games Cologne media partner).

To ensure they have the best chance of gold possible at the Gay Games Sydney’s Freezone volleyball side, sponsored by the Sydney Star Observer, held a last-minute fundraiser on Monday night.

The entertainment was as sexy as the players and we are assured the Freezone team is in tip-top form for when the games open in less than two weeks.

Check out the online photo gallery from the night HERE.

The Sydney Star Observer will be providing regular updates from Cologne on their website at http://www.starobserver.com.au/

The Road to Cologne: Ryan Wilcox - Ice Skating

The following exerpt is from the blog of the Denver Post by Caitlin Brozna

Local 30-year survivor dreams of competing in Gay Games in Germany

by: Caitlin Brozna

Ryan Wilcox is a 50-year-old Denverite, who was born in Greeley and raised on a dairy farm in Cañon City. In 1979, he contracted HIV/AIDS before there even was the diagnosis of AIDS.

Ryan has been living with AIDS for almost 31 one years, being one of the first to experience the struggles and stigmas that come with the disease. After losing his partner of many in years in 1989 due to AIDS, Ryan started a slow decline into depression and failing health.

Ryan said, "At that time I was in very bad health, depressed, and wondered how I could be alive after so many years with AIDS. My passion and artistic expression were gone, my partner taken from me, and I was alone, living with this disease. Actually, I wasn't living at all, but sitting at home waiting to die in my chair, cocktail in hand."

By 2006, Ryan was walking with a cane and his weight had fallen to 97 pounds. It was in 2006 that Ryan had first heard of the Gay Games, when he was invited by friends to participate and "flag" for the opening ceremonies in Chicago. Due to his health, he was not able to attend but became intrigued by the idea of a "Gay Games," an organization he had never heard of.

After learning about the Gay Games, Ryan was inspired to change his life. He wanted to participate in the 2010 Gay Games that were to be held in Cologne, Germany. He started eating more and turned away from alcohol and the bar scene. He then returned to his childhood passion and sport of figure skating, which his grandmother had him involved in as a child in Colorado Springs. Ryan enrolled in a "Learn To Skate" program at Big Bear Ice Arena in Denver and also began taking private lessons. Slowly his strength and articulation came back to him.

"At the time, I didn't know how I would get there (Germany) but that was my dream, just to be in Cologne and to be a part of it. Skating has brought me to life again, healing myself from my own self-loathing and depression," he said.

That is how Ryan's dream started but it has transformed into something else entirely. Recently Ryan learned of a friend who was diagnosed with HIV and soon after took his own life.

"This has to stop," Ryan said, "I want people living with HIV and AIDS to know this disease is manageable now, that it is not the end. You will have bad days but you will survive and you can strive, you can love, and most of all you can dream."

Click HERE for the fully story on the YourHub.com blog.

"The Road to Cologne": sailor* Matthew Stuczynski

Here's an extract of a profile of a Gay Games VIII athlete. Read the full profile in Living in the Queer Times HERE:

I am 46 years old and a Spanish and German high school teacher. I competed in cycling at the 2006 Games in Chicago. Next July in Cologne, Germany, I will be back in competitor mode—in sailing, though.

My [Cologne] goal is to sail as best I can and work as part of an amazing sailing team. Having previously lived and worked in Germany, I hope to also use my knowledge of the culture and language to work as a go-between among the German organizers and my American teammates so that all goes as smoothly as possible. Being a fan of the Games and the sport, I want to do all I can in order to promote and make these Cologne Games be as successful as possible.

*Apologies from Marc on the incorrect spelling earlier...

Jack Mackenroth update

Entry 3 in Jack Mackenroth's Gay Games diary:

The 2010 Gay games start in Cologne on July 31st with the opening ceremonies. My very first Gay Games competition was in 1990 in Vancouver, Canada. I was 20 years old, and I had just come out to my Mom the year before. I remember having to tell my Aunt and Uncle who lived in Vancouver that I would like to stay with them because I was coming there to participate in the “Gay Games.” They were cool, and totally understood my implication without asking too many questions.

At that time, I was still struggling to become completely okay with my sexual orientation. That’s why I will never forget the moment I walked into the stadium during the parade of athletes during the opening ceremonies. I had never been around so many people like me. And after years of torment, to witness a stadium full of spectators cheering for me was unbelievable; and to this day, the sensation is still completely indescribable. All I ever tell anyone is that I was literally moved to tears.

Ever since then I have been an avid supporter and participant of the Gay Games, having swum in every single successive competition in New York, Amsterdam, Sydney, and in Chicago where I had a life-changing moment. I swam the breaststroke leg on a 4 X 50 meter medley relay that set the national record. We were only .8 seconds off the world record. And it was even more amazing because my Mom had traveled all the way from Seattle to be there in the stands to cheer me along and to watch me swim!

Continue reading HERE.

Read the first entry HERE.
Read the second entry HERE.

Mexico's Tri Gay soccer team heading to Cologne

From ChannelsTV:

Mexico's "Tri Gay" soccer team are getting ready to compete at the upcoming Gay Games to be held in Cologne from July 31 to August 7, 2010.

Team members - formed largely by homosexual and two transsexual players - and their uniform were presented at a bar in the Zona Rosa area of Mexico City, a neighbourhood which boasts from a large gay community.

"The "Tri Gay" is characterized mainly for being the only team which is also a civil organisation which fights against discrimination, homophobia, HIV as well as a sporting team. It is characterized by its total diversity. We have intersexual and homosexual players, we have two transsexual players - me as a trans girl and a boy - we also have lesbian girls. The whole diversity is represented by the "Tri Gay," said Mexico "Tri Gay" Coach, Miranda Salman.

The team received little support from sponsors but they managed to purchase seven plane tickets to Dusseldorf with 130,000 pesos (approx. $10,262 dollars) thanks to a donation made by Mexico City's Sporting Institute.

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation also donated another ticket for one of the goalkeepers in the team.

Outsports athlete profiles

Like Living in Queer Times, Gay Games media partner Outsports has been profiling athletes preparing for Gay Game VIII. There've been more than we can follow, so here's the link to all of them, with a list of those profiled.

• Bodybuilding: Mark Ebinger, Dustin Robertson
• Bowling: Sam Kipu
• Cycling! Paulette Meggoe
• Figure Skating: James Scott
• Marathon: Stephen Kovacev
• Martial Arts: Ellen Sullivan
• Road Races: Tedd Konya
• Soccer: David Cisneros, Chris Fajardo
• Sport Climbing: Steven Thanh Wong
• Swimming: Julio Aponte
• Track and Field: Roger Bashore, Reggie Snowden
• Water Polo: Gerardo (Jerry) Betancourt

"The Road to Cologne": Living in Queer Times series

We've been unable to keep up noting the fantastic profiles published by Living in Queer Times. See all their Gay Games VII coverage HERE.

The athletes covered so far include:

• Bodybuilding: Nevar, Kile Ozier, Richard René Silvin
• Cheerleading: Rachel Gibson
• Chess: Kathy Schmitz
• DanceSport: Michael Herman, Steve Valentine
• Figure Skating: Ali Blank, Marni Halasa
• Marathon: Jeffery Grimes, Doug Haldeman
• Powerlifting: Chuck Coleman
• Swimming: Luis Balaguer, Dawn Keltner, Charley Myers and Bill Donovan, Vicki Roberts, Todd Urban
• Track and Field: Donald Alexander
• Triathlon: Dale Freeman, Richard Sypniewski, Hector Torres
• Wrestling: Bob Lubarsky

"The Road to Cologne": bodybuilder Kile Ozier

Here's an extract of a profile of a Gay Games VIII athlete. Kile Ozier is a long time supporter and hero in the Gay Games movement.  Read Kile's story of how he first came to the Gay Games and how he prepares for Cologne in Living in the Queer Times HERE

I’ve been to every Gay Games except for Vancouver in 1990; from helping Tom Waddell promote the first Gay Olympics in 1982 to producing and directing the Opening and Closing Ceremonies in New York in ’94 and directing those of Chicago in ’06. I’ve been involved to varying degrees with each quadrennial.

While I had witnessed the power of the Games as a spectator, been proud to have helped to create the experience in ’94 and even experienced walking into Sydney’s stadium with the athletes as a swimmer on Team New York in 2002; I had not experienced the truly transformative empowerment of the Gay Games until 2006, as I entered a contest I’d never thought possible or even conceivable…and entered a new relationship to my body and my life.

Advocate on-air piece on Gay Games VIII

"The Road to Cologne": triathlete Hector Torres

Here's an extract of a profile of a Gay Games VIII athlete. Read the full profile in Living in the Queer Times HERE:

After the Gay Games, I left with a new mission in life. Practicing this sport is a lifestyle, not a one-time deal. The Triathlon sport changed my life; therefore, I decided to master all three sports. I decided to become a Coach and teach others. I founded the Central Florida Triathlon Club in Orlando Florida. It is the largest club in Central Florida and the most structured club in the nation. I coach everyone who is part of the club for FREE! You just have to show up to practice. The services the club provides is like no other. I have a total of 500 athletes.

After finishing my bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, I pursued my masters in Sports and Fitness with a concentration in Sports Leadership and Coaching. I continued to pursue my education in the Triathlon sport. I am currently part of the Elite Coaching Program, which means, we are looking for athletes who have potential to become professional’s athletes and take them to the Olympics. I coach all levels of athletes from beginners to advanced.

My training has changed dramatically and improved in all levels. I feel so strong and ready for the Games this time around. I am registered for the Olympic Triathlon, Cycling Criterium, Cycling Time Trial, 5k & 10k road race and Half Marathon. I am planning to be in Cologne for 2 weeks and ready to enjoy it!

Gay Games VIII profile: cyclist Margaret Douglass

A profile from Q-Salt Lake:

In the past seven Gay Games, one Utah athlete has acquired more medals that any other participant from the state. Cyclist Margaret Douglass, 51, has brought home seven medals from the 1994 Gay Games in New York and the 2002 Games in Sydney.

And now, Douglas is attending Gay Games VIII, which will be held from July 31–Aug.7 in Cologne, Germany where she hopes to add to her collection of five gold and two silver medals, earned in two events.
“In Germany I am only competing in the criterium and the road race, for several reasons,” said Douglass. “One, I’ve done two Gay Games already and I really don’t want to focus on just the bike racing this time. I want to race my best races, be done, go explore Germany, vacation and party,” said Douglass. “Second, I had a bad crash early this season and some other health issues that had kept me from training to my standards. Third, I’ve been racing forever and I am getting tired, I am not as serious this year. And forth, I will be racing on a borrowed bike.”

Continue reading HERE.

And see a profile of Margaret in the Windy City Times HERE.

Gay Games profile: bodybuilder Mark Ebinger

Gay Games VIII media partner Outsports has launched a series of athlete profiles. Tell your story to the world! More info HERE.

And read a this profile of bodybuilder Mark Ebinger HERE.

Here's an extract:

I have been competing in natural bodybuilding for seven years and have always loved the sport and I choose to do something big to mark the end of “less than” for me. By my declaration, competing in the Gay Games marks that I am included and equal. It is a perfect fit since the Gay Games is the largest all-inclusive event in the world. My gym friends are mostly straight and very supportive, as is my training partner who is coming to Cologne to show his support.

My mother is from Germany and I have many relatives in Germany and several of my cousins are planning to attend as well. (Further illustrating that my problem with acceptance has been my own issue).

I will be in the best physical shape of my life on July 31, but regardless of my results, it will be a personal victory for me, because I get to define my self worth.