The 10th annual Salomon Smith Barney North American Wheelchair Championship Race made its debut this year as a memorial race in honor of the late wheelchair athletics activist Nick Katsounis.

The race, which began on the streets of Farmingdale on June 24, welcomed several wheelchair athletes from all over the world. Katsounis, who passed away in January, was a longtime member and vice president of the Long Island Wheelchair Athletic Club and director of the race. In addition, Katsounis was one of the founding members of the Long Island Wheelers Wheelchair Basketball Team, director of wheelchair athletics for the Greater Long Island Running Club (GLIRC) and served as a vocal member of USA Track and Field's Athletics for the Disabled Committee.

Throughout his life, Katsounis focused much of his energy on promoting wheelchair athletic programs for young children all over Long Island. After losing his leg in an auto accident in his 20s, he never allowed his disability to keep him from living a full and active life promoting recreational and competitive sports for wheelchair athletes.

"He was a real catalyst for the sport," said Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association (EPVA) member and event organizer Joseph Mendez, one of the organizations which sponsored the race. "Without him, wheelchair racing on Long Island would have never gotten started."

"Nick took wheelchair athletes under his wing, coached them to the best of his ability, encouraged them and made sure to instill in them the same fierce competitiveness that marked his own career as a wheelchair racer," said Mike Polansky, president of GLIRC.

Among those on hand at the race to honor Katsounis's memory were Salomon Smith Barney Executive Vice President Marc Sieben, Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto, Legislator Salvatore Pontillo and Oyster Bay Town Councilman Leonard B. Symons.

This year's race, co-administered by the Town of Oyster Bay and the GLIRC, started and finished at Ellsworth Allen Town Park in Farmingdale. Among those who provided volunteer support were the Massapequa Park Bicycle Club, the Massapequa Road Runners Club, the Rolling Thunder Special Needs Team and the Cruise Brothers Bicycle Club.

Winners of the race included Franz Nietlisbach of Switzerland, five time Boston Marathon winner, who took first place setting a new course record of 19 minutes 46.2 seconds. He beat South African residents Ernst Van Dyk, winner of this year's Boston Marathon and Krige Schabort. All three finishers broke the 20-minute mark and finished just seconds of each other.