Peninsula ‘Senior Games’ offers 20 competitions

Published 2:31 pm Friday, March 21, 2014

The sixth year of the Olympic Peninsula Senior Games, formerly the Port Angeles Senior Games, sees a lot of favorites back from last year’s event, plus one exhibition sport (disc golf), another returning after a one-year hiatus (swimming) and a brand new sport (recreational horseshoes).

From Olympic Games-like events basketball, handball and track & field to non-traditional events like pinochle, indoor rowing and bridge, the games open 17 sports to men and women of ages 50 years or older by Dec. 31.

All of the 2010 senior games events are open to family and supporters.

Registration for the games, and a $20 participation fee, is required; fee includes a T-shirt.

Find registration forms online at olympicpeninsulaseniorgames.com or call the Port Angeles Senior Center, the games’ headquarters, at 457-7004.

Registrations are due by Aug. 16. Individual events also require additional fees, most of them $5.

Below are Port Angeles Senior Games events and further details, by alphabetical order:

Basketball

_ Fee: $5 per event

Held at the Clallam County YMCA, 302 Francis St., the basketball event features a free throw and "hot shot" challenges. In the free throw challenge, each player shoots 25 free throws. In the Hot Shot challenge, each contestant is allowed two one-minute rounds to make as many baskets from any of five designated spots.

Bowling

_ Fee: $8 (per event, includes shoe rental)

At the Port Angeles Senior Games, there are three ways to win in bowling: singles, doubles and mixed doubles. The competition, at P.A.’s Laurel Lanes, 108 W. Eighth St., guarantees bowlers at least three games in each event. This event also features an optional practice on Friday (Aug. 27) from 1-6 p.m.; cost is $1.75 for shoe rental.

Bridge

_ Fee: $8

Saturday’s bridge tournament at the Port Angeles Senior Center (328 E. Seventh St.) is Contract Bridge; players may sign up with a partner or request a partner when registering. Rules include: six hands of play, move five times and partners stay together. High scores move while low scores stay at table.

Cribbage

_ Fee: $8

The games’ cribbage tourney is hosted from 8:30 a.m.-

4 p.m. Saturday at the Naval Elk’s Lodge, 131 E. First St. Participants are asked to bring a board. Qualifying rounds are eight games; final round is six games. Scoring is based upon half of the player pool.

Cycling

_ $5

This 20-mile time trial begins at 10 a.m. with a venue check-in time set at 9 a.m. Riders meet in the parking lot of Olympic Christian School at the intersection of O’Brien Road and US Highway 101. The event features individual starts, generally at one-minute intervals; men and women are scored separately.

Golf

_ Fee: $5 for event plus $32 in greens fees (payable day of tourney)

Friday’s golf tournament at Peninsula Golf Course, 824 Lindberg Road in Port Angeles, is an 18-hole tourney with groups of four, although players can sign up as individuals. Play is by Calloway rules.

Handball

_ Fee: $5

This event is men’s doubles only. Play is at the Clallam County YMCA building at 302 S. Francis St. in Port Angeles. Lensed eyewear for play is mandatory; balls will be provided. This single-elimination tournament features matches in a best-of-three format.

Horseshoes

_ Fee: $5 per vent

Recreational horseshoe competition is at Port Angeles’ Lincoln Park Friday morning. The competition includes singles and doubles divisions. Games are to 21 points or 15 minutes, whichever comes first. Scoring is three points for a ringer and one point within six inches of the pin. Participants must provide their own horseshoes.

Kayaking

_ Fee: $5

Starting and ending at Hollywood Beach in downtown P.A., this event features a 3.6 nautical mile course with an on-water start for experienced kayakers only. Personal flotation devices are mandatory.

Pickleball

_ Fee: $5 per event

This event features three divisions (singles, doubles, mixed doubles) and is hosted at the Roosevelt Elementary School, 106 Monroe Road. On Saturday, Aug. 28, at 8:30 a.m., doubles play starts while singles play starts at noon. Mixed doubles starts at 8 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 30.

Pinochle

_ Fee: $8 for all three days

This event spans all three days with preliminary games on Friday, playoffs on Saturday and championship games on Sunday, all at the Port Angeles Senior Center, 328 E. Seventh St. Play format is double pinochle with four hands of play, moving six times.

Racquetball

_ Fee: $5 per event

The only event hosted east of Port Angeles, the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center, 610 N. Fifth Ave., hosts racquetball from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Divisions include singles and doubles. Lensed eyewear is required; participants must bring their own racquets.

Rowing (indoor)

_ $5 per event

This event has both men’s and women’s divisions for 500- and 1,000-meter races. Races are at the Port Angeles Senior Center, 328 E. Seventh St.

Run (5k or 10k)

_ Fee: $5

This run along the waterfront trail near Port Angeles’ Harbor. This starts Saturday at 10 a.m.

Softball

_ Fee: $25 per player fee

Softball teams vie for gold at Shane Park, 613 G St .between Seventh and Eighth streets, Port Angeles. Event includes a five-game guarantee. Divisions are: 50+ coed with minimum of three women per team; 60-64 men’s; and 65-plus men’s. Call event commissioner Bill Whitten at 681-2435 for team availability.

Swimming

_ $5 per event

Returning to the senior games after a year layoff, swimmers compete in a number of events – backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle, individual medley, freestyle relay and medley relay – at William Shore Memorial Pool, 225 E. Fifth St. in Port Angeles Saturday. Warm-up is at noon. Competition begins at

1 p.m.

Tennis

_ Fee: $5 per event

Players may enter a maximum of two events in the games’ five tennis divisions – men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. Play is at Erickson Park tennis courts at the corner of Fourth and Race streets, Port Angeles. Tournament format is be single elimination with a consolation bracket for the first-round losers.

Track & Field

_ Fee: $5 per event

All events are at the Port Angeles community track located on Viewcrest Avenue.

Track events include: 50-, 100-, 200-, 400-, 800- and 1500-meter runs. Field events include: discus, high jump, javelin, long jump, standing long jump, pole vault, shot put and softball throw.

Weightlifting

_ Fee: $5

This event, held at Fast Stop Fitness, 902 E. First St., suite C., begins with a venue check-in at noon, with the first lift set for 1 p.m. Saturday. Men and women are scored on a total of three lifts – dead lift, squat and bench press. For complete rules, see www.faststopfitness.com.

2010 Olympic Peninsula Senior Games schedule Aug. 27-28

Event Day Time Location

Basketball* Saturday 9 a.m. Clallam County YMCA

Bowling Sat., Sun. 1 p.m., 3 p.m. (Aug.28) Laurel Lanes, P.A.

Noon (Aug. 29)

Bridge Saturday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. P.A. Senior Center

Cribbage Saturday 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. Elks Lodge, P.A.

Cycling Saturday 10 a.m. Oly. Christian School

Disc Golf* Saturday 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Lincoln Park, P.A.

Golf Friday Noon Peninsula Golf Course, P.A.

Handball Saturday Noon Clallam County YMCA

Horseshoes Friday 9 a.m. Lincoln Park, P.A.

Kayaking Sunday 9 a.m. Port Angeles Harbor

Pickleball Sat., Sun. 8:30 a.m. (Aug. 28)

8 a.m. (Aug. 29) Roosevelt Elementary, P.A.

Pinochle* All 3 days 12:30 p.m. (Aug. 27-28), 2 p.m. (Aug. 29) P.A. Senior Center

Racquetball Saturday 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. SARC

Rowing (indoor) Saturday 11 a.m. P.A. Senior Center

Run (5k/10k) Saturday 10 a.m. Waterfront Trail, P.A.

Softball Sat., Sun. 10 a.m. (Aug. 28)

9 a.m. (Aug. 29) Shane Park, P.A.

Swimming Saturday Noon William Shore pool, P.A.

Tennis Saturday 9 a.m. Erickson Park courts, P.A.

Sunday 9 a.m. Erickson Park courts, P.A.

Track/Field Sunday 9 a.m. P.A. community track

Weightlifting Saturday Noon Fast Stop Fitness, P.A.

* demonstration only More information: olympicpeninsulaseniorgames.com