August 5, 2016
HAVE A BLAST
VO LUM E 1 5 | IS S U E 37 | FREE
Western Welcome Week returns to Littleton with plenty of activities for all ages. Check out the special pullout section on pages 15, 16, 17 and 18.
CentennialCitizen.net A R A P A H O E C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
Cherry Creek grad makes Olympic team Ben Pinkelman, only rugby sevens member from Colorado, heads to Rio By Alex DeWind adewind@coloradocommunitymedia.com Ben Pinkelman, a Cherry Creek High School graduate, spent the month of July at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California, where he tried out for the U.S.
men’s rugby sevens team. On July 18, the 22-yearold was picked for the 12-person team. He left Aug. 1 for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the Summer Olympics start Aug. 5. “We are very proud of Pinkelman him and all he has accomplished,” said his mother, Ann. “It will probably not really hit us until we get to Rio and see him run out with the
team before their first match.” Pinkelman started playing rugby when he was 13 years old and a freshman at Cherry Creek. “My earliest memory is showing up to my very first practice because my mom made me, so I would quit annoying her and my siblings at home,” he said. “I had no idea what I was doing.” In rugby sevens, seven-member teams play seven-minute halves versus the 40-minute halves in regular rugby. It
originated in Scotland in the 1880s and is now popular in the Americas and overseas. According to the Rio 2016 website, this is the first time the sport has been included in the Olympics. The first U.S. match is Aug. 9 against Argentina. The game is fast-paced and requires “incredibly high fitness standards,” said Pinkelman. Pinkelman continues on Page 11
TO YOUR HEALTH Water infused with fruits and vegetables is a nutritious drink choice. PAGE 12
Christopher Shefte, 7, of Littleton, cools off at the TRYathlon at Cook Creek Pool on July 30. Photos by Rick Gustafson
Giving it the old try
HEAR YE, HEAR YE Colorado Renaissance Festival welcomes visitors to a simpler time. PAGE 14
South Suburban event offered a chance to swim, bike and run
Tim Cronin gears up his daughter Brooklyn, 7, for the one-half mile bike ride following her swim. The Youth and Adult TRYathlon drew more than 150 participants to the Cook Creek Pool in Lone Tree.
By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media When the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District holds its annual Youth and Adult TRYathlons each year, it places the emphasis on completion rather than competition. TRYathlon continues on Page 11
THE ROAD TO RIO Colorado man poised to be the only U.S. beach volleyball referee at this summer’s Olympic games. PAGE 27
Lunch and Learn: Cellfina: A permanent solution to cellulite
August 17th at 12:15 pm
303-945-2080 David Verebelyi, MD
See page 7 for more information on Cellfina®.