Multiple Records Fall On Fast Ice At US Long Track Age Group Nationals

More than 70 skaters from 10 states got a taste of Olympic ice this past weekend at the US Speedskating Long Track Age Group Nationals in Kearns, Utah.

Ten skaters set age-group records, including Clare Jeong in the Senior Division (19-29 years old). Another nine Masters skaters set 32 records.

The competition was held March 4 and 5 at the Utah Olympic Oval, host of the speed skating competition in the Olympic Winter Games Salt Lake City 2002. The competition was open to skaters 11 years and up.

Puget Sound Speedskating, which is based in Tacoma, Washington, won the Club Championship in a competition that featured 12 clubs.

Following Puget Sound in the club competition were Midway, Wisconsin, Bay State, Colorado Gold, Garden State, East Penn, Butte High Altitude, Rochester, Northbrook and United Capital Blades Speedskating Clubs.

Jeong, of Puget Sound, had a time of 4:48.068 in the Senior Women’s 3000m to set a record.

Piper Yde of Wisconsin set records at four distances in the Junior A Women’s Division, ages 17-18. She set two records each day, the 1000m and 1500m on Saturday and the 500m and 3000m Sunday. Dylan Woodbury had record times in the Junior A Men’s 500m, 1500m and 3000m.

In Junior B, ages 15-16, Marley Soldan of Puget Sound posted record times in the Women’s 1000m, 1500m and 3000m. Isaac Jeon of Puget Sound hit record times in the Men’s 500m and 1500m, and William Silk of Butte High Altitude set a record in the Men’s 3000m.

Selena Su of Garden State set a pair of records in Junior C Women (ages 13-14), at 1500m and 3000m. Leah Choi of Puget Sound hit a record at 500m, and Ella Temples of Direct set a record at 800m. Liam Kitchel of Bay State hit record times at three Junior C Men’s distances: 500m, 800m and 1000m.

In Masters, all old records were retired as five-year age-group records were established.

Setting records in the Masters Division were Kathy Feinberg (60-64) of Rochester, Judith Smouter (70-74) of Michigan Wolverine, Orion Gatrell (30-34) of Colorado Gold, Dimitry Provod (45-49) of East Penn, Andrew Love (50-54), Jeremy Kerslake (60-64) of Puget Sound, Nathan Feinberg (60-64) of Rochester, David Pate (65-69) of Colorado Gold and Gary Groen (75-79) of Twin Cities.

Thank you to all of the officials, volunteers and coaches who helped make this meet possible! We will see you all next year.