Saratoga News

Saratoga Sampler

Mary Ann Cook

Saratogan competes in bobsled race for Greece

BOBSLED OLYMPIAN: Peter Kolotouros is part of the four-man bobsled competition in Nagano, Japan. He holds the sidepusher position on the Greek team. The bobsled runs will be televised Feb. 19 and 20 at 9 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Peter, a marketing analyst, is the first UPS employee to qualify for the Olympic Winter Games. UPS helps subsidize the training of potential Olympic material in its ranks by providing flexible hours, allowing time for training and competition and helping provide equipment, apparel and transportation. The program is called the Athlete Training Assistant Program (ATAP).

The Saratoga resident is a U.S. native who holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and in Greece, where his parents were born. He has been active in track and field since age 10, and at age 12 he was National Running Champion for his age group. He attempted to qualify for the Greek track and field team in '92 and '96 and missed by fractions.

Though he didn't qualify for those events, he became a known quantity and was invited to try out for the sidepusher position for the newly formed bobsled team. He qualified in Park City, Utah, in December. The crossover from track and field to bobsled is a natural, since both take incredible leg strength. Peter is a Stanford grad and was a standout in Stanford track and field, including being a finalist in four Pac-10 championship events, where he ran the 110-meter high hurdles.

As a member of the Greek Olympic team, Peter was among the first group of athletes to enter the stadium at Nagano, as Olympic tradition decrees. The Spiral, where the runs will take place, is the first artificial ice track constructed in Asia. Because of the mountain's topography, there are two uphill sections on the track--the first of its kind in the world.

FITNESS FREAKS: The MacKinlays--Helen and Rod--are such avid fitness advocates that even their sons, both of whom are hale specimens, complain. Scott, visiting from London, calls coming back to his parents' home "MacKinlay Bootcamp" and vows the only way to evade the fierce fitness regimen is to come off the plane in crutches, a ploy he hasn't tried--yet. Father Rod, staunch member of a running club, is traditionally a winner in the over-55 age division. A dream log cabin in Portola in the eastern Sierra that they fell in love with instantly is the newest pied-a-terre for the MacKinlays. Very remote, the cabin will be used for weekend or anytime getaways, now that Rod is retired. And presumably a new running and hiking base as well. They time their climbs.

HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR: "When I volunteered to take over her job I didn't think it would take a team of horses," wails Marcia Adams about her duties while filling in for recouping M.L. Taylor, chair of the Literary Arts Committee at Montalvo. When Marcia submitted a note to M.L., detailing what she had been up to, she signed it "Your Loyal Clydesdale."

RETIREMENT? NAH: Life plans have a funny way of altering. When planning for retirement from his NASA job of 30 years, Steve Diewert probably didn't realize he'd be taking on a brand-new career when that one ended. But that's indeed what happened. Now he's business manager for his artist wife Yoju, whose work is on view at the Aegis Gallery. The Diewerts met in Japan and have been married 10 years. A standout in the current Aegis show is Yoju's mixed-media work titled "Old Pottery."

BOOK MARKET: Sad news for book-lovers throughout the West Valley environs as the Saratoga Book Market (below the Blue Rock Shoot) is due to shut its doors soon. Blue Rock Shoot wants to use the lower level to expand its coffee shop operation, so bookstore owner Rachel Cart won't be able to transfer that location to a different owner. Instead she'll head for Half Moon Bay, where she and her husband-to-be, Saratogan Ian Oeschger, will live. And she'll look for a new job. Too bad our world is chock-full of browsers but rather bereft of buyers.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY: A daylong conference designed to increase cooperation and mutual respect between cultures will be held Feb. 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Unitarian Church in Palo Alto. "Kaleidoscope" has many sponsors, chiefly the LG-Saratoga branch of the AAUW. Keynote speaker is Aileen Hernandez, adviser to U.S. presidents and chairwoman of the California Women's Agenda. For tickets at $12 per call 741-1616.

OLYMPIAD OF ARTS: The Olympiad of the Arts is an annual competition for high school and college students of Santa Clara County in the areas of music, short story, poetry, dance, theater, visual arts and photography. The awards ceremony is held at Montalvo, and Sen. James Phelan was an Olympiad founder. Sponsor is the West Valley/Mission Colleges Foundation. The foundation number is 741-2066, and address is 14000 Fruitvale Ave., Saratoga.

FLOOD FLOTSAM: Any patio furniture bobbing along Saratoga Creek may belong to Julia, whose beeper number is 237-7262. Call her if you catch sight of any.

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