Badger State Inline Marathon

Please Excuse grammatical errors I wrote this fast and did not check it

The race started off in an untraditionally slow manner. Bont present with a strong line up of three skaters’, Rookard, Jono, and Anderson, put the control of the race in there hands. I knew what they were going to do and my plan was just to keep answering the attacks that I knew would occur in order to tire me out. I just knew that if I was there at the end I would give anybody a run for there money. Needing practice on pack finish I was hoping for a large group to be present to battle it out at the end. The first attack came at about mile three when Jono attacked with a huge acceleration after his teammate Anderson had just put in a large pull. I heard Teammate Greg Major yelling at me that he was coming and I quickly started to accelerate and chase. After a few moments of chasing I thought there is no way that he is going to skate the rest of the race solo and retired back to the pack. Racing with intelligence was the only way for me to win this race. Soon we caught him and and we all filed in behind him. I gave him a regular push on the rear as accordion affect of the pack gave me a push. This is when tensions started to build. He freaks out on me and tells me not to touch him. I told him to settle down and he looks at me and says, “who are you?” Shocked I reply, “who are you?” He replies, “I am a World Champion.” Shocked even more I decided that this kid had some sort of ego that in his mind no one was going tarnish and so I proceeded to race on knowing the “bigger they are the harder they fall”(That is a metaphor). Then Alan Marcoson went on an attack and started to get a pretty significant gap. Not wanting this race to get away from me with a lucky break I chase him down with the help of Matt Robinson and Herb Gayle. A few attacks occurred from there to about mile 12 when Rookard goes off on a break away attempt and gapped the pack at one point by 500 meters. Though she was out on the break for a while I could tell she was starting to labor. After we caught her came Bont’s Hardest attempts to tire me out. First Anderson would go off on the attack and I would chase him down then the pack would catch us and Jono would go on the attack. This kept happening for about 4 miles. I was still with them and feeling strong. Soon enough mile mark 20 came and bont began to get in formation at the front. They lined up Anderson, Rookard, and Jono. I filed in right behind Jono. Behind me sat Greg Major, and Dan Zaker. Also in the pack were Murphy Quinn, Alan Marcoson, Herb Gayle, and one other guy. As we neared the line the pace was strong. Then Anderson dropped off after his lead out and Rookard started to take her turn to lead out Jono. As we neared the line she was out in front pushing hard but I was felling great right behind Jono in the Rocking Chair. The pace was not fatiguing me and the line was starting to get real close. I decided with lots of sprint still in the tank to make my move and take my 3rd Badger State Games Victory. I stepped to the side and new at this point that the victory was going to be mine. Whether or not it would have been nobody knows but I felt strong. All of a sudden Jono takes a few crossover steps and slams into me. Not with his skates but with his body. Jostled, I was scrambled for balance that I did not have. Before I knew it, Jono’s hands were gripping my uniform as he proceeded to try to throw me out of the race. It was only a moment but it was intense and I was just fighting to stay up. I bit of a scare but I had no time to do anything go finish what I came here to do and that was win. At this point Jono had started to make his move on the other side of Rookard. I sprinted to the line not having much track to work with I began to catch Rookard who at this point had a good lead after the I composed my body after being thrown. It came down to a hawk where all three off us crossed the line in a 16 inch window. Rookard the overall winner and Jono edging me out by about 5 inched. I crossed the line really mad that someone would pull such low class and very dangerous move at a grass roots event. I felt that for the setting of the race his sportsmanship was really immature and was yelling at him about what was he thinking pulling such a dangerous move like that. He replied “That is how a world champion skates.” I feel Jono may have been the winner but not the champion and he was DQ’d. I would like to congratulate Team rainbow with a men’s 1,2,3,5 finish. Also this is another one of my favorite events and a great Job to the organizers.

Road America Inline 20k and 13k

By: All Community Events, Inc

The 2nd annual Road America Inline 20k and 13k rolled out on dry asphalt after raining on and off all day. 80 skaters started and the lead pack remained about 30 strong until an attack on the second and third hill of the first lap formed a lead pack of about 8. After the last climb of the first hill Mike Anderson Hammered weeding out any weakness that still remained. The fatigued legs were allowed a chance to rest for the hills the second lap would bring on the descents. Again fans camping out along the course for the motorcycle races delightfully cheered and waved as the skaters past through many portions of the course. There were no hard surges on the second lap. The tempo was hard on the climbs and games of cat and mouse were played out on the flatter sections as each skater tried to force the other into the first position. As the race rolled on a skater seemed to crack on every climb until on the third lap it was down to only Bont’s Mike Anderson, Mad City Roller’s Matt Robinson, Adam’s Inline Matt Meyer and Tom Peterson, and Team Rainbo/TUSA carbon frame’s Peter Starykowicz. After pulling away in a full tuck at the bottom of the first descent Anderson assumed his familiar time trial position and put in a very strong burst of speed that at one point opened a gap near 20 meters. Starykowicz feeling the pressure of the race nearing an end chased with arms swinging. This was probably one of most tense moments of the race as the Anderson was making a very respectable effort but after about 45 seconds Starykowicz had brought the pack as well as himself into the Anderson’s Slip stream. This put Tom Peterson out of the picture and then there were 4. Starykowicz kept the pace up on the first hill and at the top the skaters looked at eachother waiting for the other guy to take the lead. This shadow boxing continued on for the rest of the down hill allowing Peterson after a valiant effort to latch on the back before the 8th climb of the day. Meyer leading the way was saddening put on the defensive as Starykowicz jumps out of the pack and surged forward. The pack immediately reacting and the attack being abandoned but still starykowicz setting the pace. At the top of the hill the pace slowed to around 9 mph as they weaved from side to side. Anderson sitting in the second position played a very smart game keeping Starykowicz in front. Last year’s winner Matt Robinson was sitting in the best position with two of the stronger skaters of the day in front of him. Meyer and Peterson sat in behind. The pack wove back and fourth as they approached the bottom of the hill. Then in an instant the dynamic of the race changed as with a few powerful steps Starykowicz opened up a few yards. Robinson quickly jumped out and lead the chase as the others followed. On the mid section of the steep slope Robinson made his move sprinting even with Starykowicz. With Anderson, Meyer, and Peterson out of the picture the two front runners raced mono y mono. Starykowicz sensing Robinson’s presence shifted gears again and opened up a gap of about 10 meters which he held for the remainder of sprint. Another awesome race at the Nations most Dynamic Inline Racing Course. A special Thanks to Bont, JMTS, Starzwood Homes, Web Printing Plus, PyroApparel, and Adam’s Inline.

20k Mens Result
1. Peter Starykowicz
2. Matt Robinson
3. Mike Anedrson

20k Women’s Results
1. Rebecca George
2. Kara Peterson
3. Lizzy Loeb