Ironman Oceanside California 2008

Sixty-one participants in the Ford Ironman California 70.3 triathlon raised $161,821 to support U.S. military personnel permanently injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. The funds will be used to underwrite the Challenged Athletes Foundation’s (CAF) Operation Rebound program, which provides post-rehabilitative support and adaptive equipment to our permanently injured troops – helping them get back into the game, and back into life.

“We are very thankful to all our Ford Ironman California 70.3 fundraisers and their donors, who have embraced this important cause,” said Virginia Tinley, CAF’s Executive Director. “We’re also grateful to North American Sports, the organizers of the event, who have provided us with this great platform and opportunity to raise funds for our troops at the Ford Ironman California 70.3.”

The 61 Ford Ironman California 70.3 participants – who each raised at least $1,000 – are racing as part of Team Operation Rebound California 70.3 enjoyed an unforgettable experience, competing in the grueling 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run alongside eight wounded members of our military. Troops racing as part of Team Operation Rebound California 70.3 include relay team members Ret. Marine Sgt. Andy Hatcher (lost leg below the knee in second battle of Al Fallujah), Ret. Marine Cpl. Evan Morgan (lost both legs and sight in one eye as a result of an IED explosion in Iraq), Ret. Marine and world-class handcyclist Oscar Sanchez, U.S. Army 1st Sgt. John Blue (lost leg below the knee in Iraq) and Spc. Saul Martinez (lost both legs in Iraq). Ret. Army National Guard E-5 Sgt. Brandon Erickson (lost arm above elbow in Iraq), Ret. Georgia Army National Guard Sgt. Rich Ingram (lost arm below the elbow in Iraq) and Marine Staff Sgt. Chris Chandler (lost leg below the knee in Afghanistan) all took on the challenge of the full course.

Since the beginning of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, more than 27,000 U.S. military personnel have been wounded – including more than 750 individuals who have experienced major limb loss. In 2004, the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), an organization with 15 years of experience facilitating and supporting the athletic endeavors of physically challenged athletes, launched Operation Rebound. This program, which has touched hundreds of wounded warriors, provides the training, specialized equipment and mentoring permanently injured military personnel need to get back into sports – whether their goal is to simply finish a local 5K or make it to the Paralympic games.

“After I lost my leg during the second battle of Al Falluja, sports played a critical role in my recovery,” said Andy Hatcher, who is serving as ‘captain’ of Team Operation Rebound Ironman California 70.3. “Programs like Operation Rebound are making a real difference in that journey. They show our injured troops what is possible and provide them with the support, equipment, mentoring and coaching to needed to reach their goals. Not every individual wants to be an elite athlete, but all can benefit from confidence-building and life-affirming athletic activities – activities our injured troops will be able to enjoy long after they have returned to their families and hometowns and “normal lives.”

“This is a cause we all can truly get behind,” said Tinley. “The funds raised by Team Operation Rebound California 70.3 will help ensure U.S. military personnel who suffered permanent injuries fighting for our freedom get access to confidence-building, healing sports activities for life.”

To learn more about Operation Rebound and the Challenged Athletes Foundation, log on to: www.challengedathletes.org

The men’s race came down to the wire here as defending champion Andy Potts was able to hold off Australian Craig Alexander to take the men’s title at the 2008 Ford Ironman 70.3 California. Potts, the current world champion at the 70.3 distance, had led the race from the start of the swim but was challenged by Alexander late in the run.

Alexander, of Australia, put on a surge in the latter stages of the run and the Australian actually took the lead briefly in the last mile. It was a battle to the finish line with the American Potts winning in a time of 3:58:22 just three seconds ahead of Alexander.

Third place was won by Paul Ambrose of Sydney, Aus. in a time of 4:03:35.

The women’s race saw a number of changes in the leaders with swim specialist Linda Gallo, Mountain View, CA first out of the water. Fairly quickly into the bike, she was passed by a trio of world champions in Michellie Jones (Aus), Mirinda Carfrae (Aus) and Samantha McGlone (Can). Jones led the women onto the bike course but saw her lead eaten away by Leanda Cave (GBR), Carfrae and Erika Csomor (Hun). Csomor, who placed third in the 2007 Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid, put in a solid bike and run to work her way through the field to ultimately win the title her in Oceanside in a time of 4:23:14 followed by Carfrae in 4:25:51 and Cave in 5:26:40.