Scott Tinley, two-time Ironman Champion, four-time Ironman World Series Winner, Hall of Fame Member, and contributing writer to Sports Illustrated has returned to the sport of triathlon. Tinley retired from the sport in 1999. The husband of Virginia Tinley, executive director of Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), Del Mar, California, Tinley will participate on a special relay team in the third annual Ironman Revisited, to benefit CAF. The relay team will consist of Tom Gallagher, who finished 13th in 1986, and Klaus Barth, an age grouper who finished eighth in 1985 and fourth overall, behind Tinley in 1986. Ironman Revisited has a new meaning for both Tinley and Barth. In August of 2000, Barth suffered a sudden grand mal seizure. Doctors discovered a brain tumor called gliosclastoma multiforme. Surgery to remove the tumor took over six hours and was discovered malignant. Barth eventually finished 33 radiation treatments through an experimental program at UCLA. He will complete his third round of chemotherapy one week before Ironman Revisited. "Klaus is not supposed to be alive," said Tinley. "He was told four years ago that he had one year to live, four years later, the tumor is still there&but so is Klaus," he added. Remarkably, Ironman Revisited will mark the four-year anniversary of that day Klaus suffered the seizure. "The Ironman experience is so special, this is my opportunity to return to the mecca of the sport and complete my Ironman experience," added Klaus. Tinley further comments, "Ironman, to me, is about people like Klaus and the athletes of CAF. To overcome brain cancer or an amputation proves that getting through an Ironman is the least of their challenges." For more information on Ironman Revisited or becoming involved in Challenged Athletes Foundation, call 858.793.9293 or visit www.challengedathletes.org
Scott Tinley, two-time Ironman Champion, four-time Ironman World Series Winner, Hall of Fame Member, and contributing writer to Sports Illustrated has returned to the sport of triathlon. Tinley retired from the sport in 1999. The husband of Virginia Tinley, executive director of Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), Del Mar, California, Tinley will participate on a special relay team in the third annual Ironman Revisited, to benefit CAF. The relay team will consist of Tom Gallagher, who finished 13th in 1986, and Klaus Barth, an age grouper who finished eighth in 1985 and fourth overall, behind Tinley in 1986. Ironman Revisited has a new meaning for both Tinley and Barth. In August of 2000, Barth suffered a sudden grand mal seizure. Doctors discovered a brain tumor called gliosclastoma multiforme. Surgery to remove the tumor took over six hours and was discovered malignant. Barth eventually finished 33 radiation treatments through an experimental program at UCLA. He will complete his third round of chemotherapy one week before Ironman Revisited. "Klaus is not supposed to be alive," said Tinley. "He was told four years ago that he had one year to live, four years later, the tumor is still there&but so is Klaus," he added. Remarkably, Ironman Revisited will mark the four-year anniversary of that day Klaus suffered the seizure. "The Ironman experience is so special, this is my opportunity to return to the mecca of the sport and complete my Ironman experience," added Klaus. Tinley further comments, "Ironman, to me, is about people like Klaus and the athletes of CAF. To overcome brain cancer or an amputation proves that getting through an Ironman is the least of their challenges." For more information on Ironman Revisited or becoming involved in Challenged Athletes Foundation, call 858.793.9293 or visit www.challengedathletes.org