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TV coverage runs July 13-17
ESPN Outdoors Communications — July 12, 2005

CELEBRATION, Fla. — On July 13-17, outdoor sports enthusiasts and sports fans can catch the most thrilling and sensational moments in 17.5 hours of coverage from ESPN's Great Outdoor Games VI presented by Dodge on ESPN and ABC.

Viewers also will be able to hear the award-winning audio production that led to the Games receiving the Sports Emmy for Best Live Audio the last two years.

At the sixth annual Games, athletes overcame both the heat of central Florida and severe wind, rain and thunderstorms brought on by Hurricane Dennis to perform amazing feats in their sports.

Black Labrador retriever Beau, with handler Chris Piacun of Metairie, La., made a new personal best jump of 25 feet, 2 inches before taking home the gold medal in Big Air.

Meanwhile, Jamie Fischer of Stillwater, Minn., won the silver medal in Men's Log Rolling, proposed to his girlfriend — who accepted — and then took gold in the Men's Boom Run event.

"The excitement and drama of the competition at the Great Outdoor Games translates fantastically to TV," said Michael Mulone, director of the Games.

"Viewers at home will enjoy the action as much or more as the spectators did on site, with our miniature cameras getting them closer to the saws, dogs and ATVs and our many microphones providing the unique sounds of these Games."

With 20 events and more than 180 competitors from around the world, the Great Outdoor Games feature dramatic competition with lumberjacks and log rollers, canine athletes jumping through the air and ATV riders trekking through mud on their quads.

New to this year's Games are five events, including The Launch, which tests how far a dog can jump, and SuperJack, which determines the best overall lumberjack.

ESPN will televise Games coverage in primetime on four consecutive nights, plus weekend afternoon telecasts on ESPN and ABC. The Games took place July 7-10 at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Celebration, Fla.

Jamie Little, a pit reporter for the 2005 IndyCar Series, will return as host. Other familiar faces to ESPN viewers calling the action are ice hockey's Bill Clement, racing's Paul Page, ESPN Outdoors host Tommy Sanders and college basketball analyst Jimmy Dykes.

Here's just a few of the breathtaking moments viewers will see:

  • Grand National Championship motocross champion John Natalie of Houtzdale, Pa., speeding through mud to clinch the inaugural Four Wheel Frenzy ATV race gold medal.
  • Wisconsin's Cassidy Scheer edging out Oregon's Rob Waibel for the gold medal in the inaugural SuperJack event.
  • Marcus Topps of Garland, Texas, and his dog border collie Juice sweeping the two Sporting Dog Agility events, Superweave and Large Agility.
  • In Women's Log Rolling, five-time reigning champion Tina Bosworth of Lake Geneva, Wis., losing her quest for another title in the semifinals while Wisconsin's Lizzie Hoeschler captures the gold medal.
  • Women's Endurance defending champion Sheree Taylor of Te Ahora, New Zealand, taking yet another gold medal, beating one opponent by more nearly one minute.
  • Brothers-in-law Dion Lane and Jason Wynyard of New Zealand going head-to-head for the top title in Men's Endurance
  • The first time since 2001 that no previous Archery medal winner place in the top three.
  • Ron Watson and his border collie Split of Hagerstown, Md., overcoming gusty winds to win the gold medal in the Hot Zone flying disc competition.

    The Games will be aired on ESPN and ABC Sports July 13-17, 2005. Click here for the broadcast schedule.