Countdown to Gay Games VIII in Cologne

More than 100 athletes from Team DC are in the final preparations to depart for Gay Games VIII Cologne 2010, which is being held in Cologne, Germany from July 31 to Aug. 8, 2010.

There will be competitions in more than 30 sports at the Games with the Team DC contingent vying for medals in 11 sports, including soccer, basketball, running, golf, cycling, tennis, track and field, bowling, swimming, triathlon and bodybuilding. Results will be posted at www.games-cologne.de/

Through the Federation of Gay Games scholarship program, Team DC has donated registration fees and housing at the Games to athletes from the United States, Jamaica and the Philippines and is also hosting a welcome reception in Cologne for the teams of the world. Team DC actively promotes the founding principles of the Gay Games, which are “Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best.”

This would be a good time to mention where the Team DC athletes are training. While there are several individual athletes, there are also many team/clubs under the Team DC umbrella. Some are competitive teams and others are noncompetitive clubs. All are welcoming new members. You can link to the teams through www.teamdc.org

There are too many to list here, but teams include a wide array of sports: basketball (DC Sentinels), cycling (DC Velo), racquetball (Capital Splats Racquetball League), golf (Lambda Links), rugby (Washington Renegades for men and DC Furies for women), even cheerleading (Cheer DC).

SPORTS CALENDAR

DC Icebreakers

July 21, Open Skate from 7:45 to 8:45 with a social from 9 p.m. Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Ballston/Arlington, Va. Skating is $8, plus $3 for skate rental.

Aug. 28, 3rd Annual Lazy River Tubing Event with co-hosts NOVA GL Professionals, The Straight Eights Car Club and DCthirtysomething. Tubing takes place on the Shenandoah, near Harper’s Ferry. Nearly 100 people joined in last year, dcicebreakers.com.

DC Volleyball

Tuesday Night Social Volleyball League held at the Old Mackin Gym at 2200 California St., N.W. Warm-ups are from 7-7:30 and play is from 7:30-9:45. Teams are divided based on skill levels. Contact Mike at dcvb@usa.com

Rainbow Spinnakers Sailing Club

Sailing season is underway on the weekends and on some weekdays. The Rainbow Spinnakers would love for you to join them for an afternoon on the Potomac or the Chesapeake Bay. Launches are from the Belle Haven Marina in Alexandria, Va., and the Downtown Sailing Center in Baltimore, rainbowspinnakers.org.

DC Gay Flag Football League

The DCGFFL is forming its fall league, which is scheduled to begin on Sept. 12.

Here are the fall guidelines:

Skills Training – Sunday, July 18 & Wednesday, Aug. 18

Beach Bowl – Saturday, Aug. 14

Registration Deadline – Sunday, Aug. 22

Draft – Tuesday, Aug. 24

Pre-Season Party (To receive team placement) – Thursday, Aug. 26

Season Starts on Sunday, Sept. 12

Contact dcgayflagfootball@gmail.com

Hang-Time with the Washington Mystics

Aug. 20 at 7 p.m., come join the LGBT community as we celebrate women in sports and cheer on the Washington Mystics at their last home game of the regular season against the New York Liberty. Tickets are $20, in section 104, rows G through P. Contact Wanda Wright at wwwright803@comcast.net for ticket information.

Night Out at the DC United

Sept. 25, check out some MLS action as the DC United take on the Houston Dynamo at RFK Stadium. Tickets are $20 with group discounts available. Contact Jim at coachensor@gmail.com or visit www.federaltriangles.org. Tickets are also available at Nellies.