On January 4 and 5, 2014, 38 men and women competed in the 2014 US Masters Single Distance Championships held at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee. The following is a meet report from meet director Olusegun Sijuwade:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFDoeNsyn1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGIonrQkswU
The 2014 U.S. Masters Single Distance Speedskating Championships featured 38 athletes that traveled across bitter snow and cold to the Pettit National Ice Center Olympic Oval on January 4 & 5. There were several no shows due to flight cancellations (among them Jacqueline Munzel and Nathan Feinberg). Also present at this meet was a large Canadian contingent of speed skaters and one from Germany. See the full results at:
http://www.speedskatingresults.com/index.php?p=2&e=11601
Watch race videos at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGIonrQkswU (Day I)
http://youtu.be/xFDoeNsyn1s (Day II)
Athletes from 30-65-our two oldest competitors were Dave Montgomery,Gary Groen, and Vince Morris, competed in races ranging from 500m,1000, 1500, 3000, and 5000m.
F30: Melissa Dahlmann raced to 3 gold medals in the 1000m, where she edged out 500m gold medalist Samantha Mueller, and then won the 1500 and 3000m. Dahlmann was just .7 seconds away from the 3000m world record she was on pace to break. Mueller had a fall at 200m into her 1500, but she still was able to race to three more silver medals.
Other United States champions included Diane Kaeser (who is also the Indiana State bicycling champion),Silvia Acevedo, Melissa Koenig,Kaari Cox, and Jan Zurcher, all racing to 4 gold medals.. Their races also paired with Canadian stalwarts Genevieve Provencher (who raced to 2 personal bests),Anika Bedard, and Julie Houle.
Men’s U.S. Champions included Michael Hubbs ,Michael Hall,and Brian Yunker, who also raced to 4 gold medals in each of their events.
Matthew Trimble and Marty Haire provided fireworks inside the M50 division. Trimble raced to gold in the 500m and 3000m events and silver in tight battles with Haire at 1000m and 1500m. Haire secured another gold at 5000m where he was paired with Theron Sands. The Sands/Haire 5000m was a feature event of the world record holder (Haire) and the #1 time of the season (Sands). It was an exciting race to watch to the very end with Sands taking the battle in this episode.
Anthony Christie was the 3000m U.S. Champion (M45).Greg Oly, in tight races with Canadian Bob Irvine, raced to 4 golds, The immortal Vince Morris (who led the first 6 laps of the record breaking 12 lap mass start) also raced to 4 golds. Mike Hall (M35),Greg Oly (M55) and Steve Desotell(M60) secured 4 golds with their racing. Bruce Anderson(45) secured 4 silvers, in battles with Christie and bronze medalist Marine Sgt. Dan Greene.
Finally, the 12 lap mass start featured oldest class competitor Vince Morris leading the first 6 laps of a record breaking race. Marty Haire and Melissa Dahlmann won the prime, with Theron Sands and Melissa Dahlmann winning the overall event with times of 7.23.70 and 7.25.09 respectively.
Many thanks to Chief Referee Brian Kretschmann,Ernie Kretschmann,Jim White,Starters Brian Molenda (chief), Mark Whitmore,Myron Yencha, armband general Julianna Knudson, ice stewards and judges Carolyn Chapp, timers Armando Miracola,Antonia Miracola, Leah Poulos-Mueller, Peter, Mike,Butch Pearson, announcer Jeff Brand,timing and statistician Al Jakuboski, Althea Pearson, and all the other volunteers for making this a successful meet. Many thanks also to the PNIC administration-Kevin Brown,Danny Sweeney, Jan Lawson, and Randy Dean for their support and great assistance in co-ordinating this meet.
And finally, thanks to our Canadian speedskaters: Genevieve Provencher, Aika Bedard,Julie Houle,Larry Magliore, Donald Hrynyk,Bob Irvine,Ross Hanham, and German speedskater Stefan Heinemann for the superb racing and competition.
MN Masters Speedskating 