The Gay Games are held every four years. Around 12 000 participants will gather in Cologne, Germany on the 31st July for a week of competition in just about every sport you can think of ... and possibly some that you can't.
You can find all the usual sports like swimming, athletics, diving, and martial arts. But what you may not expect are the sports like physique and ballroom dancing. The one sport that attracts the single largest number of participants is the tennis. Around 1000 people will pick up a racquet and strut their stuff on the clay courts of Cologne.
This will be my fourth Gay Games - my first was in Amsterdam in 1998 where I partied a lot, drank far too much, and then got up on the last day and ran 10 kms. I was second last over the line within the maximum completion time for the event. It wasn't pretty but I was ecstatic and hooked on the Games.
My second games was in Sydney 2002 where I played tennis for the first time. Much to my incredible surprise, I actually won my way into the round of 16 (in D Grade I hasten to add).
Chicago was a step up in 2006. Things were very different. I was living in Melbourne and I had joined the AceGirls - Melbourne's lesbian tennis club. I had a go at C Grade but was knocked out in the first round 6-4, 4-6, 4-6 in 40 degrees and very high humidity against a woman with about 20 years and 30 kgs on me!
And now, it's time to gear up for Cologne. I'm back in D Grade - I plead increasing age and stuffed knees as justification for retreating a grade! I've registered to play D Grade singles and C Grade doubles with my friend Rae.
Apart from my partner, Judy, my sister Moira, Judy's sister and brother-in-law, and our good friends Paula and Yvonne are coming to the Games - so NO PRESSURE RIGHT!
The plan is to do my best to get as fit as I reasonably can in the 7 months that remain before the Games, play lots of tennis, try to get a bit of competition practice, and see if I can win through a round or two.
I'll post as I go - at least weekly but maybe more often!
Starting weight: 100.4kgs
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