Champaign Celebrates 50 Years of International Short Track Speedskating at 2026 Land of Lincoln Meet

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The 2026 Land of Lincoln Short Track Speedskating competition brought together rising stars, hometown talent, and a historic celebration at the University of Illinois Ice Arena this season. The event marked a milestone moment for the sport, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the world’s first international short track speed skating competition, which was also held in Champaign in 1976.

This year’s Land of Lincoln meet also served as the sixth and final stop of the Heartland Racing Series, a premier youth development circuit designed to support elite Junior and Neo Senior speed skaters across the Midwest. 

One standout competitor on the men’s side was Marcello Gaus Ehning, currently a junior at the University of Illinois. After years of training and racing throughout the Chicagoland area and competing in the Heartland Racing Series, Marcello relocated to Champaign to continue skating while pursuing his education. In addition to competing, he now serves as the head coach of Illini Speed, the only collegiate racing team of its kind in the United States. 

On the women’s side, Carolyn Tegtmeier from Northbrook Speedskating Club delivered one of the weekend’s most impressive performances, skating away with the fastest women’s 500-meter time of the competition in a time of 48.700. Her performance earned her the Chili Blair Award, named in honor of the late father of 5x Olympic Champion and Champaign native, Bonnie Blair. The award recognizes the top women’s 500-meter performance at the Land of Lincoln meet and celebrates the Blair family’s lasting connection to Midwest speed skating.

The men’s equivalent honor, the Bill Markland Award, was presented to Jace Mendoza of the Wolverine Sports Club for recording the fastest men’s 500-meter time of the weekend at 47.060. The award honors Bill Markland who played a pivotal role in bringing the world’s first international short track speed skating competition to the area in 1976, helping establish Champaign as an important hub for the sport’s development in North America.

During the event, Bill and Chili were inducted posthumously into the Champaign Regional Speedskating Hall of Fame in recognition of their longstanding volunteer service and dedication to the sport. They were honored as part of the Hall of Fame’s inaugural class of inductees, which also included athletes Erik Henriksen, Katherine Reutter-Adamek, and Scott Drebes (posthumous); volunteer Karen Street; and coach Bruce Merrill, whose contributions helped shape and grow the sport within the region.

“It was by far the best Land of Lincoln we’ve had in years,” said club president, Randy Sears. 

The 2025–2026 short track speed skating season will conclude March 20–22 in Boston, MA at the Age Group National Championships. Champaign-Urbana will be well represented, with 4 skaters traveling to compete on the national stage.

For more information on how to get started in short track speed skating or to learn about local programs, please contact ChampaignSpeed@gmail.com.