Wentworth District 22 – Senior Games.
Ancaster Keeps Its Head Above Water!
Contributed by Al Gordon.
June was a spectacular month at the Ancaster Senior Achievement Centre!
Aubrey Smith, a very active member of our Centre, has been in the ‘swim of things’ for many years, but 2011 was a special year. Twenty-eleven actually began back in August 2010 with a great swimming performance at the Canada 55+ Games held in Brockville, Ontario. The Canada 55+ Games are held every two years. These Games provide the silver and gold medal winners from the various Provincial games held across the country to compete against each other at a National level. And, it is a big event! In fact, over 3000 competitors from our nine provinces and two territories participated in 21 events scheduled in a five day period in Brockville.
Aubrey Smith, award winning swimmer
The Brockville Games were opened by the Games Torch Bearer Walter Gretsky, another area senior! And perhaps it was a good omen for Aubrey to have a ‘winner’ like Walter on hand. Aubrey won four medals in the 55+ age category against the top senior swimmers in the country. He finished with Gold Medal in the 100 meter Breaststroke; Silver Medals in the 50 meter Freestyle and the 50 meter Breaststroke; and, a Bronze in the 100 meter Freestyle. Smith also was a member of a ‘two man - two women’ medley race that outpaced the Yukon and Alberta teams. Not only did the medley performances lead to medals, but also enabled Ontario to win the swimming portion of the Canada Games. Clearly, Aubrey and his colleagues made waves in Brockville!
Following his outstanding swimming performances in the Canada 55+ Games Aubrey was invited to represent Canada at the prestigious International 55+ Summer Games held in Houston Texas last June. The 55+ Games, although clearly focused on performance, are dedicated to encouraging older adults to not only compete at their highest possible level, but also pursue healthy lifestyles through participation in sports and personal fitness. The 55+ Summer Games, organized by the National Senior Games Association, have grown to become one of the largest multi-sport events in the world, and now draws athletes in a broad range of sports and activities from across the US, Europe and Canada,
The Houston event was ‘no small potatoes!’ More than 10,000 women and men athletes competed in 18 sports held in 14 different venues in the Houston area over the course of 15 days. One hundred and four of these athletes were from Canada participating in activities ranging from archery, badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling, golf, horseshoes, walking and racquetball to shuffleboard, softball, table tennis, tennis, track and field, triathlon and volleyball. Oh yes, and did we mention swimming!
Well Aubrey did very well! He competed in four events, and despite a shoulder separation just prior to the Games, he trussed himself up, gritted his teeth, and managed a 14th place finish.
Well done Aubrey! We are delighted you were part of the 55+ Games in Houston, as well as the Canada Games in Brockville. And, we congratulate the 104 Canadians for their participation in the Houston Games and applaud them for returning home with more than twenty plus Medals. These seniors help us to focus our attention on the importance of fitness and the potential that lays dormant within many of us! Whether it is chair exercises, painting, golf or swimming, our challenge is to exploit our opportunities. Aubrey and his colleagues have demonstrated the possible each of us have to explore and develop. While Aubrey is getting ready now for Canada Games in Halifax in 2012, let’s all of us start tomorrow setting goals to improve our fitness and get on with it!
Wow! It sure was a great June in Ancaster!
2011
GOLDEN HORSESHOE 55+ REGIONAL GAMES A SUCCESS
Recently 5 districts , Halton,Wentworth, Hamilton, Niagara and Brant (Haldimand,Norfolk) competed in a one day competition hosted by Hamilton. Over 150 competitors took part in 8 events. District 22 (Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek Flamborough and Grimsby) did well placing in the top three in 7 of the 8 events.
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The results are as follows:
Cribbage 3rd place Anne Staruck & June Mackie
Contract Bridge 2nd place Al Schlosser & Peter Vanderwerf
Euchre 2nd place Adella Watson & Betty Baker
Bid Euchre 2nd place Laverne Thomson & Lois Coomber
Golf - Ladies A Flight Ist place Wilma Jeppesen
B Flight Ist place Shirley Glauser
- Mens A Flight 2nd place Ken Boyko
B Flight 1st place Paul Jeppesen
Calloway 2nd place Ted Reinholdt
3 km Prediction Walk 1st place Aubrey Smith (tie)
3km Nordic Prediction Walk 1st place Sharon Boule
To qualify for these games , the competitors had to be a gold or silver medal winner at their district games.. District 22 had a total of 27 participants. The 55+ games are a growing organization in Ontario. Presently there are over 10,000 registered across the Province. District 22 has well over 300 members. We always welcome new members to our organization. To learn more about the games click on the OSGA website at www.ontarioseniorgames.ca. To learn more about District 22 enter the above and click onto Hamilton Wentworth. Also, you can phone our games center at 905 648-3466. Summer Games
District 22 (Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek, Flamborough, Waterdown, Grimsby and Mt. Hope recently completed the spring session of the 55+ GAMES.
15 Events were held in May finishing with a banquet for all Gold, Silver and Bronze winners. The number of participants and the events entered were up substantially over last year. This year we had 233 participants entered in 361 events.
The Gold medal winners are as follows:
Contract Bridge Al Schlosser Euchre Bill Bleses Wolfgang Janker
Peter Vanderwerf
Art Jeffreys
Maureen Ellis
Duplicate Bridge Al Schlosser Cribbage Nellie McSwai Sandra Down
Peter Vanderwerf
Art Jeffreys
Maureen Ellis
Bid Euchre Triples Laura Richards Bid Euchre Doubles Lois Coomber Laverne Thomson
Larry Shea
Ann Ashbee
Darts Sharon Chesterfield Golf Women’s Calloway Sandy Barbour
Sharon Jamuth Golf Men’s Calloway Ted Reinholdt
5 Pin Bowling Inez Laking Lawn Bowling Andy Grum Sheila Finnimore, Beverly Rose
Bill Laking
Tom Johnson
Carol Bleses 3 K Prediction Walk Linda May Hinsch
Ann Frasson
10 K Cycling Sharon Boule Swimming Sprint 55+ Joan Millard
65+ Shirley Eden
Brian Knight
75+ Peter Schreib Hank
3 K Prediction Nordic Walk Sharon Boule Pickleball Shirley Glauser Aubrey Smith
Swim Prediction 55+ Joan Millard
65+ Shirley Eden
Swim Medley 75+ Peter Schreiber
Some outstanding performances came in the prediction events. In this event you tell the official what time you predict you can complete a 3 k walk. No timing device is allowed on the participant. Linda May Hinsch won by a time difference of 5 seconds from her prediction and her actual time. The silver went to Aubrey Smith with a difference of 7 seconds and bronze to Paul Goddard with a difference of 12 seconds. In the 10 k cycling prediction Hank Sundin also had a 5 second difference to win the event.
The Gold medal winners in Euchre, Bid Euchre, 5 Pin Bowling, Golf, Cribbage, Prediction Walking and Nordic Walking and Contract Bridge have the opportunity to represent our District in a 1 day Regional meet with 4 other districts to be held in August in Hamilton.
District 22 is one of 40 districts in the Province with a total membership of over 10,000 participants in the 55+ games. We are becoming successful in these games as we have swimmers, golfers and walkers who have qualified for the Canada Games to be held in Cape Breton in 2012. Also Aubrey Smith recently left for Houston, Texas to swim for Canada in the National Games in 4 events.
We always welcome new members. It is a lot of fun and the only criteria is you must turn 55 in the year you compete. For more information, call our games center at 905 648 3466. For complete results check our website at www.infoflam.on.ca/seniorgames or www.ontarioseniorgames.ca and click on Hamilton Wentworth.
District 22 does well at Winterfest 2011
District 22 (Ancaster, Stoney Creek, Dundas, Grimsby, Waterdown and Flamborough) competed in Haliburton Feb.15 to 17th at Winterfest. Over 900 competitors competed in this event, held every two years. This event is a provincial competition with over 30 districts involved in various activities.
Halibuton put on an excellent venue, offering 10 different events. District 22 competed in 6 of these events.
In Prediction skating, Aubrey Smith took silver with a time difference of 37 seconds over two days and 6 k total distance. In prediction events you inform the officials how long you predict it will take to complete the event. No timing devices can be used and the difference is cumulative. He was nosed out by 3 seconds by the winner. Jane Binkley also competed in this event.
In Alpine skiing in the giant slalom, Auldine Gordon won bronze. Sharon Boule and Al Gordon also competed in this event.
Our curlers (Shirley Glauser, Steve Potter, Wilf Hart and Rhea Springstead) came in 4th out of 16 teams losing a heartbreaker in the bronze game.
The mixed badminton team of Rick Crawford and Gertrude Press were also very competitive bowing out in the bronze match, losing the deciding game 21-17 to also take 4th place.
In the Nordic prediction skiing, Jim Couch came in a solid 5th. The course was difficult as it was hilly. The same rules apply as in skating. Our other competitors were Jim Mackey and Phyllis Bennett.
We had 4 participants in Duplicate Bridge. Again a very competitive effort coming in 5th out of 15 teams. The members of this team were Bob Rivers, Nan Coolsma, Ruth Forrester and Jean Travers.
District 22 will be holding our local games during May. Registration will take place in April. We are offering 16 different events from card games to a new event called Pickleball . These events are open to anyone 55 or older. You do not have to belong to a senior center. We are always welcoming new members to come join us.
For more information, please call our games center at 905 648-3466.
Back Row: Aubrey Smith, Phyllis Bennett, Ernie Hudson, Wilf Hart, Al Gordon, Jim Couch, Bob Rivers.
Middle Row: Rick Crawford, Shirley Glauser, Steve Potter.
Front Row: Jane Binkley, Gertrude Press, Auldine Gordon, Jean Travers, Rhea Springstead
Absent: Ruth Forrester, Jim Mackey, Nan Coolsma, Sharon Boule
District 22 encompasses Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek, Winona, Flamborough and Mt. Hope.
www.actifest2010.com www.actifest2010.com
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ntarionior Ga.DISTRICT 22 DOES WELL AT WINTERFEST 2009
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