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Grand Old Days
2005
By: Jay Jackson
Grand Old
Days
June 5th,
2005
St. Paul,
MN.
Despite
the numerous threats of rain for Grand Old days the race was
held on dry roads to open the inline racing season in
Minnesota for 2005. Grand Old Day was dry and pleasant,
with temperatures at 67 degrees for the start of the race.
129
skaters finished the challenging 8 K course. Men
and women started and the same time. The course consists
of skating slightly downhill on Grand Avenue in St. Paul
approximately 4 K and then turning around and back up the
slight incline all the way back.
The race was well attended by teams consisting of
Team Aloe Up,
Flanders,
Team
SK8HARD.net,
TC Speed
and
Media Machine.
Most of the regular racers attended
including 2004 winner Tone Coughlin.
As
usual the pace was fast right from the gun. Numerous
skaters tried to break from the pack on fast downhill but were
constantly caught by the main pack that at times numbered an
estimated 30 skaters.
After the turnaround the
intensity quickly picked up as the climb back up the hill
ensued. Kara Peterson and Martha Flynn were still in the mix
with the men as the pace quickened. With about 1 mile to go
Todd King and Jeff Terwilliger broke from the pack. They
countered each other’s pulls and were able to gain a 50-75 yard
lead on the pack. Chad Johnson tried working his way up to the
two but couldn’t quite match their pace. He was engulfed by
the chase pack with about 100 yards to the finish.
Terwilliger
was able to hang on
for the win with
Todd King
right on his wheel.
The chase pack
consisting of
Coughlin, Bill Gabos, Jay Jackson,
Fred Scheer,
Chad Johnson, Tom Peterson, Kurt Halverson, Brent Bovitz and the
Amazing 61 year old, Terry Holm.
The
women's skate was not quite so close.
Kara Peterson,
35, St. Paul, MN, cruised in at
15:00 for the victory,
followed by
Martha Flynn,
39, St.
Paul, MN in 15:14 and
Lori Wenzel,
35, Greenville, WI, in
16:25.
Photo's
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