By Tom Blakey
Members of Team Norman Sonic are back home and giving thanks for a record-setting season after competing Nov. 11-15 at the World Championships of the Scott's Firefighter Combat Challenge in Las Vegas.
The World Championship competition brought together more than 800 firefighters from around the world, including Australia, Canada, Germany, the U.S. and New Zealand, to compete in what's known as the "toughest two minutes in sports." The five-event obstacle course tests firefighters' fitness levels and agility, while celebrating the performance levels of the professionals.
"Oklahoma was represented by teams from Norman, Edmond, Altus, Lawton and Broken Arrow," said TNS member Greg Blackburn. "Unfortunately, Team Norman Sonic was somewhat snakebit as we had a couple of injuries occur during the preliminary days."
Blackburn suffered a back injury during his preliminary run in the Individual competition and Don Balm tore a calf muscle during his run.
"Due to these injuries we had to scratch from the Individual and Relay finals," Blackburn said. "Bob Callaghan and I -- with my bad back -- recorded our slowest time of the year in the Over 50 Tandem and finished fifth in the Finals.
The Over 40 Tandem had to scratch due to Balm's torn calf muscle and the Open Tandem of Jack Ingram and Robert Carrick failed to make the Finals, he said. ?
Nevertheless, Team Norman Sonic had an outstanding season. Brent Porter in the Over 40 division and Callaghan and Blackburn in the Over 50 division, all qualified for the "Lion's Den." The honor is given when competitors in the Individual events complete the course in a specified time according to their age group.
"As in any sport, excellence is its own reward," said a spokesman for the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge. "We salute our outstanding athletes who have distinguished themselves on the course."
Those awarded will receive a Lion Apparel varsity jacket, helmet sticker, lapel pin and framed Certificate of Achievement at the Lion's Den Induction ceremony that will take place in conjunction with next year's World Challenge, the spokesman said.
Additionally, Blackburn won the 2008 Grand National Championship in the Over 50 Division. The award is given to the competitor who accumulates the most points during the course of the entire season. Points are awarded according to how the competitors place at an event -- the higher one places, the more points accrued. Don Balm finished in second place for the Over 40 Grand National Championship. Team Norman Sonic also won six of the eight Oklahoma State Championships that were awarded in the Altus Regional and currently owns the State Records for the Open, Over 40 and Over 50 Individual divisions.
"Not a bad year," Blackburn said.
The Versus (VS) Network plans to televise the world championship competition nationally in January. "They have been filming all year long at various regional events and will air four different shows leading up to the World Championships," he said.
Episode one will be shown Jan. 3 and 5 at 3 and 4:30 p.m.; episode two Jan. 10 and 12 at 3 and 4:30 p.m.; episode three Jan. 17 and 19 at 3 and 4:30 p.m. and episode four Jan. 24 and 26 at 3 and 4:30 p.m.
The team is holding a raffle for a custom-painted OU firefighters helmet autographed by Barry Switzer, Bob Stoops, Steve Owens, Billy Sims, Jason White, Joe Washington, Josh Heupel and Jamelle Holieway. Tickets are $5 or three for $10 and can be purchased by sending a check (made out to Norman Combat Challenge Team) to P.O. Box 1142, Norman, OK 73070 or calling 833-3175.
The drawing will be Dec. 7, Blackburn said.
Blackburn said the team has received tremendous support from sponsors Norman area Sonic Restaurants in care of Margie Rosenthal, Gregg Byram and Roy Oliver of Sandstone Energy Acquisitions, Dr. Derek Mask, DDS, Gary Pollock of Noble Car Wash, Ronnie Davenport Custom Painting, the Norman West Side Wal-Mart Store and Steve Owens and Associates Inc.
"We couldn't have done it without them," Blackburn said.
Tom Blakey 366-3540 tblakey@normantranscript.com
