Kathie Zapotocki 25K National Champion
Edward Byrnes 50K National Champion
Vince Morris 25K National Champion
Kathleen Feinberg 25K & 50K National Champion
Tom Cole 25K & 50K National Champion
Mark Jeter 25K National Champion
Lisa Sjogren 25K National Champion
Congratulations to the 2012 National Marathon Long Track Speed Skating champions! Even being the first marathon on an indoor oval, this competition is grueling on both days.
The excitement started on Saturday's 25K with 29 competitors on the line for 64.5 laps. After a fairly aggressive start (some 36'ish second laps) Ty Fidler, Tom Cole, and Nathan Feinberg broke from the pack and maintained their advantage, lapping the field twice early on. They would have many more aggressive surges before the three of them sprinted the last lap, with M50-59 Cole taking the overall 25K finish, closely followed by the younger M18-29 Fidler and M50-59 Feinberg.
Meanwhile F40-49 Kathleen Feinberg was skating pretty fast herself, so fast in fact that the lap counters didn't even notice that she was the first woman finisher when she came in just 2 spots after the top men (6th fastest time overall). F60-69 Carole Moore was the second woman finisher.
The field also continued to churn out individual age group battles with attacks and bridges. Mark Jeter (M30-39), Bruce Anderson (M40-49), Kathie Zapotocki (F50-59), and Vince Morris (M60-69) completed our other class winners for the 25K national championship.
If Cole and Kathleen Feinberg were our alpha finishers, F30-39 Lisa Sjogren and M60-69 Marshall Lipton (actual age 80 years old) were our omega finishers. Each brought the crowd to their feet with their thunderous support and emotional encouragement as Lipton triumphantly closed out day one of the 2012 National Marathon 25K championship.
The 50K provided lots of racing drama and started about half the competitors from Saturday-15 competitors. Tom Cole actually competed in the early morning Masters International pack meet on both days, so has the "trophy" for most racing this weekend as he prepared for 129 laps around the PNIC Olympic Oval. The pack stayed tight for a about ten laps, and then Feinberg, Cole and Fidler broke away. These three skated away from the pack again, gaining a lap on them. However, with 99 laps to go, Fidler and Cole picked up the pace, and Feinberg dropped back. These two skated together until about 75 laps to go, when Fidler began to pull away from Cole. Fidler eventually gained two laps on Cole and maintained his advantage through his winning lap at the end to become the first finisher. Meanwhile Feinberg was still in the mix, skating several bridging laps to latch onto Fidler for a draft for the rest of the race. When Cole fell down, Feinberg was now even with him again. Feinberg's superhuman determination set up a battle-to-the-finish last lap sprint for the second place overall finisher and M50-59 title. Gaining 20-30 meters on the final straight away, Cole was able to hold off a tenacious Feinberg for the title.
Again, Kathleen Feinberg was busy blazing her own path, and was steadily gaining on the only other woman competitor, carole Moore. Although in different age groups, there was some drama and confusion as to who was thought to be the first woman finisher. After claering the confusion, Kathleen, who drafted the pack at times, and raced valiant solo laps at times powered her way to a 7th place overall finish to claim the woman's title at F40-49. Carole then glided in for her F60-69 title a lap later.
Meanwhile, the field continued relentless in it's assault on the 129 laps around the PNIC Olympic Oval. Bruce Anderson (M40-49) picked up his second national title for his herculean efforts this weekend, and Edward Byrnes (M60-69), a graceful skater despite his hockey player musculature, became the 50K national champion this day.
Chuck Hansell (M60-69) was our omega finisher, and finished with a time under two hours. Nice work for a sprinter!
This was an exciting meet, and we look forward to improving it-it was a very bare bones just show and race meet-for our skaters next year.
Be well,
Olu
2012 National Marathon 25K Championship, Pettit National Ice Center, Milwaukee,WI February 11-combined standings
2012 National Marathon 50K Championship, Pettit National Ice Center, Milwaukee,WI February 12-combined standings
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