Listen to this articleQUAC
QUAC’s open water practice at East Canyon Reservoir will begin the first week of June.
QUAC has formed an open water and multi-sport (triathlon) training group and Multi-Sport Team Matching Program. The training group swims during three regular weekly QUAC practices, and adds two extra distance swims each week. The training is geared towards athletes competing in open water (a lake, ocean or river) and multi-sport events involving swimming, like triathlons and duathlons. Beginning the first of week of June, QUAC swimmers will begin open water season at East Canyon Reservoir. These swims are held every Wednesday and Saturday inside the no-wake zone in the northeast corner of the lake. Open water swimming is for experienced swimmers only, as no lifeguard is on duty at the lake, and swimming is at your own risk. Swimmers are encouraged to wear a wetsuit for extra warmth and buoyancy, and should also wear a brightly colored swim cap to make them visible to water craft.
Experienced tri-athletes and distance swimmers will be volunteering as the coaching staff for these swims, and will provide guidance during all of the practices, including the open water training. QUAC does not host practice for running or biking, which are triathlon events. Beginning tri-athletes might consider joining a team, where one person swims, another bikes, and the third runs. QUAC’s Multi-Sport Team Matching Program was built out of this need to help match QUAC swimmers with non-swimming gay and lesbian cyclists and runners. This matching program, just like QUAC’s aquatic program, is open to anyone interested in joining regardless of age, sex, gender identity or sexual orientation.
Other upcoming QUAC events include the annual Kearns Summer Water Polo League, which begins June 3 and lasts throughout the summer.
Visit quacquac.org for more information on all events.
Mountain West Flag Football League
Open play and practice will again be held at 6:30 p.m. on May 28 in Sugarhouse Park. Interested players can find the practice area by driving around the loop at the park until they see the cones or the group of players. Women are welcome.
League play will start June 11. For more information visit mwffl.org or email Tracy at espantalholv@gmail.com.
O-Town Derby Dames
Join the O-Town Derby Dames as they take on their first inter-league bout of the season against the Pueblo Derby Devil Dollz of Pueblo, Colo. All home bouts are held at the Ogden Eccles Conference Center, 2415 Washington Blvd., in Ogden. An after party will be held at Teazers, 336 36th St., also in Ogden.
Advanced tickets can be ordered online at derbydames.com. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $8 for military personnel and Weber State University students, and group passes are also available. Kids under five years old are free. Tickets at the door go up to $15 the night of the match.
Other upcoming matches include the Sailor Marys versus the Sucker Punch Sweethearts on July 18. The after party will be held at D&R Spirits, 2430 Grant Ave. in Ogden. There will also be an August 15 match between the O-Town Derby Dames and the Wasatch Roller Derby. Its location will be announced.
Women can always join at any time and learn the sport. For more information go to otownderbydames.com.
Lambda Hiking Club
The next Lambda hike will be June 20. This will be a moderate hike on Grandeur Peak in Millcreek Canyon. To join the hike, meet at 9:00 a.m. at the trailhead near the Church Fork picnic area. This is a beautiful hike with views of the Salt Lake Valley.
A planning meeting will be held on May 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Cocoa Café where future hikes, camp outs and booth participation at the Utah Pride Festival will be discussed. Ski OUT will also be at this meeting, as they will be sharing a booth with Lambda Hiking Club at the Pride Festival to let skiers know about winter skiing plans.
For more information go to gayhike.org.
Delaney Hiking Club
This hiking club is for hikers who want to spend the whole day doing a hike, and usually tackling the more advanced hiking trails around the Wasatch Front. This group is not typically as social as Lambda Hiking Club. Those interested in joining the hike should prepare to spend a whole day in the mountains, scaling rocks by hand and knee and searching for the remnants of snow on the hills. While not much snow remains, there will be hiking on top of what is left at some points.
This hiking group hikes every Saturday throughout the summer.
For more information send an email to sugarhouseguy1980@gmail.com to be added to the email list.
Temple Squares
Join Temple Squares and have a good ole time square dancin’ this summer with other gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Utahns. Square dance is a low-impact aerobic exercise where you can meet other singles and maybe hitch up with a permanent partner.
This group takes dancing seriously, and just got back from attending the International Association of Gay Square Dance Clubs in Washington, D.C. this past April.
But if you have never square danced before, don’t worry. Temple Squares is hosting three ABC dances over the summer on June 25, July 30 and August 27 at Columbus Community Center, each starting at 7:00 p.m. All you need is a comfortable pair of boots or shoes (those you can walk long distances in), and comfortable clothing like jeans and a t-shirt. You can also check out the Temple Squares booth at Utah Pride; when eight people are there, you’ll get roped into ‘Giving it a Whirl,’ the official name of the recruitment outreach the group plans at the booth this year. Everyone is welcome to join and learn.
For more information visit slcsquaredancing.org or email slcsquaredancing@gmail.com.
