Ross was the previous years winner of the Alto Mare Summer Festa race. He raced with his Wailmer and was neck and neck with
Ash Ketchum and
Misty for most of the race but ended up coming second to
Misty and was unable to defend his title. He wasn't too disappointed and he offered to give
Misty and her friends a ride in his gondola. He told them about the legend of Latios and Latias and how they protected the city and then dropped them off at a crêpe shop.