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Continued from Athlete Testimonials.
The race was a personal success for Phil, but also an
exciting spectacle for the fans. "The top two finishers
from the Catalina Ski Race were tied with me going into
the turn around Alcatraz," Phil explains, describing the
exciting finish. "Our boats were neck and neck. Catalina
winner Carl Goldsmith was on the inside. Martie (Wells)
was in the middle and I was on the outside. The day before
the race, our team ended up with the record-holding boat.
This boat, Bad Boys, goes 120 mph. So, we were just flying.
All of a sudden, Carl’s boat blew an engine and we knew
we had it made. Martie’s boat just wasn’t as fast."
Even
with the win assured, the team didn’t slow their pace.
"I was concentrating. My cheeks started flapping. That’s
how I knew I was going really fast. I have to squat down
to get my center of gravity as low as possible. And the
pull on my back hand gets really strong. It’s hard to
hold on at those speeds." It used to be that Phil Kramer
could barely walk the day after a race. "Usually, I can’t
even touch my legs, they’re so sore," he says. "And the
second day is even worse." But two days after the San
Francisco race, he was actually training. "Microhydrin
made a difference."
Phil
has been involved in water ski racing for twenty-two years.
A fast-moving sport, it involves strength, agility, stamina
and concentration. Marathon races range from 20 to 75
miles, with up to 100 racers skiing at the same time.
The
Catalina Ski Race, held at the end of every summer, is
a 62-mile open ocean race now in its 51st year. It attracts
top skiers from around the world. This year, Phil came
in second in his category with a time of 1:08:22.55.
The
Catalina course is also the site of an annual New Year’s
race. "I’ve given some thought to retiring," Phil confesses
reluctantly. At forty, he’s now one of the veterans of
the sport. A husband and father, he knows he’s at risk
every time he competes, but admits he may be in Catalina
for New Year’s. "I’ve won that race six years in a row.
I ought to defend my title."
With
the help of Microhydrin, that shouldn’t be a problem.
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