ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, May 10, 1996 TAG: 9605100036
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
ONLY RUNNERS will carry the Commonwealth Games flame after the Olympic torch is shattered during a biker's fall.
Count out bicycles as a mode of transportation for three Commonwealth Games torches.
After what happened Tuesday, when the Olympic flame was snuffed out briefly after the biker carting it through the state of Washington had a flat, Virginia Amateur Sports officials will place their torches safely in the hands of runners before the July 12 Commonwealth Game opening ceremonies.
On Tuesday, Harley Sheffield of Redmond, Wash., was riding a bicycle across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge with the Olympic torch mounted above the rear tire. The tire got caught in a grate and blew out, as did the Olympic flame after the torch fell off the bike and broke into pieces.
VAS does not want to drop the torch.
``I think everyone saw that on TV,'' said Stuart Israel, director of marketing for VAS. ``We'll have to make our torches crash-proof.''
Three torch runs, each one a half-marathon (13.1 miles) in length, will precede the opening ceremonies scheduled for 8 p.m. at Victory Stadium on July 12. One run will begin at Lord Botetourt High School, another in downtown Salem and the other just south of Boones Mill.
The three torch runners will converge at the stadium and will light a single torch carried by Janet York of Roanoke. York, who will carry the actual Olympic torch during its trip through Charlottesville on June 21, will then light the Commonwealth Games cauldron.
The majority of the Commonwealth Games' 44 sporting events will be held July 12-14 throughout the Roanoke Valley. Much of the planning for this year's Games occurred after two members of the VAS four-person staff left to pursue other endeavors, leaving president Pete Lampman and Israel as the only full-time employees in the organization's fourth-floor Shenandoah Building offices from January until March.
``There never seemed to be enough time to get everything done,'' said Lampman. ``You wound up feeling it had been a long week because of all the time we put in, and a short week because there were never enough hours in the day.''
Now, with the Games just over two months away, VAS is fully staffed again and is preparing for nearly 10,000 athletes to take place in the seventh annual Commonwealth Games, the Olympic-style sports festival that attracts amateur athletes from across the state.
VAS announced Thursday that registrations begin May 13 for 44 Commonwealth Games sports. Registration forms can be obtained from NationsBank branches, Stop-In stores, most local recreation departments or by calling the VAS office at (540) 343-0987 or (800) 333-8274.
With interest in the Games expected to be piqued by the presence of the Summer Olympics in Atlanta a week later, VAS will need at least 1,500 volunteers to help field coordinators and event supervisors.
Lampman said this year's field of athletes may be the limit for VAS and volunteers. For more than two years, VAS officials have discussed the possibility of holding regional qualifying tournaments in an effort to reduce the number of athletes that come to Roanoke and ease the workload on its volunteer corps.
``We may be reaching that magic number,'' Lampman said. ``We're getting to the point where we may start working with parks and rec [departments] on hosting regional competitions.''
For the first time, the opening ceremonies will be televised live, with WSET (Channel 13) broadcasting the parade of athletes, the torch lighting and a visit from the U.S. Army ``Golden Knights'' parachute team.
LENGTH: Medium: 69 linesby CNB