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Press Coverage
Poker Run Recap
The Lanier Harbor Marina Poker Run 2003
August 8 & 9, 2003
Third Time's A Charm for Poker Run Five-some
Full House Wins $10,000.00 On A Lucky Break
By Michelle May- Schmidt
Buford, GA - - Ask anyone who participated in the 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Lanier Harbor Marina Poker Run, and they would probably say the event ran flawlessly. Except for one Georgia five-some, who broke their engine at the start, the rest of the fleet made it safely through from beginning to end. Actually, you won't hear any complaints from the five-some, either. Thanks to their lucky break, and timing, the group went on to pull a Full House that captured the coveted $10,000.00 first prize, best poker hand.
For Jim and Cheryl Scott, of Flowery Branch, Georgia, their daughter, Christy Zakrockzynski, and friends, Anthony Iracan, and Leah Foreman, this third year entry into the annual event became just the lucky charm they needed.
"We broke before we started," said Iracan, captain and owner of the 1999 Chapparal Signature 300 vessel that Scott entered in the Cruiser Category of the Poker Run. "We were down on one engine, and were hoping to get to the control center to change our entry to a slower class, or be given a new number at the end of the line which would give us more time, but then, our name came up."
"We all decided it was too late to do anything, so we went and crossed the start line, then pulled over to see what could be done," said Foreman. "Cheryl, Christy and I kept encouraging the guys to keep trying to fix it, and eventually, they did! We were back on course.
Unlike most poker run events, the Lanier Harbor Poker Run provides each team with a list of clues and calculations that allow them to chart their course to each checkpoint. There, they pick a poker card and it is recorded to determine their score. They are also given their time of arrival, in the event they are competing for the perfect course time for their category, which awards a first through third place finisher in each class. In addition to those places, is the coveted award for Best Overall Poker Hand.
"We just got so into making up the time we'd lost, that by the time we got to our 4th checkpoint, we thought we were pretty close," said Jim Scott. Meanwhile, Christy spent her time on the trivia questions, used for a top prize, as well as a tie breaker.
"We pulled three, five of spades in a row, and we knew something was up. We just felt like we were going to win. Then, we pulled two kings, one red and one black, and then we really felt we had the best hand. At the awards ceremoney, we heard our name announced as the winners of the $10,000.00. It's unbelievable," said Cheryl.
"I called my mom and she said she already knew we'd won something," said Iracane. "She'd just had this feeling, too." The five-some will share the winnings equally.
Over 200 boats attended this year's Lanier Harbor Marina Poker Run, the World's most unique boating extravaganza, with classes for powerboats, cruisers, and pontoon's, where safety is key. To date, no accidents have ever occurred, by boaters in the event, or by the thousands of spectator's that line the course.
While boaters registered for the Poker Run of Friday, children from the Forsyth County Child Advocacy Center were provided rides in the Poker Run.com Formula FasTech powerboat, by National Racer, Andrew Moon, as part of the Child SMILE America Tour. Then, the children spent time learning about water safety and building their own boats, as part of the Sea Quest Kids™ Program.
"It's the "little league of boating," said Steve Gronka, Director of the Program, who will receive a check for $1,500.00 courtesy of the Poker Run. The program, sponsored locally by Mercury Marine, and ACE Hardware, allowed the kids to become new, proud owners of the vessels.
"The kids are so excited to be here. Now, they want to come back on Saturday to finish painting. We can't thank Barkley and the Child SMILE Tour enough for everything they have done for our kids. Just look at these smiles. We are so thankful for this program, the rides and the donation," said Michelle Edwards, from the Forsyth County Child Advocacy Center.
The kids were also treated to a visit by Star 94 FM's "Bobby" and his goodwill ambassador, Doctor Irving, a monkey, who entertained the kids, then went on the Poker Run itself, in a Mercury Mouseboat, with Bobby at the wheel.
Boaters came from as far as Cincinnati, Ohio to attend the three-day event, held on beautiful Lake Lanier Islands. A special treat awaited them as they picked up their entry bag, which included event t-shirts, credentials, courtesy Poker Runs America and Offshore Racing Review magazine's, Mercury Marine Coozies, and ValvTect products. Inside, was a unique, limited edition poster picture of the event, designed and autographed by Anne Brodie. Brodie was also on site to add a customized picture of each entrant's boat to the bottom center of the portrait from photo's taken in the poker run itself, shot by world famous boat racing photographer, Jamie Russell.
Kicking off the event that evening was a Las Vegas Style Casino Night, Game Show and Contests, where teams won a chance to land some pretty big fish, including an opportunity for a Pontiac Gran Prix, and a GMC Yukon XL, courtesy of John Bailey Buick - GMC.
"We pulled three different contestants for our "go fish" contest, and while none of them managed to pick the bag with the winning certificate for the GMC Yukon XL, everybody had a great time," said Barkley Geib, organizer of the annual event.
The Casino Night, in addition to giving entrants $25,000 in play money, which was exchanged for raffle tickets and then prize drawing's at the night's end, also offered a "Seven Card Stud" contest, similar to the Price is Right. Don Palmer of Douglasville, Georgia, was chosen to guess the correct price of the Pontiac Gran Prix. Palmer was given seven, one-dollar chances to win, and the game began.
While guessing the first digit of the price, Palmer started with a two, the correct score of which garnished him a loud cheer from the thousand or so who watched on. On his second digit guess, he selected an eight; the correct digit a nine, making Palmer turn in one dollar. With six chances to go, and three digits left, the Pontiac Gran Prix seemed just within his reach. By the third digit, however, he guessed a seven, and while the correct digit was a one, Palmer's chance for the car was lost. The actual price of the car was $29,109. Palmer, however, went on to take 2nd place in the Powerboat Class for Best Time.
With overcast skies and rain throughout entire week, by Saturday morning the entrants couldn't have asked for a better day. Even the pontoon boat carrying the special needs kids from the Miracle League appreciated the soft breeze off the lake, which churned slightly at the start finish compound, as boaters began in thirty second intervals from the start at 9:00am.
A number of entrants vied for the Oldies Lake 102 Vacation Getaway to the Bahamas, with the best theme/decorations named the winner. Hands down, there was no better pick than John Homonek dressed as Elvis, along with his first mate, Marilyn Monroe, in a Pontoon disguised as a Pink Cadillac.
With all boats returning late afternoon, entrants had just enough time to freshen up for the awards dinner at 6:00pm followed by the presentation of prizes at 8:00pm. Additional winners of the day included:
Entrant Prize Drawing winning a Yamaha Wave Runner - Nathan Parker, Marietta, GA.
Best Time Overall - Joe Jennings, Gainesville, GA with a perfect time.
Best Times By Class - Cruiser Class: 1st - David Hildebrandt, Dunwoody, GA; 2nd - Laurie Hummel, Alpharetta, GA; and 3rd - Leo Lakits , Cumming, GA.
Pontoon Class: 1st - Bill & Cindy Bryan, Sugar Hill, GA; 2nd - Amaysing Services, Buford, GA; 3rd - Patrick O'Connor, Buford, GA.
Powerboat Class: 1st - Jeffrey Thornton, Chamblee, GA; 2nd - Don Palmer, Douglasville, GA; 3rd - David Power, Gainesville, GA. Last Place Time went to Stan Luthi of Greenville, SC and
Winner of the Trivia Contest, with 100% accuracy, went to Ed Gaito of Ballground, GA
The 2003 Lanier Harbor Marina Poker Run was presented by Mercury Marine, Formula Powerboats, Tal Marine, Park Marine Boating Centers and Yamaha Watercraft, John Bailey Buick - GMC, and Billy Howell Ford.
Associate Sponsors include Black Thunder Powerboats, Total Sports Marketing, Land & Sea, A-Maysing Services, Air Cam Photography, S & S Ace Hardware, American Van Rental, Boat U.S., Coca Cola, Python Boats, Anne Brodie Hill/Frames You-Nique, Lowrance Electronics, ValvTect, Florida Powerboat Club, Atlantic Mapping, Prop Pak, AAA Trophy and Marine Securities' Sternlock Product Line, Oldies Lake 102, Competitive EDGE Marine, and www.RacingReviewOnline.com.
The event was sanctioned by the American Poker Runs Association, and is part of the 2003 Child SMILE America Tour. Proceeds from the event went to benefit the Forsyth County Child Advocacy Center, the Make-A-Wish® Foundation of North Georgia & Alabama, and Advance America Foundation's Sea Quest Kids™ Program. Photos are available online at www.PokerRun.com, and for more information on the Child SMILE America Tour, visit www.RacingReviewOnline.com.
Press Coverage
Poker Run Recap
The Lanier Harbor Marina Poker Run 2003
August 8 & 9, 2003
Third Time's A Charm for Poker Run Five-some
Full House Wins $10,000.00 On A Lucky Break
By Michelle May- Schmidt
Buford, GA - - Ask anyone who participated in the 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Lanier Harbor Marina Poker Run, and they would probably say the event ran flawlessly. Except for one Georgia five-some, who broke their engine at the start, the rest of the fleet made it safely through from beginning to end. Actually, you won't hear any complaints from the five-some, either. Thanks to their lucky break, and timing, the group went on to pull a Full House that captured the coveted $10,000.00 first prize, best poker hand.
For Jim and Cheryl Scott, of Flowery Branch, Georgia, their daughter, Christy Zakrockzynski, and friends, Anthony Iracan, and Leah Foreman, this third year entry into the annual event became just the lucky charm they needed.
"We broke before we started," said Iracan, captain and owner of the 1999 Chapparal Signature 300 vessel that Scott entered in the Cruiser Category of the Poker Run. "We were down on one engine, and were hoping to get to the control center to change our entry to a slower class, or be given a new number at the end of the line which would give us more time, but then, our name came up."
"We all decided it was too late to do anything, so we went and crossed the start line, then pulled over to see what could be done," said Foreman. "Cheryl, Christy and I kept encouraging the guys to keep trying to fix it, and eventually, they did! We were back on course.
Unlike most poker run events, the Lanier Harbor Poker Run provides each team with a list of clues and calculations that allow them to chart their course to each checkpoint. There, they pick a poker card and it is recorded to determine their score. They are also given their time of arrival, in the event they are competing for the perfect course time for their category, which awards a first through third place finisher in each class. In addition to those places, is the coveted award for Best Overall Poker Hand.
"We just got so into making up the time we'd lost, that by the time we got to our 4th checkpoint, we thought we were pretty close," said Jim Scott. Meanwhile, Christy spent her time on the trivia questions, used for a top prize, as well as a tie breaker.
"We pulled three, five of spades in a row, and we knew something was up. We just felt like we were going to win. Then, we pulled two kings, one red and one black, and then we really felt we had the best hand. At the awards ceremoney, we heard our name announced as the winners of the $10,000.00. It's unbelievable," said Cheryl.
"I called my mom and she said she already knew we'd won something," said Iracane. "She'd just had this feeling, too." The five-some will share the winnings equally.
Over 200 boats attended this year's Lanier Harbor Marina Poker Run, the World's most unique boating extravaganza, with classes for powerboats, cruisers, and pontoon's, where safety is key. To date, no accidents have ever occurred, by boaters in the event, or by the thousands of spectator's that line the course.
While boaters registered for the Poker Run of Friday, children from the Forsyth County Child Advocacy Center were provided rides in the Poker Run.com Formula FasTech powerboat, by National Racer, Andrew Moon, as part of the Child SMILE America Tour. Then, the children spent time learning about water safety and building their own boats, as part of the Sea Quest Kids™ Program.
"It's the "little league of boating," said Steve Gronka, Director of the Program, who will receive a check for $1,500.00 courtesy of the Poker Run. The program, sponsored locally by Mercury Marine, and ACE Hardware, allowed the kids to become new, proud owners of the vessels.
"The kids are so excited to be here. Now, they want to come back on Saturday to finish painting. We can't thank Barkley and the Child SMILE Tour enough for everything they have done for our kids. Just look at these smiles. We are so thankful for this program, the rides and the donation," said Michelle Edwards, from the Forsyth County Child Advocacy Center.
The kids were also treated to a visit by Star 94 FM's "Bobby" and his goodwill ambassador, Doctor Irving, a monkey, who entertained the kids, then went on the Poker Run itself, in a Mercury Mouseboat, with Bobby at the wheel.
Boaters came from as far as Cincinnati, Ohio to attend the three-day event, held on beautiful Lake Lanier Islands. A special treat awaited them as they picked up their entry bag, which included event t-shirts, credentials, courtesy Poker Runs America and Offshore Racing Review magazine's, Mercury Marine Coozies, and ValvTect products. Inside, was a unique, limited edition poster picture of the event, designed and autographed by Anne Brodie. Brodie was also on site to add a customized picture of each entrant's boat to the bottom center of the portrait from photo's taken in the poker run itself, shot by world famous boat racing photographer, Jamie Russell.
Kicking off the event that evening was a Las Vegas Style Casino Night, Game Show and Contests, where teams won a chance to land some pretty big fish, including an opportunity for a Pontiac Gran Prix, and a GMC Yukon XL, courtesy of John Bailey Buick - GMC.
"We pulled three different contestants for our "go fish" contest, and while none of them managed to pick the bag with the winning certificate for the GMC Yukon XL, everybody had a great time," said Barkley Geib, organizer of the annual event.
The Casino Night, in addition to giving entrants $25,000 in play money, which was exchanged for raffle tickets and then prize drawing's at the night's end, also offered a "Seven Card Stud" contest, similar to the Price is Right. Don Palmer of Douglasville, Georgia, was chosen to guess the correct price of the Pontiac Gran Prix. Palmer was given seven, one-dollar chances to win, and the game began.
While guessing the first digit of the price, Palmer started with a two, the correct score of which garnished him a loud cheer from the thousand or so who watched on. On his second digit guess, he selected an eight; the correct digit a nine, making Palmer turn in one dollar. With six chances to go, and three digits left, the Pontiac Gran Prix seemed just within his reach. By the third digit, however, he guessed a seven, and while the correct digit was a one, Palmer's chance for the car was lost. The actual price of the car was $29,109. Palmer, however, went on to take 2nd place in the Powerboat Class for Best Time.
With overcast skies and rain throughout entire week, by Saturday morning the entrants couldn't have asked for a better day. Even the pontoon boat carrying the special needs kids from the Miracle League appreciated the soft breeze off the lake, which churned slightly at the start finish compound, as boaters began in thirty second intervals from the start at 9:00am.
A number of entrants vied for the Oldies Lake 102 Vacation Getaway to the Bahamas, with the best theme/decorations named the winner. Hands down, there was no better pick than John Homonek dressed as Elvis, along with his first mate, Marilyn Monroe, in a Pontoon disguised as a Pink Cadillac.
With all boats returning late afternoon, entrants had just enough time to freshen up for the awards dinner at 6:00pm followed by the presentation of prizes at 8:00pm. Additional winners of the day included:
Entrant Prize Drawing winning a Yamaha Wave Runner - Nathan Parker, Marietta, GA.
Best Time Overall - Joe Jennings, Gainesville, GA with a perfect time.
Best Times By Class - Cruiser Class: 1st - David Hildebrandt, Dunwoody, GA; 2nd - Laurie Hummel, Alpharetta, GA; and 3rd - Leo Lakits , Cumming, GA.
Pontoon Class: 1st - Bill & Cindy Bryan, Sugar Hill, GA; 2nd - Amaysing Services, Buford, GA; 3rd - Patrick O'Connor, Buford, GA.
Powerboat Class: 1st - Jeffrey Thornton, Chamblee, GA; 2nd - Don Palmer, Douglasville, GA; 3rd - David Power, Gainesville, GA. Last Place Time went to Stan Luthi of Greenville, SC and
Winner of the Trivia Contest, with 100% accuracy, went to Ed Gaito of Ballground, GA
The 2003 Lanier Harbor Marina Poker Run was presented by Mercury Marine, Formula Powerboats, Tal Marine, Park Marine Boating Centers and Yamaha Watercraft, John Bailey Buick - GMC, and Billy Howell Ford.
Associate Sponsors include Black Thunder Powerboats, Total Sports Marketing, Land & Sea, A-Maysing Services, Air Cam Photography, S & S Ace Hardware, American Van Rental, Boat U.S., Coca Cola, Python Boats, Anne Brodie Hill/Frames You-Nique, Lowrance Electronics, ValvTect, Florida Powerboat Club, Atlantic Mapping, Prop Pak, AAA Trophy and Marine Securities' Sternlock Product Line, Oldies Lake 102, Competitive EDGE Marine, and www.RacingReviewOnline.com.
The event was sanctioned by the American Poker Runs Association, and is part of the 2003 Child SMILE America Tour. Proceeds from the event went to benefit the Forsyth County Child Advocacy Center, the Make-A-Wish® Foundation of North Georgia & Alabama, and Advance America Foundation's Sea Quest Kids™ Program. Photos are available online at www.PokerRun.com, and for more information on the Child SMILE America Tour, visit www.RacingReviewOnline.com.
Advance America Foundation:
6 South Dillwyn Road
Newark, DE 19711
Phone: 404-434-0660
Web: www.advanceaf.org