How Did I Miss the Oil Wrestling?

Any figure skater who took part in Gay Games would be sanctioned by the International Skating Union. This came to light about two weeks before the start of the Games. Homophobic ISU regulations preventing same sex couples form skating together meant the Gay Games was breaking the rules. To enable skaters who had work so hard preparing for the Games the chance to perform the event was renamed a public practice and participant medals were handed out to all. Gone, the chance for the Gold Medal for your moment on the ice. Organizers have hope, and four years, to bring Figure Skating to Gay Games VI in 2002, in Sidney, Australia.

Gold did come back with one participant I know of. One of my traveling buddies, Teresa Noviki won a Gold Medal in the intermediate division of the Women's Martial Arts Empty Hands Forms competition. Congratulations to Tereasa! I'll have to wait for the Official Gay Games Book to find out about more Santa Cruz medal winners.

The opening and closing ceremonies were great. Imagine walking into to a mid size stadium with thousands of friends waving flags the color of the rainbow! There was music blaring and TV cameras in our faces. Marching across the stadium floor to our reserved seats seemed to take forever. As we were stuck in a crowded stairwell it seemed we were missing most of the show. Entertainment highlights include Bjorn Again, the Abba clones, Dana International, the proud winner of the infamous Eurosong contest, Cheer San Francisco, Gay Games Committee member Martina Navertalova gave a taped speech (I had hoped she would have attended in person!), from a stage suspended above the floor the Weather Girls sang "It's Raining Men" with a boatload of sailors taking it all off, Actor Harvey Firstein gave an elegant speech but I missed it. I had to leave when the cigarette smoke got to me. This would become a reoccuring problem for me during my stay in Amserdam. Fresh air or second hand smoke? Your not in California anymore.

A Canal Parade! What a refreshing change from the usual Pride March. Floating along with your friends, effortlessly, one big party. You do have to pay attention though, there are many bridges you need to duck under. There was a great turnout as eager spectators lined every inch of the Princengracht, dangling there legs off bridges and the edge of the canals. No one was disappointed with the show. The flotilla included motor boats of all sizes, popular Dutch cargo ships, canal boats usually accommodating tourists were now packed with Queens, stereo systems and lot's of Heineken. The long tour boats must be the Dutch equivalent of hiring a Limo for your group. Great costumes, great themes, great fun.

What would an event of this size be without scandal? By day three Managing Director of Gay Games Amsterdam was fired due to the appearance of a debit of around $500,000. Oops. Seems he was writing contracts without full approval of the Board. Luckily the major sponsors and the city of Amsterdam kicked in extra $$ to make sure the Games continued. An officail audit was scheduled for immediately following the games.

Why was I at the Gay Games? What was the reason for my trip to Amsterdam? I was there to competed in the Sport Climbing event. The Klimmure Centraal (Climbing Gym Central) is placed on the edge of a channel that connects Amsterdam's water ways to the North Sea Canal and the Ijsselmeer, Hollands biggest lake. The indoor climbing walls were a little over 50 ft. high with lots of overhang. I was nervous for my climbs but I made it through the first day successfully. The second day of competition the routes were harder, of course, and I fell twice which meant it was over for me. I was done. But don't dispair, I was secretly happy. Now I had no time restrictions placed upon me. No longer would I have to stay in competitive focus. No Gold Medal to bring home either, but I did my best, and I have my memories as a competing participant of Gay Games V.