The Tampa Fox News cameras were rolling as the first race of our 2008 season came to a finish under sunny skies and 75 degree weather!

 

A great group of 180 racers showed up for our inaugural Tampa event, including 14 people from out of state!  Costumes were top-notch - great job to all.

 

Teams zigzagged through Tampa from Ybor City to downtown to Hyde Park, where they conquered a quick yoga class.

 

In the end, Rebecca Willman and Kat Bell jumped on the finish mat in 1:56 to win and be our first team of 2008 to qualify for the Nationals in Las Vegas.  Not far behind, Team Benatar and Norwegian Jackhammers were second and third and made it to the mat in 2:03 and 2:07, respectively. 

 

In our first ever family division race, Ken and eight-year old Ewan McCutcheon finished 31st overall in 2:47 to win the family division. 

 

We look forward to returning to Tampa in 2009!  Thanks to all the racers for making it a great event and Rock n' Sports Bar and Grille for being a great host.

 

1st - Rainy Day Women (Rebecca Willman and Kat Bell)

 

2nd - Team Benatar (Toby Linzy and Gregg Harris)

 

3rd - Norwegian Jackhammers (David and Rolf Gjertsen)

 

Family Division 1st - The McCutcheons (Ken and Ewan)

 

Best Costume - Psychedelic Mayonnaise / Bad Habits (Chad Kreiley and Ken Gibbs)

 

Best Overall Photos - Crush

Tampa participants say...

 

"Best race I have ever done!"

 

"Great crowd and really well-organized...see you in Vegas baby!"

 

"Fantastic time.  Can't wait to see you in '09!"

 

"Please have more events in the Tampa / Orlando area in 2008!  PLEASE...I will even bring you a gallon of milk for Mitch and soothing balm for Joe's rash!"

 

"Well planned.  Well organized.  Great race!"

 

"It was one of the most enjoyable things I've ever done.  I will definitely be back next year and plan on recommending it to every one of my friends!"

 

"It was a blast!"

 

"Can't wait to see you guys again next year!"

 

"We had a great time! It was so much fun to participate in the positive energy of it all. Our goal was not necessarily to win the race but to have fun, be silly and enjoy the day. Trust me, we were not disappointed!!! Thank you for a wonderful time!"

 

"Had a blast!  Love how even if you aren't in the best shape, you can still have a great time!"

 

"Awesome!"

 

"What a great event to get involved in!  The participants were all having a great time and there for the fun of it!  It was great meeting new people and exploring a city I've never been to before."

 

"Well planned event!"

 

"What a great event!  I've recommended it to several people!"

 

"Had a great time, see you all in Vegas for the Championship!"

 

"It was a great way to spend a Saturday with friends."

 

"Offer more races in more cities in Florida!  I've already recommended the race to friends and already want to do it again!  I've considered planning future trips around race dates and locations as ways to explore other cities in a fun way with friends!"

 

"Thanks!"

 

"Very well planned out and prepared!  Thanks!"

 

"We had a blast - can't wait to do another one!"

 

"Great job setting everything up!  Thanks!"

 

"I loved the interactive clues - like the spoon race and the yoga class (with my favorite instructor, coincidentally)."

 

"The race was very interesting and exciting!"

 

"You guys ROCK!"

 

"It was a great time.  I had no idea what to expect when I signed up!"

 

 

Results:

* denotes team qualifies to compete in Nationals

** denotes team qualifies to compete in Nationals and will receive free entry

^ denotes team competed in Family Division

 

**1st - Rainy Day Women (1:56) - Rebecca Willman and Kat Bell

**2nd - Team Benatar (2:03) - Toby Linzy and Gregg Harris

**3rd - Norwegian Jackhammers (2:07) - David and Rolf Gjertsen

*4th - Lost (2:08) - Dan and Kelly Morchower

*5th - My Ox Is Broken (2:08) - Gregory and Christine Hair

*6th - McBride / Mays (2:10) - Colleen McBride and Claire Mays

*7th - Team Spiro (2:14) - Johnny and Jennifer Dorning

*8th - Flat Stick (2:14) - Al Gentilini and Ben Meister

*9th - Team Brody (2:15) Alexandra and Marjorie Self

*10th - Psychedelic Mayonnaise / Bad Habit (2:15) - Chad Kreiley and Ken Gibbs

*11th - 14 Midgets in 2 Big Overcoats (2:21) - Jim Drachler and Andy Jonatzke

*12th - Abreu / Huber (2:21) - Christina Abreu and Margot Huber

*13th - Friends of Rich (2:21) - Philip Watson and Heather Cole

*14th - Fogarty / Buttrill (2:21) - Shawn Fogarty and Cynthia Buttrill

*15th - North Avenue Trade School (2:21) - Ray Neal and Dave Weathers

*16th - The Plastic Dixie Cups (2:24) - Heidi Steinhauer and Raul Rumbaut

*17th - J-Dawg and T-Lo (2:24) - Tres Loch and Jessica Douglas

*18th - Dazed and Confused (2:25) - Heidi and Peter White

*19th - Lost on Mapquest (2:29) - John Studer and James Russell

*20th - Roadkill Stwo (2:30) - Erik Jerman and Christy Foster

*21st - Faster Than Katie (2:30) - Rachel Peterkin and Nancy Breed

*22nd - The Favorites (2:30) - Charlie Will and Faith Gump

*23rd - Jew Crew (2:31) - Jennifer Tetreault and Anne Nyer

*24th - Deaf (2:32) - Dianna Freeman and Donna Johnson

*25th - The Falcon's (2:33) - Linda Pappas and Frank Lane

26th - Asian Ark (2:34) - Frank Wan and Noah Herbert

27th - Drunk and Disorderly (2:37) - Ktanah O'Rourke and Richard Lepley

28th - Dead Last (2:37) - Charlotte Braziel and Lynn Billings

29th - Beauty and the Beast (2:37) - Nicole Knell and Greg Baker

30th - Tampa Tigers (2:45) - Ben Ladouceur and Tracy Osborne

^31st - The McCutcheons (2:47) - Ken and Ewan McCutcheon

32nd - Spring Hill Tigers (2:48) - Amy deSchweinitz and Heather Brosi

33rd - Sugar Plums (2:48) - Sara Simpson and Shan Anderson

34th - Iowa (2:48) - Luke and Jeanine Scheffert

35th - The Pirate Wenches (2:48) - Tonya Vohar and Krista Bledsoe

36th - Pretty Pretty Princesses (2:49) - Veronica Harding and Jacki Champion

37th - George (2:49) - Jason Lazaris and Julie Ragans

38th - Patterson / Cullen (2:50) - Lowell Patterson and Laura Cullen

39th - Paul (2:50) - Nicholas and Brandi Lazaris

40th - Lazaris (2:50) - Fay and Larin Lazaris

41st - Rad Monsters (2:55) - Ardith Huey and Jeff Gilliard

42nd - Happy Campers (2:55) - Derek Mullarkey and Christie Pollock

43rd - Edelmann (2:55) - Nicole Betegh-Edelmann and Eric Edelmann

44th - Tortoise and the Hare (2:55) - Stacy Nelson and Heather MacLeod

45th - Irish Red Alert (2:57) - Stephen Fotta and Sarah Montanye

46th - Morally Casual (2:57) - Jay Conroy and Cliff James

47th - Urban Virgins (2:57) - Ron Chickey and Martha Najib

48th - Lost (2:58) - Kim and Dave Eichner

^49th - Victorious Secret (3:00) - Jennifer and Brenna deHart

^50th - Absolute Abramson's (3:02) - Hunter, Tom, Weston, and Barbara Abramson

51st - Adventur-holics (3:02) - Amy Coffee and Lyle Hogue

52nd - GCFL Warriors (3:02) - Joseph Hansen and Adam Francis

53rd - Rob and Amber (3:03) - Pedram Zendehrouh and Page Haynes

54th - Delgado / Himes (3:03) - Christopher Delgado and Robert Himes

^55th - The Unstereotypes (3:04) - Kenneth Quidgley, Ilka Nazario, and Kevin Quidgley

56th - Wynn (3:04) - Sally and Tung Wynn

57th - KC and the Sunshine (3:04) - Kylan and Corrine Williams

58th - Melvin / Smallwood (3:05) - Marilyn Melvin and Jody Smallwood

59th - Bash (3:13) - Kevin Boyd and Heather Ash

60th - The Gorillas (3:14) - Daniel Coll and Vickie Hometchko

61st - Vonderbrink / Dean (3:16) - Patrick Vonderbrink and Cathy Dean

62nd - Fairdinkums (3:16) - Paulette and Gordon Callender

63rd - Tampa Girls (3:20) - Laura Parker and Shawn Milligan

64th - Bone Crushers (3:21) - Laurie and Robert Barnhill

65th - Team Diva (3:21) - Lily Romball and Faith Evely

66th - Winkler (3:22) - Todd Winkler and Rebekah Soucey

67th - Echegaray (3:22) - Juan and Raejean Echegaray

68th - Party Foul (3:22) - Nick Barnhardt and Erica Boree

69th - Party Foul (3:23) - Mark and Valerie Penwell

70th - TEAM 1108 (3:23) - Sandi and Marc Gilner

71st - High Rollers (3:24) - An Do and Colleen Glenn

72nd - Kays / Prybylski (3:25) - Allison Kays and Lindsay Prybylski

73rd - Double Trouble (3:40) - Kimberly Cuturilo and Marilyn Gladden

74th - Hoog / Foy (3:43) - Heather Hoog and Julie Foy

75th - The Spider Monkeys (3:48) - Tony Varela and Lauren Park

76th - Team Sassy (3:54) - Jessica Sullivan and Madalyn Martinek

77th - The Planeteers (3:54) - Haven Smith and Joshua Rector

78th - Aha Baja (3:54) - Amy Sullivan and Eric Smith

79th - Rum Runners (3:56) - Candyce Rose and Dawn Neukomm

80th - Team Dub (4:18) - Becki and Paul Dub

81st - Runnin' on Empty (4:33) - Brett Courter and Pam Ristau

82nd - Xanthus (5:00) - Kelsey Wesley and Lisa Stephens

83rd - The Falcons (5:00) - Linda Pappas and Frank Lane

84th - Epstein / Johnson (5:00) - Erin Epstein and Jenna Johnson

85th - Rock Star Duo (5:00) - Lori Campbell and Heather Ploch

86th - Lost on Mapquest (5:00) - John Studer and James Russell

87th - Spy vs. Spy (5:00) - Wesley and Brandy Pinkerton