Hawaii Trip Has Ironman In A Sweat
After three years of trying, Clark Rauer is going to Hawaii. It’s a reward, but you certainly wouldn’t call it a vacation.
Rauer and four of his comrades in pain have qualified for the Gatorade Ironman Triathlon World Championship Oct. 7 on the Big Island. That’s a fun day that includes a 2.4-mile ocean swim, a 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run.
“I’ve dreamed of doing this race since my first triathlon three years ago,” said Rauer, who qualified by covering a similar course in the Ironman Canada last month in 9 hours, 54 minutes, 17 seconds.
Joining him will be Brad Vanwert of Spokane, who’ll participate in his eighth Ironman final, as well as Brian Jeffers of Cheney, Bill Travis of Coeur d’Alene, and Pat Johnson of Spokane in the women’s division.
Rauer, 32, who took up the triathlon during his recovery from cancer, is fortunate not only to be going to Hawaii, but also to have had the opportunity to qualify.
At the end of July, four weeks before the Canadian event, he was hit by a car while leading a pack 19 miles into what was to be a 100-mile-plus training ride.
“It was 8 in the morning and she (the car driver) got a DUI out of it,” recalled Rauer. “We’re lucky. She could have killed five of us.”
As it was, he was the only one who went down. He was scraped up and lost a $5,000 bike.
But the worst thing, he said, was it screwed up his training plans. It forced him to abandon not only the ride, but a following run, which was to have been his last major workout.
“I made my goals (in Canada), but I know I could have done better if I hadn’t gotten hurt,” he said.
The main thing, he agrees, is he qualified for Hawaii.
“I feel very blessed to have this opportunity,” he said.
Softball
Spokane’s national champion men’s modified softball team, Brymile, will visit the Shriner’s Hospital Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
The players and their wives will take gifts for the youngsters, said coach Fuzzy Buckenberger.
Bicycling
Chris Peterschmidt of Arrivee, in the last event in his club’s summerlong monthly time trials series, turned in the top time of the season, covering the 12-mile course in 26 minutes, 22 seconds.
Michael Emde of RC-Schnecke was second at 26:25 and Terry McLeon, Pazzo Velo, third in 26:54.
Fastest women were Sharon Hall, Baddlands, 31:50; Janet Grachal, citizen’s class, 32:08; and Kristi Kinkade-Schall, Arrivee, 33:19.
Orienteering
If you’re interested in checking out the sport, this would be a good weekend to do it. The fifth Inland Northwest Orienteering Cup will be contested at Riverside State Park.
Fifty participants are expected.
The sport involves navigating over unknown terrain using a map and compass. It can be done competitively, with orienteers racing to complete the course in the fastest time, or for recreation, where accuracy of navigation is the goal.
Five courses of varying difficulty and length will be used each day. Saturday’s start times will be from 1-3 p.m. south of the ORV area. Sunday’s starts are from 9-11 a.m. near the Bowl and Pitcher.
Info: 838-7078.
Volleyball
The seventh annual Klondyke Slam ‘N Jam will be Saturday on the Klondyke sand courts in Laclede, Idaho, west of Sandpoint.
There are divisions for 3-on-3 men, women and youths, and 4-on-4 coed. Registration is Saturday morning at 10. Matches begin at 11. Entry fee is $5 per person. Info: (208) 263-8193 or (208) 263-4114.