Vesely Set to Take Flight Again

Yorba Linda’s Brian Vesely is known to be fearless behind a ski boat. “Flyin’ Brian” is a guy who pushes aside thoughts of personal safety to launch himself into acrobatic tricks 20 feet above the water.

Vesely is no less a competitor as a water ski racer, skimming along at speeds that could get you a ticket on the 405.

“His will to win is bigger than his fear of getting hurt,” said Mike Murphy, a longtime water skiing professional.

However, Vesely, 25, is taking at least one thing slowly: his recovery from a serious accident last summer. Less than a minute into the 62-mile race from Long Beach to Catalina and back, Vesely hit some rough water and crashed at 65 mph.

His ski didn’t release and his leg was shattered, broken in seven places. The injury--repaired with a rod and three screws--kept him out of the water for about five months. He said it took him another five to go all out again.

“I don’t know if it’s me being cautious or what, but I’m doing exactly what the doctor says,” Vesely said. “I ask him what if I wait a little bit longer to do something and he says, ‘Yeah, that would be better.’

“I figure I’m too young and I’ve got too much more skiing to do to mess anything up.”

Vesely is returning to major competition this week at the Flight Worlds 2000 in Lake Elsinore. He will be shooting for a championship in the hydrofoil, a sit-down water skiing craft.

Hydrofoils feature a wing that sits several feet below the water and when it cuts through the water provides lift, working like an airplane wing in the air.

Riders fly above the water and by leaning back can propel the entire craft clear of the water. Jumping off the wake takes them even higher, sometimes more than 20 feet up.

Reaching those heights is Vesely’s specialty. Murphy, the co-inventor of the hydrofoil who won the Big Air competition at the last world championships in 1998, said few go higher.

“Brian is the person I worry about spanking me,” Murphy said. “He just goes huge.”

One of those huge moments came in the 1998 Big Air competition. Vesely appeared to have the highest jump, but rotated his “back roll” too far and crashed head first into the water.

The spectacular miss is the most viewed video clip from the event and is still available on the Web at https://www.skyski.com/htmfiles/galavi1.htm.

“That’s pretty much my calling card,” Vesely said. “I was at an event last October and a guy came up to me and said, ‘Dude, I’ve got you on my laptop.’ ”

GOING HIGHER

John Clemmons, the 45-year-old pole vault coach for the Katella High track and field team, is competing in the veterans division of the Flight Worlds this week.

Clemmons, a former barefoot water skiing competitor, was introduced to the hydrofoil by Murphy 1 1/2 years ago and was quickly hooked, going so far as moving from Placentia to Canyon Lakes to be closer to the water.

“I trained hard for one whole year and I learned about eight different flips on it,” Clemmons said. “So now I’m ending up competing at the Worlds, which I had no intention of ever doing.”

Clemmons, who cleared 16 feet 4 inches in the pole vault in college, said hydrofoiling is allowing him to approach those heights in a different way.

“It’s kind of like you can jump all over again without running,” he said.

The Flight Worlds, which expect about 120 hydrofoiling competitors, will also feature wakeboarding, freestyle motocross and arm wrestling competitions at the site near the Diamond in Lake Elsinore. Hydrofoil practice continues today and competition starts Friday and runs through Sunday. Call (909) 674-7900 or https://www.flightworlds.com for more details.

FRIENDLY ESCORT

This year it was bottle-nosed dolphins instead of a tiger shark, much to the relief of three local ocean swimmers who competed in the Maui Channel Relay in Hawaii.

Last year, the relay team pulled Rick Reeder of Orange out of the water moments before a 15-foot tiger shark closed in on him. The team, representing the Irvine Novaquatics Masters, understandably decided to quit the nine-mile relay from Lanai to Maui.

Three members of that team--Craig Taylor of Laguna Niguel, Scott Zornig of Rancho Santa Margarita and Dan Sullivan of Irvine--decided to return for the race this year and Saturday with Jim Stewart and Vince Herring of Rochester, Minn., and Lee Mench of El Cajon won the Senior Makule division in 3 hours 19 minutes 47 seconds.

The team finished eighth overall, 20 minutes behind the winner, and 45 seconds ahead of a West Los Angeles-based team that finished second in the senior division.

There were no shark sightings, only some dolphins playing around the support boat.

NOTEWORTHY

Team Bax Global--Dennis Charney of Boise, Ida., Josh and Veronica Williams and John Simko of Huntington Beach, finished 40th in the Eco-Challenge last week in Borneo. Seventy-six four-person teams started the 320-mile adventure race and only 44 finished with official times. . . . Beach Volleyball America announced Holly McPeak as its MVP. Misty May, formerly of Newport Harbor High and Long Beach State, was named rookie of the year. Rachel Wacholder, formerly of Laguna Beach High, along with Carrie Busch and Leanne Schuster shared Most Improved Player honors . . . Laguna Beach mountain biker Brian Lopes wrapped up his World Cup Dual Championship, winning his seventh dual final in eight attempts this season last month in Leysin, Switzerland. Newport Beach’s Tara Llanes lost the women’s dual final to Anne-Caroline Chausson of France and finished second to Chausson in the final rankings. Leigh Donovan of Capistrano Beach finished fourth in the women’s downhill rankings.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

BICYCLING

Saturdays

* Orange Coast Velo cycling club meets at Worthy Park located at 17th and Main Street in Huntington Beach. Rides vary from 25 to 50+ miles and begin at 7:30 a.m. with periodic regrouping and rest stops. After-ride socializing at Noah’s Bagels on Main Street. For further information call Jerry, (714) 960-4214 or Peter (714) 848-7618.

* Orange County Wheelmen training, 7 a.m., Food Park, MacArthur and Main, Irvine. Beginner and intermediate training group will ride and stay as a group. Informal lectures will cover stretching, nutrition and hill climbing. Led by Fred and Peg Bauer, (714) 997-0892.

* Bicycle Club of Irvine rides, 9 a.m., meet at Deerfield Park, Irvine. Three routes, 10-15, 15-25 and 25-35 miles, each with a stop midway for breakfast. Rides finish at about 11:30 a.m. Ride leaders Scott and Sandy Angle, (714) 960-4068.

* Velo Allegro Cycling Club meets at 8 a.m. at Long Beach Marina off Second Street for 24-mile ride at 14-18 mph pace. Those with paceline experience meet at 7:30 a.m. for warmup and speed training of up to 50 miles. Details: Julio, (562) 988-8117.

Oct. 7-8

* MS 150 Bay to Bay Bike Tour offers rides of 100 and 150 miles over two days from Newport Beach to San Diego with overnight stop in Carlsbad. Riders must raise at least $250 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Details: (949) 752-1680 or https://www.nmssoc.org.

RUNNING

Sept. 24

* Komen Orange County Race for the Cure, 5K race to raise money to fight breast cancer expects 30,000 runners and walkers. Flat course starts and finishes at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. Details: (714) 957-9165 or https://www.kinaneevents.com

Sept. 30

* Race To Embrace 5K Walk/Run with Hug Relay. Start finish at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa. Proceeds benefit organization supporting elders living in nursing homes. Details: (714) 832-4847.

Oct. 7

* Harbor Heritage 5K, benefits academic programs at Newport Harbor High School. Details: (949) 645-5906.

Oct. 14

* “Running is for the Birds” 10K/5K Fun Run & 5K Walk, Bolsa Chica State Beach, benefits Bolsa Chica wetlands. Details: (714) 840-1575.

Oct. 15

* Orange County Half Marathon, 5K Run/Walk. At Sand Canyon and Barranca in Irvine. Details: (949) 476-7076 or https://www.calcoasttrack.com

FISHING

Friday-Saturday

* 552 Club Tag & Release Billfish Tournament is open to any boat. Boats shorter than 30 feet in length have a two-angler minimum. Boats longer than 30 have a three-angler minimum. Fishing boundaries are within 70 miles of Newport Beach. Entry fee is $150. Proceeds benefit Hoag Hospital Foundation. Details: (949) 574-7208.

YACHTING

Sept. 14-17

* Lido Yacht Expo at Lido Marine Village features vessels 26 feet and longer, including the $2 million 2001 Hatteras 60 convertible and other luxury yachts. Admission is $8, children 12 and under free. Details: (949) 757-5959 or https://www.goboatingamerica.com.

HOW TO REACH US

If you have an item for Orange County On the Go, give us a call at (714) 966-5904 and ask for Martin Beck or Rene Lynch. You can also fax us at (714) 966-5663 or e-mail Martin.Beck@latimes.com