Athletes Over 50 End 2 Weeks of Games

Athletes who are 50 and over wrapped up two weeks of competition Friday as the 12th annual Gold Coast Senior Games came to a close.

More than 600 seniors representing Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties as well as athletes from across the nation competed for gold, silver and bronze medals in 16 sports. Most events took place in the tri-county area.

Sponsored by Blue Cross of California, the games featured such outdoor sports as tennis, lawn bowling and golf. The indoor events included bridge and eight-ball pool.

The Senior Softball World Series, which was held Oct. 13-16 in Phoenix, attracted more than 170 teams, including three from Ventura County.

“It was hot,” said Mel Howery of the Gold Coast Cardinals softball team. “It was an amazing site, one of the largest gatherings for softball playoffs in the world.”