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SPORTS & LEISURE 24-hour squash marathon set for GRC this weekend By EAMONN MAHER Staff Writer Raising over $4,000 at his inaugural squash marathon last year was a smashing success for local resident Michael Joseph, although he'd like things to be a little less painful the second time around. The 47-year-old Joseph played 48 matches over a 24-hour span last April and while completely exhausted at the end, he managed to raise over $4,000 for the Ride to Conquer Cancer, a 200-km bike trip from Toronto to Niagara Falls this past June. The marathon took its toll on Joseph's body, however, that's not stopping him from doing it again this Friday at the Georgetown Racquet Club starting at 6 p.m. "I lost three toenails from being on my feet for so long and I couldn't feel my hands because they were numb and swollen," said the GM and chief financial officer of a Mississauga stainless steel firm. "I learned a few things from last year and the fact that I can play righthanded this year should help." The GRC's club champ for MICHAEL a number of years, Joseph JOSEPH could only play lefthanded in 2009 due to a rotator cuff injury but his opponents will have the choice of facing him from either side on Saturday. He has set a goal of raising $5,000 for the second-annual squash marathon and this year's event is dedicated to the memory of Haiting Wang and Janet Steller, GRC members who have passed away recently. As well, Joseph hopes to make his way into the Guinness Book of World Records for his court endurance if he can extend play for a couple of extra hours. The standing mark for continuous squash playing is reportedly 25-and-a-half hours and Joseph has called the folks at Guinness to inquire whether he's eligible to qualify for their recorded world record but hasn't heard back from the organization yet. New this year is a silent auction that will feature several items up for bidding including sports-related memorabilia to benefit the families of late GRC members Wang and Steller. Joseph, along with friends Tom Steller and Cam Johnstone, are also stepping up their challenge for the Ride to Conquer Cancer this June, increasing the distance of their trip to over 200 miles from Toronto to Niagara Falls. Spectators are welcome to attend the fundraiser at the Georgetown Racquet Club, which is located at 215 Armstrong Ave. 23 Independent & Free Press, Thursday, April 15, 2010 Rural Actonian Travis Gerrits recently completed a whirlwind series in the air and on the slopes, earning a bronze medal at the recent Canadian senior freestyle aerial skiing championships in Calgary. The 18-year-old also made his World Cup debut this winter at an event in Lake Placid, N.Y. and was a forerunner at the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. Submitted photo Teenager enjoys best season to date Gerrits grabs bronze at freestyle nationals Summer-like weather wasn't the only sizzling element of Travis Gerrits' 200910 finale. Acton's 18-year-old freestyle aerial skier delivered a red-hot performance late last month in Calgary-- one good enough to capture bronze at the senior national championships. Despite facing conditions that were far from ideal, Gerrits upped the degree of difficulty on his jumps and executed them with personalbest proficiency. He nailed his triple twisting, triple flip debut to secure a new individual benchmark of 214.39 and reach the podium, finishing just 2.1 points shy of silver and was part of a changing of the guards of sorts, as Canada's younger aerials swept the top three spots. "Finishing on the podium (at nationals) during an Olympic year is definitely one of my best career results," said the local teen, who earlier this year made his international World Cup debut in Lake Placid before serving as a `forerunner' at the Vancouver Winter Games. "To say I had one of my greatest seasons ever would not be an overstatement." Gerrits has a few weeks off now before beginning summer training at the water ramp facility in Lac Beauport, Que. Pears in Port Credit Hundreds of figure, fitness and body building competitors and spectators converged on Port Credit Secondary School last weekend for the Ultimate Fitness Spring Bash Event, competing in various divisions. Here, Susan Pears, 41, of Georgetown competed in the fitness model category. Graham Paine/Metroland West Media Group "Spaces live. 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