Kuck Sets Track Record on Way To 10k Victory, Last Two Days of Speedskating Nationals.
(Photo by Joern Pollex/Bongarts/Getty Images)
The 2011-12 US Long Track Speedskating National Championships finished up yesterday and Shani Davis, Heather Richardson, Jilleanne Rookard, and Jonathan Kuck firmly established themselves as the four top skaters in the mid- to long-distances. Kuck skated an incredible 10,000m race to break Chad Hedrick’s 2005 track record at the Pettit National Ice Center.
Since we’re covering two days worth of competition in one post, we’re going to break this down into days.
Saturday, Dec. 17th.
Women’s 1500m
Heather Richardson skated to her third win in as many races this weekend, winning the 1500m in a time of 1:58.13, about 6 tenths of a second off the track record. Richardson owns the national titles now in the 500m, 1000m, and 1500m. Jilleanne Rookard, the dominant US distance skater right now, took second in the 1500m, about two and a half seconds behind Richardson – skating a 2:00.87. Brittany Bowe took 3rd in 2:01.15.
Richardson was also named the Overall US Sprint Champion.
Men’s 1500m
Shani Davis put a large margin on the rest of the field in the men’s 1500m. He completed the 3 and 3/4 lap race around the 400m oval in 1:45.19, inching closer to the Pettit Center track record of 1:44.67 held by Chad Hedrick. Distance specialist and 5k national champ Jonathan Kuck took second in a personal best time of 1:47.23. Brian Hansen was third in a time of 1:47.46.
For full 1500m results click here.
Sunday, Dec. 18th.
Women’s 5k
Jilleanne Rookard took the 5k victory on Sunday by a commanding 8 second margin over 2nd place. Rookard has really solidified herself as the strongest US woman distance skater and with yesterday’s 1500m silver, she showed that she can compete in the middle distances as well. There is a great writeup about her win on Sunday in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel here. She finished the 12-and-a-half lap 5,000m race in 7:08.28. Maria Lamb was second, 7:16.57. Nancy Swider-Peltz, Jr. was third in 7:31.95.
Men’s 10k
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