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Walton
Dan Schwab
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The Huron Expositor • June 24, 2009 'Page 13
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motocross races attract record. crowds
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Walton = Transcan event manager
Chris Lee is both surprised and re-
lieved that a recent motocross com-
petition held at his track drew record
attendance.
More than 2,000 friends and family
of the riders joined over. 1,000 fans
during the Kawasaki Two Wheel
Double Header in Walton June 13-
14:
• Approximately 555 riders compet-
ed, an increase of 10 per cent from
last year, and Lee says attendance
doubled compared to the same week-
end event in 2008.
"In the entertainment and tourism
industry, we've heard a lot of nega-
tive talk about the whole industry
going down the tubes lately,,so this
is a bit of a relief," Lee says. "It's en-
couraging not just for us, butfor the
whole tourism industry."
Lee says the bulk of the ,crowd
were . local supporters of the riders,
but some fans came from London,
Kitchener, Ohio and Michigan.
However, Lee says halfa dozen fans
from Michigan were turned away at
the border because they failed to pro-
duce passports.
Still, the new border crossing laws
requiring citizens . froom. both coun-
tries to produce passports didn't
keep all the U.S. fans from making
the trek over to Walton.
On the track, several local riders
showed off their skills and earned
impressive finishes.
Mitchell Godkin,. of Walton, fin-
ished second in the race for seven to
11 -year-olds riding 80cc motocross
bikes. He also took fourth place in
the supermini race and came in 10th
in the schoolboydivision race.
Tyler Listman, from Seaforth, fin-
ished 13th in the intermediate •125
MX2 division, 23rd in the youth divi-
sion, and 25th in the intermediate
GP MX3 group.
Josh Shea, also from Seaforth, fin-
ished 12th in the junior MX2 125
division and 38th in the junior MX3
GP race.
Matt Shannon, from Seaforth, fin-
ished 17th in the 250 MX1 beginner
division and 33rd in the GP MX3 be-
ginner race.
Seaforth's Megan Bedard took 16th
place in the ladies' division.
Caden Lee, from Egmondville, fin-
ished 19th in the peewee 50 division
for seven and eight year old riders. •
Scott Vande Borne, from Egmond-
ville, finished fourth in the interme-
diate 125 MX2 division, llth in the
intermediate GP MX3 race and 15th
in the intermediate 250 MX1 event.
Lucas Qodkin, from Walton, fin-
ished 18th in the 80cc race for seven
to 11-year:olds. -
Nathan Bles, from Varna, took sec-
ond place in the junior MX3 GP race
and James Emmrich, from Walton,
finished iri 72 place and Trevor Keys
of Seaforth fin-
ished 74th place
in the event.
Bles also fin-
ished in 18th in
the . junior MX2
125 race, while
Tennis pro offering lessons
Dan Schwab
41111111111110111111.1110
More than 40 people have already signed up
for tennis lessons with local certified pro Hank
Binnendyk, for a summer program that will
begin July 2.
For the past few weeks, Binnendyk has been
offering his annual "early bird" clinic for be-
ginners and more experienced players every
Thursday evening at the tennis court beside
Seaforth Public School.,
While the exact times for the summer pro-
gram are not yet finalized, Binnendyk says
there will likely be two sessions in the morn-
ing for beginners and more advanced players
with an evening session for advanced • teens
and adults.
"I- teach the beginners the basic , four -hand
stroke, back hand, volley, overhead _ and to
serve," Binnendyk says. "And also about the
rules of the game and how to hold a racket.
Many people think you just hang onto it and
that's all there is to it, but it's not that sim-
ple."
• Each lesson will consist of one hour and 15
ininutes of drills, with the final .15 minutes of
the session used for playing a game.
For the advanced players, Binnendyk says
it'll be a "rigorous" session.
• "I don't emphasize the basics with them," he
says. "I'll be feeding the ball away from them
to get them moving around a bit."
Binnendyk, who's from Egmondville, plays
tennis three times a week at Greenhills Coun-
try Club in London:
He's been playing since 1985 and started of-
fering clinics in Seaforth -for 13 years. - -
Tennis pro, Hank Binnendyk is offering a summer
program starting July 2.
He's taught the basics to some youngsters
who've gone on to join high school teams arid
compete in WOSSAA tournaments.
Three years ago, Binnendyk and members of
the Huron East recreation department refin-
ished the court with a $9,000 grant from mu-
nicipal council.
Now, interested persons can buy a gate key
for $35 and a key for the overhead lights for
$20 and get $20 back from each after the sea-
son ends in the fall.
Tb sign up for the summer tennis program,
call Binnendyk at 519-522-041,6.
' 0, h 4' • 4 11 1 s,� " is • (S/' S., # 1
Emmrich took
23rd in the
race for rid-
ers age 25 and
over.
The Wiseco
Amateur
Grand Nation-
al - Champion-
ship at the
Walton Tran -
scan is hap-
pening Aug.
11-16.
Lee says the
past three national champions will
be competing against each other at
the event.
"It's never happened before," he
says. "This pro series is the most
competitive I'veLever seen."
Chris Lee
FUTURE LINKS
JR. GOLF
PROGRAM
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Mondays —July 6-27
with a Jr. Tournament - Tuesday, Aug. 4, ages 7-18
July 6 .- 8-10 am
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July 20 - 8-11am + 9 holes of golf
July 27 - 8 -10 -am
Aug. 4 - 8-11 pm + 9 hole tourney
$50 price includes hat and golf guide'
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••• 18 Holes & Cart
All lessons taught by Canadian Professional Golf Association Member
519-4$2-7144
Hwy 8 '' 3 km West of Clinton