PROUD MOMENTS: Atlantans take on coast-to-coast race

As if a goal of finishing a 3,000-mile, coast-to-coast bicycle race in six to nine days isn’t ambitious enough, the four-man Atlanta team known as the Georgia Chain Gang plans to use the event to raise $100,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Team members Dave Armento, Frank Fuerst, Tony Myers and Jerome Rossetti will ride in the men’s 50-59 age group in the Race Across America, which starts June 20 in Oceanside, Calif., and ends in Annapolis, Md. The route climbs more than 100,000 feet and runs through 16 states as teams ride in rotating shifts 24 hours a day. There are no scheduled breaks; the clock runs until racers cross the finish line.

All four Chain Gang members are avid endurance athletes, with marathons, Ironman triathlons and long-distance cycling events on their resumes. They train inside about 7-10 hours per week and do 60-100-mile rides outside on the weekends. They’ll incorporate the 500-mile Heart of the South race and the 100-mile Cheaha Challenge Century along with other century rides into their training and will be doing about 400 miles per week by April, estimates Rossetti. “All of us are experienced cyclists, but none of us has done this race before,” he said. “We are looking forward to the challenge and the adventure.”

Xtreme girls head for nationals

The Atlanta Soccer Academy Xtreme girls under-9 Blue team won the USSSA Southeast Regional Tournament title in Ocala, Fla., earning a trip to the national tournament in Las Vegas. The Xtreme, ranked No. 1 in the country by soccerincollege.com, went undefeated in pool play. They then faced the second-ranked Wellington Wave from West Palm Beach, Fla., in the final, winning 3-0.

Team members are: M.E. Craven, Haley Lawson, Taylor Masters, Allison Norton, Courtney O’Malley, Sophia Peach, Payton Schurr, Jenna Vollrath and coach Paul Dodsworth.

Palatto wins marathon age group

Joan Palatto of Lilburn finished first in the women’s 60-64 age group at the New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon. She finished in 4:25. Barbara Jester of Alpharetta was sixth in women’s 50-54 in 4:02:54. Meryl Dykstra of Conyers finished 12th in women’s 55-59 in 4:44:53. Elaine DeLong of Jonesboro was 15th in women’s 55-59 in 4:52:50.

Other Georgia finishers included: Scott Cullen, 3:31:41; Brian Mendelsohn, 3:39:15; Don Allen, 3:38:50; John Sanke, 3:46:44; Rush Wickes, 3:49:32; Jeffrey Ertel, 3:50:03; Finn Ahlberg, 3:53:16; Eric Simmons, 3:59:13; Lynn Jester, 4:02:51; Corey May, 4:06:47; Paul Hegarty, 4:14:57; Matt Henrichs, 4:18:32; Stephen Flores, 4:18:33; Lisa Ramsey, 4:23:55; Susan McClure, 4:21:27; Michele McAlister, 4:32:20; Sarah Brooks, 4:50:52; Amanda Duckworth, 4:51:00; Mary Weiland, 4:55:51; Roberta McQuade, 5:00:21; Charlie Weiland, 5:01:00; Leigh Harris, 5:17:46; and Joseph Dunaway, 6:15:38.

Turner leads locals in Arizona

John Turner of Canton was the top local finisher in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon in Phoenix. He finished in 3:44:57.

Other local finishers included: Steve Tait, Acworth, 3:56:59; Hollie Pailthorp, Alpharetta, 3:57:04; Reggie Reid, Suwanee, 3:58:14; Michael Luz, Suwanee, 4:01:21; Gary Nagel, Snellville, 4:01:54; Amy Jarratt, Atlanta, 4:05:36; Biju Das, Marietta, 4:07:03; Dena Cyr, Braselton, 4:07:27; Richard Spencer, Atlanta, 4:08:15; Jennifer Twineham, Snellville, 4:13:01; David Zath, Marietta, 4:14:28; Randal Akers, Kennesaw, 4:21:58; Cynthia Eskew, Dacula, 4:28:01; Heath Ward, Atlanta, 4:41:24; Allison Mee, Atlanta, 4:47:11; Jeffrey Carter, Atlanta, 4:49:24; Janette Maas, Newnan, 4:58:23; Brittany Atkinson, Alpharetta, 5:04:01; Susan Luttrell, Dacula, 5:04:03; Jessica Bush, Alpharetta, 5:10:37; Erik Bush, Alpharetta, 5:10:37; Carl Phillip, Duluth, 5:22:25; Barbara Bucherati, Snellville, 5:33:35; Richard Filitor Jr., Woodstock, 5:33:37; Lana Carr, Peachtree City, 5:33:57; Susie Pittman, Suwanee, 5:42:51; Dan Pittman, Suwanee, 5:42:51; Ana Muratori, Cumming, 5:45:43; Mark Cole, Suwanee, 5:46:03; Ronald Jadlocki, Acworth, 6:09:46; Katie Kersys, Woodstock, 6:25:11; Shannon Stafford, Decatur, 6:36:43; and Latres Jarrett, Smyrna, 6:57:55.

Bryce Carlson of Atlanta was the overall men’s winner at the Georgia Ultrarunning and Trailrunning Society’s Atlanta 50K race in Marietta. He finished in 4:08:04. Rachel Heim of Atlanta was the top women’s finisher in 4:56:16. Matt Kahrs of Smyrna was second in 4:09:54.

The rest of the top five included: Jon Obst, Roswell, 4:22:24; Nils Pedersen, Kennesaw, 4:22:25; and Tim Prichard, Decatur, 4:27:58. Rounding out the top five for the women were: Susan Breeding, Marietta, 5:05:14; Susan Lance, Whitesburg, 5:26:53; Beth McCurdy, Dacula, 5:41:03; and Jenna Carver, Smyrna, 5:42:14. In the marathon distance, Susan Kolbinsky of Duluth finished first in 6:55:00.

If you know someone who deserves recognition for a proud moment, send the information in an e-mail to Michelle Wilson (mwilson@ajc.com).