Sports: IndyBlog, Colorado Springs Independent

Strong turnout for local race in Boston's name

Miguel Bustamante — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:47:00 -0600

Yesterday the Pikes Peak Road Runners hosted a 5k to honor the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. Stephanie Wurtz, coordinator of the quickly organized event, estimates that 400 to 500 runners came out.…

The Springs honors Boston

Miguel Bustamante — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:54:00 -0600

Often at the Independent we look forward to brightening your week with fun articles, witty commentary, and entertaining local news. But sometimes we find ourselves affected by non-local news, as was the case a few weeks ago when the country became transfixed by the events at the Boston Marathon.…

Mecklenburg tackles book signing

Bryce Crawford — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:38:00 -0600

Former Denver Broncos linebacker Karl Mecklenburg retired in 1994, but he's never far from the public eye — or fans' hearts — due to his charity work. Well, now it's his wordsmithing that's bringing him around: At 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 5, the sack artist will sign, and talk about, his new book at the Chapel Hills Mall.…

NBA player Jason Collins: 'I'm black. And I'm gay.'

Bryce Crawford — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:17:00 -0600

Today in Sports Illustrated, 34-year-old basketball player Jason Collins became, as he puts it, "the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport." Rumors have been swirling for weeks that four players in the National Football League would make a similar joint announcement, and the National Hockey League just signed a formal partnership with a sexual-equality sports organization, but Collins beat them all to the punch for the real thing.…

Broncos release 2013 preseason schedule

Bryce Crawford — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:05:00 -0600

The mighty Denver Broncos will take on the NFC West this preseason, the team announced today, including a primetime CBS game against the St. Louis Rams in Week 3. Other opponents include the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers, a team the Orange Crush have played in the preseason more than any other — 34 times — and hold an 18-16 record against.…

Broncos' Salute to Fans Tour coming to Pueblo

Bryce Crawford — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 08:56:00 -0600

The Denver Broncos are doing a little fan outreach in the wake of a dominant 13-3 season upended by a last-minute fling from the Baltimore Ravens' Joe Flacco. The inaugural Mile High Salute to Fans Tour will stop in 20 small-ish Colorado cities, with each event free and open to the public.…

Think you can sing? Try out for Sky Sox

Pam Zubeck — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:48:00 -0700

If you're hankering to sing the national anthem before a hometown crowd, consider warbling for those who will decide who'll do the honors during baseball season for the Sky Sox.

Here's the information, as provided by Mike Moran with the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation:

The Colorado Springs Sky Sox, in conjunction with The Colorado Springs Conservatory, will be hosting vocalist auditions for the 2013 season on Saturday, March 2nd from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the main stage in Chapel Hills Mall.…
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Mission possible: chase the cheese

Matthew Schniper — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:12:57 -0700

Interview question the first: "Have you ever chased cheese down a hill before?"

Kenny Rackers, Colorado Springs-based hopeful competitor in the May 27 Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling and Wake in Brockworth, England: "No, I have not ... but I did a project in college about obscure sports and learned about it ... I've wanted to do it for a long time, I've been putting it off."…

Roller Derby Love: A Family Affair

Craig Lemley — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 15:37:00 -0700

Make some room, ladies — the boys are here to stay.

They've got their first bout behind them, and now the Mountain Mad Men are starting a full year of roller derby competition.…

Basketball: Five reasons to hit the Downtown Classic

Bryce Crawford — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 16:10:52 -0700

This Saturday at the City Auditorium brings the first-ever Downtown Classic, a duet of men's and women's basketball games between the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and Colorado State University-Pueblo. And while there's a variety of reasons to grab the $10 tickets (free for students and alumni; $5 for non-UCCS students with ID, seniors age 55 and older, military and children ages 7 to 18) here's five reasons our friendship is over if you don't go to at least one of — women tip-off at 5:30 p.m., men at 7:30 — the games:

1.…

UPDATE: USA Pro Challenge to skip Colorado Springs in 2013

Matthew Schniper — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 12:11:35 -0700

I just spoke with local organizing committee spokesperson Chris Carmichael.

One of my questions to him was how he and the committee felt when they first heard the news (last night, ahead of today's official announcement) that Colorado Springs wasn't getting a stage in 2013.…

Pro Challenge ropes 1 million people, $99.6 million

J. Adrian Stanley — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 17:05:15 -0600

Following a study, the organizers of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge are saying the race attracted more than 1 million spectators and had a $99.6 million economic impact.

The Challenge, a week-long bicycle race through mountainous Colorado, is in its second year.…

Cycling: James Ernst is a jackass

Bryce Crawford — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 17:06:00 -0600

Though ABC News quotes his son as calling him "a gentle old man," 75-year-old Erie resident James Ernst appears anything but in a video taken by former professional cyclist Dirk Friel that's been viewed nearly 200,000 times.

In it, Ernst can be seen driving his Ford Explorer as slowly as the bikers, honking his horn like an obnoxious fool the whole time.…

USA Pro Cycling Challenge hits the Springs

Kirsten Akens — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 18:20:44 -0600

A number of Indy staff headed out today to shoot the USA Pro Cycling Challenge as it hit downtown Colorado Springs as the cyclists crossed the finish line and the winners took the podium.

Here's a slideshow of shots from Kirsten Akens, Matthew Schniper and Fran Zankowski.…

UPDATE: Creed's 'Fire Sale' smashes expectations

Kirk Woundy — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 16:40:36 -0600

After climbing Independence Pass and descending into Aspen yesterday, all Michael Creed could think about was coming back up that pass today.

“The whole time, I’m just like — I was getting depressed,” he says.…

A visit by famed cyclist Mario Cipollini

Kirsten Akens — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 10:17:57 -0600

Cafe Velo was hopping last night with a visit by retired Italian pro-cyclist Mario Cipollini.

As part of an open house at the bike/coffee shop that raised dollars for Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado's Waldo Canyon Fire fund, Cipollini signed silent-auction items and made the rounds, smiling for fans' cameras.…

You should be watching the Pro Challenge NOW

Matthew Schniper — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 09:47:40 -0600

Today's the day, people.

You know, the one we were talking about big time here last week.…

Bring on the USA Pro Cycling cowbell!

Kirsten Akens — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:46:03 -0600

Last night Chris Jenkins, president of the Pikes Peak Cycling Society, kicked off the local 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge season with some festivities at Carmichael Training Systems.

The event, in its second year, will cross the state between Aug. 20 and 26, beginning in Durango and ending once again in Denver.…

Big moment approaches for DeBerry

Bryce Crawford — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 11:49:51 -0600

Longtime Air Force Falcons coach Fisher DeBerry is scheduled to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., tomorrow. Here's a snippet from a Thursday Denver Post story:

His qualifications on the field are impeccable.…
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UPDATE: Carmichael talks Pro Cycling Challenge

Jeff Koch — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:47:28 -0600

When it comes to cycling in the Springs, there's perhaps no more important figure than former U.S. Olympic racer, current personal trainer and Springs resident Chris Carmichael.

Back in 1984, Carmichael competed in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and was part of the first American cycling team to compete in the Tour de France two years later.…

Chat with an Olympian

Bryce Crawford — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 10:37:38 -0600

Social media's a wonderful thing, and the Olympics are pretty great too, so enjoy the combination of the two by firing up your typing fingers and hitting one of these Facebook or Twitter sessions. Various athletes from Team USA are available until 3 p.m.…

Flying saucers: Ultimate's main event debuts in the Springs

Jeff Koch — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 10:06:00 -0600

What do tennis, golf and Ultimate [Frisbee] all have in common? Well, besides being sports amateurs prefer to play (often poorly), all three now boast U.S. Open Championships, with the inaugural Ultimate U.S. Open coming to Colorado Springs this week.…

Hill Climb rescheduled for Aug. 12

Ralph Routon — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 16:46:23 -0600

Organizers of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb decided Tuesday afternoon to run the 90th Race to the Clouds on Sunday, Aug. 12.

The 12.42-mile event had been initially set for this Sunday, July 8, but was postponed due to the Waldo Canyon Fire.…

No vert ramp for Go Skateboarding Day

Sara Horton — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 15:12:14 -0600

Today is Go Skateboarding Day, a worldwide celebration for anyone brave (or crazy, depending on whom you ask) enough to attempt an ollie, swing a kickturn or grind some rails. Rumors were swirling around Twitter that the new vert ramp and mini-ramp currently being installed at Memorial Park Skateboard Park would be ready in time for revelers to tear it up today, but rumors are sadly often just that.…

Downtown destination for the Sky Sox?

Bryce Crawford — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:33:33 -0600

Security Service Field, where the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox play, has been a hot topic recently, with Mayor Steve Bach saying he'd love to move the team from its northeast location to downtown. It would be great for locals in the area looking for something to do after 5 p.m., and developers who own land around some of the various proposed sites would cash in like it's payday.…