Close call: Minnesota's Fischer wins gold after Falzman fouls in Men's Log Rolling finals
RENO, Nev. — Fancy footwork and a close call by judges gave Minnesota's Jamie Fischer a gold medal Saturday in the Men's Log Rolling at the 2003 ESPN Great Outdoor Games presented by Dodge.
In competitive log rolling, athletes balance on a single log and use fast, nimble footwork to stay on the log and force their opponents to make a misstep and fall into the water.
After little trouble in the first two rounds, Wisconsin's J.R. Salzman, the 2002 bronze medalist, lost in the finals to Fischer on Saturday after a judge's call at Rancho San Rafael Park.
Salzman and Fischer each had two falls in the best-of-five series. In the final match, Fischer was the first to fall off the log but judges ruled Salzman had stepped past the painted white line in the middle of the log, which influenced Fischer's fall. The event's rules count foot faults as a fall against the offending competitor, so Salzman ended up with a tally of three falls and the silver medal and Fischer won the gold.
Canadian Darren Hudson, who won the gold at last year's games, took bronze this year after his consolation final win over Missouri's Dan McDonough, who won the silver medal last year.
Women's log roll: Wisconsin's Bosworth continues unbroken golden streak
It didn't come easy, but Tina Bosworth won her fourth gold medal in Women's Log Rolling at the Great Outdoor Games presented by Dodge on Saturday afternoon at Rancho San Rafael Park. Bosworth is the only person to successfully defend her gold medal in every Great Outdoor Games.
In competitive log rolling, athletes balance on a single log and use fast, nimble footwork both to stay on the log and force their opponent to make a misstep and fall into the water. Bosworth, a Lake Geneva, Wis. native, is widely regarded as the world's top female log roller, with nine world titles to her name.
"It's pretty significant when you're in first place," Bosworth said. "Everybody wants you, and it's hard to stay in that position."
Mandy Erdmann of La Crosse, Wis., won the bronze medal in the consolation round by beating her La Crosse neighbor Lizzie Hoeschler, who won bronze in 2002.
Speed climbing: Oregon's Bartow takes third consecutive gold medal
The rivalry between Oregon's Brian Bartow and Canada's Wade Stewart continued for the fourth straight year in the finals of Men's Speed Climbing at the 2003 Great Outdoor Games presented by Dodge. But for the third consecutive year, Bartow won the gold medal, in a victory cheered on by huge Saturday crowds at Rancho San Rafael Park.
The speed-climbing event involves timed races between competitors using spurs and slings to run up a 65-foot pole. At the top of the pole, participants strike a line, then spur down in what resembles a free-fall, but are required to dig their spurs into three designated sections of the pole on the way down.
Bartow's time of 13.21 seconds was more than a half-second quicker than Stewart's and also set a Great Outdoor Games record. Coincidentally, the Grants Pass, Ore., resident holds the six fastest times.
"I'm feeling good. I had a good climb," said Bartow, who advanced to the finals with a time of 13.60 seconds in his semifinal match against eventual bronze medalist Bryan Schulz of Silverdale, Wash. "I was fortunate enough to not have any slips."
Men's timber endurance: Down under lumberjacks match up for gold
New Zealanders David Bolstad and Jason Wynyard are headed for a gold medal showdown, after they blasted through the semifinal round of the Men's Timber Endurance competition at the 2003 ESPN Great Outdoor Games presented by Dodge.
Both competitors are making an exceptional showing in the event, which requires them to chop and saw their way through a series of blocks in a head-to-head race. Bolstad has posted the best time so far, recording a 56.850-second round against Matt Bush in the semifinals. Wynyard wasn't far behind with a 59.371 against Arden 'Jamie' Cogar Jr. in his semifinal round. Both Wynyard and Bolstad have improved their times in each round of the event, an impressive feat under the relentless sun at Rancho San Rafael Park.
Bolstad and Wynyard left their American competitors, Bush of Croghan, N.Y. and Cogar of Charleston, W.Va., to duke it out for the bronze late Saturday.
Agility, large dog division: Rookie team takes top seed
Terry Smorch, a 39-year-old chemical engineer from Lake Elmo, Minn., and his 4-year-old border collie, Remy, earned the top seed Saturday in the 16-dog field of the Large Dogs division Agility competition at the ESPN Great Outdoor Games presented by Dodge.
Being the top seed allows Smorch and Remy to watch the other 15 handler-dog teams run. The competition is run in inverse order Sunday, starting with the 16th seed.
"Fortunately, I've been in this situation before, and I learned to try not and focus on how the other competitors do, but just go out and run the course the best I can," Smorch said. "Sometimes, when you watch others have trouble with certain areas of the course, you tend to be overly concerned."
Jen Pinder, a 38-year-old database administrator from Lapeer, Mich., took the second seed with her 6-year-old border collie, Static. Eric Bobkowski, a 38-year-old vending services manager from West Chicago, Ill., took the 16th and last seed after falling on the slippery grass of the course.
Agility, small dog division: Canadian team leads field into standard round
Susan Garrett, 45, of Alberton, Ontario, and Buzz, a 3-year-old Jack Russell terrier-border collie mix, took the top seed in the Small Dogs division of the Agility qualifying round at the ESPN Great Outdoor Games presented by Dodge.
"I think the difference between Canadian and American dog trainers is that Canadians just go out and have fun with it, but Americans really want to go out and do everything they can to be the best," Garrett said. "That's why the U.S. kicks our butts in the Olympics all the time."
The teams will run in inverse order on Sunday, so Garrett and Buzz will have the advantage of watching other competitors navigate the course. Garrett likes the idea of going last.
"It's always good to take first like we did today for confidence," Garrett said. "I'm just going to go out and do my job. If I do that, my dog will do fine."
Renee King, 28, of Richmond, Texas, and Hamlet, a 4-year-old Jack Russell terrier, took the second seed in the Small Dogs division.
Top outdoor athletes from around the world compete for entry into the ESPN Great Outdoor Games, held in Reno-Tahoe July 10-13. The ultimate championship of outdoor sports features one-of-a-kind, head-to-head competition in timber and target events, sporting dogs, and fishing. While entertaining large crowds on site, the ESPN Great Outdoor Games also draws a worldwide television audience airing on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC Sports beginning July 19.
