What can you say about another flawlessly staged event that attracts the best athletes from all over the world to come to Long Island? At the risk of being repetitive, "spectacular success" is an understatement!

The 11th annual Nick Katsounis Memorial Wheelchair Championship 10-Kilometer Run was held on the roads of Farmingdale on Sunday morning, June 30. Athletes from all over the United States and all over the world - Mexico, Africa, Europe and Australia - gathered at the starting line on Motor Avenue, outside of Ellsworth Allen Town Park and traversed a 6.2-mile course over the scenic, tree-lined Bethpage State Parkway. Seventy-two athletes successfully traversed the course this year - 56 in the wheelchair race and 16 in the hand cycle division that followed.

Congratulations to race director Geraldine Walsh of the host Greater Long Island Running Club on assembling what is arguably the finest field of wheelchair athletes anywhere and anywhen, and for managing what really was a spectacular event. Our dear friend Nick Katsounis had been the heart and soul of this event for a decade, and Geri had an awfully big pair of shoes to fill, but her dedicated efforts assured the continued success and growth of the event, notwithstanding lots of obstacles this year.

Nick Katsounis was very much still with us in spirit this year, and even though he was the toughest critic around, he would have undoubtedly been quite proud of what Geri and her committee accomplished in his memory this year. Also still very much with us in spirit was our dear friend Kevin Walsh, in whose honor and memory we once again saluted the finest Long Island wheelchair athletes this year.

Congratulations to Mexican champion Saul Mendoza, who was the overall winner for the third time (he won the race in 1997 and again in 1999), out pushing South Africa's Ernst Van Dyke, who was runner-up for the second straight year, by less than a second, with less than 20 seconds separating the first 11 finishers! Congratulations also to Australian champion Louise Sauvage, who was the winner of the 1999 edition of the race, and repeated this year by less than a second in front of up-and-coming University of Illinois star Christina Ripp. Louise tied the course record of 24:46 set by De Anna Sodoma in 1996. The winners of the hand cycle division were Franz Nietlispach of Switzerland and Long Islander Helene Hines.

Congratulations as well to Scott Parson of California and Nancy Spillner of Georgia, who repeated as the men's and women's masters champions; to Eugene Wellons of South Carolina, who repeated as the Grand Masters champion; to Quad champion Chris Malcom of Georgia; to Long Island's own special junior champion Lauren Konetsky; and to Long Island's own Charles Albert, Jr., who was presented with the special Beth Crevoiserat Memorial "Spirit of the Race" award.

Sincere thanks to the good folks who made it financially possible to bring this important event to Long Island once again this year. Losing our previous title sponsor with only a few weeks' notice made things especially difficult for us, but our good friend Joe King and his Antun's Caterers stepped up to the plate and hit a home run for us in terms of financial support. Karavas Place Greek Restaurant and the New York State Fraternal Order of Police very generously increased their support to us this year, and we were pleased to receive the continued support of previous sponsors: Winthrop Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery (Thank you Dr. Hartman!), J. Bussani, Inc., Pathmark, St. Charles Hospital & Rehabilitation Center, Dr. Edward Fryman, Nassau-Suffolk Physical Therapy, Partridge, Kreuter & Belding Physical Therapy, America's Athletes with Disabilities, Dr. Richard Statler, Dr. Eric A. Piesnikowski, Katie Kirlin Fund, Massapequa Park Bike Club, Brand's Cyclery, Nassau County Legislature Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs, and Invacare. We are also pleased to welcome such generous new sponsors as US Globe Corporation, Cappelli Construction and Home Improvements, Rick's Renovations, Southwest Securities, and Tru-Value Caterers.

The club also is very grateful to the Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association, Lifestar Response Corporation, and MTA Long Island Bus for taking care of transporting the athletes. Thanks as well to the organizations that provided the terrific volunteers who made it happen: the Greater Long Island Running Club, the Massapequa Park Bicycle Club, the Massapequa Road Runners, the Cruise Brothers, and to Ed Melnik of The Big Finish for his usual outstanding job of managing the finish line, as well as the additional chores created by our new Saturday evening time trials. The Huntington Hilton gets a special "thank you" for making all our athletes feel welcome at the hotel and at the awards brunch. An extra big "thank you" goes to Angela Melledy of Able Newspapers for her invaluable help in publicizing the event once again.

Our thanks also go to the members of the race committee who made the job of race director Geraldine Walsh so much easier: Charles Albert Jr., Mindy Davidson, Alex Flyntz, Dino Katsounis, Arthur Koinis, Bob Lasky, Joe Mendez, Mike Polansky, Bob Sherman, Len Symons and Jeanie Waters.

Special thanks to the Nassau County Police Department, New York State Parks Police, and New York State Police, to Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto, the Town of Oyster Bay and its outstanding Department of Recreation and Parks, who have been our partner in making this race happen for the past 11 years, and especially to Parks Commissioner Edward ("Woody") Kennedy, and the incredible Diane Blanchard and Vinny Croce, who were anywhere and everywhere they were needed on race day, and to all the public officials who have been staunch friends and supporters of the event once again this year: State Assemblyman David Sidikman, State Assemblyman Steve Labriola, State Senator Kemp Hannon and Nassau County Legislator Judy Jacobs.

And a final word of thanks to New York State Governor George Pataki, New York State Parks Commissioner Bernadette Castro, and Long Island State Parks Region's George Gorman, Jr., for their vision and imagination in making the beautiful Bethpage State Parkway available for use as the major portion of the course, to the New York State Department of Transportation, DOT regional director Craig Siracusa, and DOT's Jack Cortelyou, Bill Hauth and Dennis Mulligan for their enthusiastic cooperation.

"We were thrilled with the turnout, thrilled with the response from the community, and especially thrilled that we are able to once again bring a world-class event and world-class athletes to Long Island," commented race director Geraldine Walsh. "We are very happy with the result, and have already started planning to bring the 12th annual edition of this important event to Farmingdale once again on June 29, 2003."