New England Walkers

USA Edges Canada in Junior Race Walk Match
Women, Men split men’s and women’s wins

August 14, Boston MA

The USA women and Canadian men walked to team and individual race wins, but the combined scoring trophy went to the host Team USA at the 23rd annual USA vs. Canada Junior Race Walk Match held at East Boston Memorial Park on Sunday. While showers ended before the starting gun, conditions in the 70′s with high humidity tempered the times recorded by competitors.

The US women were led by three time match competitor Abby Dunn (Auburn, Maine), who moved strongly in the final kilometer to take the win in 25:54 ahead of early pacesetter and teammate Erica Shaver (Washington Township, Ohio) in 26:31. Following bronze medal winner and first Canadian finisher, Katelyn Ramage (British Columbia), Courtney Williams (Vassalboro, Maine) sealed the team win for the USA with her fourth place finish in 27:13. Scoring 7-5-4-3-2-1, the USA earned a 15-7 victory margin.

Fortunes were reversed in the men’s race, as Ben Thorne (British Columbia), Canadian Junior Record holder at 10,000 meters, took the lead at the gun and was never challenged; improving on his fifth place finish of 2010, his 44:13 winning time is now the fourth fastest in match history. Teammate Bruno Carriere (Quebec) gave team support by taking the silver medal ahead of first American Alejandro Chavez, and combined with sixth place finisher Kevin Gaiesky, Canada outscored the USA 13-9.

In combined scoring, the tighter USA women’s pack provided the point total to give earn a 24-20 combined score win over the guests.

Novice and all-comers races at 1, 2, and 3 kilometers conducted in conjunction with the international match. The meet is scheduled to return to Canada in the summer of 2012

——————–

Here are the complete results of the 23rd annual USA vs. Canada Junior Race Walk Match.

                23rd USA vs. Canada Race Walk Match and open races
                              August 14, 2011
                     East Boston Memorial Park, Boston MA                      

Mixed 5000 Meter Race Walk
====================================================================
    Name                     Age Team                 Finals  Points
====================================================================
  1 Abby Dunn                  17 USA                25:54  7
  2 Erica Shaver               19 USA                26:31  5
  3 Katelyn Ramage,               Canada             26:54  4
  4 Courtney Williams          18 USA                27:13  3
  5 Hana Ready                    Canada             27:36  2
  6 Melanie Reum                  Canada             28:07  1
  7 Molly Josephs              17 USA                28:37
  8 Katie Michta               15 USA / Walk USA *   28:55  non-scorer
  9 Anne Voyer                 17 Canada             28:57
 10 Nicole Court-Menendez      17 USA / ME RW *      29:53  non-scorer
 11 Alyssa Furlani             16 USA / Walk USA *   30:27  non-scorer
 12 Spencer Dunn               12 Maine RW *         30:52  non-scorer

 USA 15 (7-5-3)
 CAN  7 (4-2-1)

Mixed 10000 Meter Race Walk
====================================================================
    Name                     Age Team                 Finals  Points
====================================================================
  1 Ben Thorne                18 Canada             44:13  7
  2 Maria Michta              25 Walk USA *         48:49  non-scorer
  3 Bruno Carriere            19 Canada             49:30  5
  4 Lauren Forgues            23 Champions Int'l *  50:14  non-scorer
  5 Alejandro Chavez          18 USA                50:24  4
  6 Johnathan Hallman         17 USA                51:12  3
  7 Ian Whatley               52 World Class RW *   51:21  non-scorer
  8 Nathaniel Roberts         15 USA                53:59  2
  9 Ian Rixon                 17 USA/ME RW *        55:59  non-scorer
 10 Kevin Gaiesky                Canada             59:01  1

 CAN 13 (7-5-1)
 USA  9 (4-3-2)

Combined Scoring
 USA 24 (15 +  9)
 CAN 20 ( 7 + 13)

Mixed 1000 Meter Race Walk
============================================================
    Name                     Age Team                 Finals
============================================================
  1 Valia Vaitones            14 Golden Spikes       6:56
  2 Alec Beaudin               8 Auburn ME Parks     8:45
  3 Lily Fishman               7 Unattached         10:03  

Mixed 2000 Meter Race Walk
============================================================
    Name                     Age Team                 Finals
============================================================
  1 Victoria Heiser-Whatley  11 Unattached         14:33
  2 Jessica Heiser-Whatley   11 Unattached         15:24
  3 Susan Heiser-Whatley     52 Unattached         15:25  

Mixed 3000 Meter Race Walk
============================================================
    Name                     Age Team                 Finals
============================================================
  1 Bob Keating               64 New England Walk   15:41
  2 Stephen Peckiconis        52 Cambridge Sports   16:08
  3 Adam Robinson             15 Maine RW           16:13
  4 Maryanne Daniel           53 Connecticut Race   16:34
  5 Larry Epstein             52 New England Walk   17:14
  6 Brian Savilonis           61 New England Walk   17:15
  7 Vince Peters              57 Miami Valley TC    17:54
  8 Jay Diener                63 New England Walk   19:26
  9 Charles Mansbach          66 New England Walk   20:34
 10 Tom Knatt                 71 New England Walk   20:51
 11 Bill Harriman             64 New England Walk   21:02
 12 Matthew Syphers           11 Auburn ME Parks    22:18
 13 Ann Neuberg               58 New England Walk   22:49

Judges included: William J. Pollinger (Chief), Maryanne Daniel, Ron Daniel, Joe Light, Gary Westerfield, Thomas Knatt. DQ Board: Bill Harriman and Paul Schell. Card Collector: Tolya Kuo

• Judging Summary Sheets
• Kilometer splits
• Lap Scoring times

Here are a few scenes from the race walks.

Photos by Emmett