Disney Marathon 2003

Walt Disney World Inaugural Marathon
March 30, 2003, Orlando, FL
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The Walt Disney Inaugural Marathon featured a panoply of skaters shining in the Florida sun and showcased the best new products shaping the future of the sport. Local girl done good Jennifer Rodriquez graced the event with her Olympic gravitas and was there in the flesh to start the race and offer autographs to admirers.

Entrants were stunned to find their entry fee returned and then some when they looked inside their goody bags and found TWINCAM's newest ILQ-9 bearings inside. "Noticeably faster!" said one stoked Floridian after skating his all-time personal fastest. K2 racer Josh Woods nearly won the whole dang shabang outright on ILQ-9's after a long breakaway with Jorge Botero, only to be caught and passed before the final turn by a Chad Hedrick-led train.

The International Inline Skating Association brought Eddy Matzger to the marathon to rally the troops with motivational tips on how to prepare for and maximally enjoy the marathon experience. Each member of the association set up equal-sized booths along Inline Alley and attracted significant traffic. A party was always seen raging at the TWINCAM encampment. Skaters stopped by in droves to catch the buzz from the new bearings and offer profuse thanks to the TWINCAM company.

Racing on ILQ-9's as well, Matzger broke out his newest monocoque wonder skates and enjoyed a good position in the lead pack until sliding out on the wooden boardwalk chicane on lap two, just as the pro men were torridly threading their way through lapped skaters near mile 20. Although recovering without a fall, TWINCAM's Matzger was never able to bridge the gap and completed the marathon with a 5-man splinter group containing an out-of-retirement Derek Downing.

Atlanta's Team in Training brought nearly 2 dozen skaters, together raising over $75,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Their coaches and mentors were out on the course to encourage and help their skaters complete the challenge, show that anything's possible, and to raise awareness for their sponsored patients.

The marathon may have had a few hiccups, but the overriding feeling was that the magic was back. A hearty base and tremendous family participation showed that the heart of skating is beating lustily and yearning for more!

Monster puller	Stacked pack	Top sprinters
Pro women finish	ILQ-9 debut	Finish filming
In the pack	Booking along	Just ducky
Side saddle	Bridge crossing	Brief respite
Couples only	YES!	Pro men finish
Start!	Skate that way!	Fun stuff!

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