Bob Fenn was well known among long track ice speedskaters throughout the world. The Milwaukee based coach was Olympic Gold Medalist Shani Davis’ and inliner KC Boutiette’s coach, and coached many Twin Cities skaters formally and informally throughout his decades in speedskating. Bob Fenn died October 8th. Turn one at the Pettit Center will never be the same.
Fenn had a reputation for pushing his skaters further than they thought they could be pushed. His strategy of hard workouts the week of meets was controversial, but the results often spoke for themselves. Fenn worked with the worlds best, but also fledgling skaters. Years ago Karri Cox and I spent an hour with him in the Pettit Center training room talking technique, strategy, conditioning, and most memorably equipment condition. Local skaters including Greg Oly, Melissa Dahlmann, Matt Trimble, and Theron Sands (of Illinois) all had extensive experience with Coach Fenn over the years. It is particularly disappointing that Fenn would pass just months before the Sochi Olympics for which he had spent years preparing skaters.
Click here for a great tribute by Olympian Jeff Klaiber.
MN Masters Speedskating 