Dear Editor,
I write this letter to say thanks to the people of Barrhead/Westlock/Clyde for the super way in which they organized and ran the 55+ Alberta Summer Games.
I write also because I have seen the two sides of organization. At the medal presentation in Belvedere Hall after I received my second gold medal in cycling I was given a round of applause and good wishes at the World Masters Games in Torino, Italy from which I have just returned.
I had entered for the World Games last year. I was going regardless of results in Barrhead, but winning two time trials in windy conditions gave me a good boost. However, thanks to our national airline who charged a fat fee for my bike, they lost both my bike and my suitcase.
There goes half of my program, the time trial was on the Tuesday, but no bike, no cycling gear, no race. Road race on Friday, my bike and gear has arrived but on Friday morning my age group 75+ was sent off with younger groups.
In Barrhead help was given, questions were answered, everyone cooperated but in Torino if you don’t speak the local lingo you are out of luck, so 11 days, a large amount of dollars later and a bad taste in the mouth is all that remains of the World Masters Games.
There are 29 sports in the Masters program and from the many comments going around all 29 were screwed up. That is from a young lady with very good English who was printing photos at the photo booth. Her words were, “we are so embarrassed, everyone is complaining about the total mess.”
Small town Alberta can do it, big business Canada and World can’t, so all of you be proud of what you do.
For the people who do not know about the World Masters, it is four times the size of the Olympics, but it does not get the publicity of the young people. To be in the Masters one has to be over 55 years.
If anyone wants the complete story just contact me, I tell it just as it is and there is a lot to tell.
Well done and thanks,
John Daly
