USA 1 Hour RW Championships to include Youth/Novice Race and free RW Clinic

Posted on July 18, 2014 by Rich McElvery

On Sunday August 10th USATF-NE and the New England Walkers will be hosting the USA National 1 Hour Championships at the New Balance Track, Newell Stadium in Gloucester MA. Following the open events there will be a Youth/Novice 1 Mile race (no fee), and a free RW clinic open to all ages.

Prize money will be awarded in the top three places in the Men’s and Women’s Open races–medals will be awarded for the first six finishers in the Open and Junior divisions, and the top three finishers Master’s for each 5-year age group.

Gloucester is close to beaches, historic Salem, and great seafood…

Applications can be found at: http://www.usatf.org/Events—Calendar/2014/USA-1-Hour-Race-Walk-Championships.aspx

Youth RW Mini-Clinic held June 15th

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Rich McElvery

On Sunday on June 15th, before the Youth Track & Field Development Meet in Amherst NH, Ed and Valia Vaitones held a Race Walking Mini-Clinic for 15 athletes. In the 30 minutes, Ed led the group through a progression of exercises leading to the correct race walk technique. One of the participants, Ella Karhl (Wellesley Youth T&F) later went on to race the 800m RW in 5:13.9. Valia walked the 1500m in 8:07.4.

results: Seacoast 3000/5000 meter Race Walks

Posted on May 5, 2014 by jkuo

Weather: mid-50s, cloudy, blustery
Thank you to the judges, race timer, lap counters, parents and spouses.
Thank you to Seacoast Dream Dentistry for helping to sponsor this event.

3000m Women's Open
1. Brooke Steele (17) Jay ME         18:03.3

5000m Men's Open
1. Spencer Dunn (16)  Auburn ME      25:21.1
2. Nolan Allen (14) Arlington MA     29:10.5

5000m Women's Open
1. Victoria Beliveau (15) Auburn ME  30:13.4
2. Valentina Vaitones (17) Derry NH  31:54.4

5000m Men's Masters
1. Ed O'Rourke (52) Groton MA        26:13.3
2. Larry Epstein (55) Stoneham MA    30:13.0
3. Stephan Mayeux (49) Portsmouth NH 30:54.3
4. Kiyoshi Imai (56) Lee NH          31:43.4
5. Charles Mansback (69) Waban MA    35:11.7
6. Tom Knatt (73) Groton MA          37:32.0
7. Clyde Wilder (77) Needham MA      40:33.9

Judges: Steve Vaitones, Tom Menendez, Bill Harriman, Joanne Harriman, Justin Kuo

results: Pepperell Rail Trail 8K Race Walk (Apr 13, 2014)

Posted on April 13, 2014 by jkuo

The 3rd annual Pepperell Rail Trail Race was held today in cool, rainy conditions. Here are the results of the judged 8K NE Grand Prix racewalk.

1. Ed O'Rourke - 45:25
2. Bob Keating - 47:24
3. Larry Epstein - 49:24
4. Brian Savilonis - 51:33
5. Charlie Mansbach - 58:30
6. Clyde Wilder - 63:42

Steve Vaitones walked an unofficial 6k, and Holly Wenninger and Pat Godfrey walked 4k.

The race was judged by Ed Vaitones, Vera Vaitones, and Joanne Harriman. Timing by Ann Neuberg. A potluck get-together took place at the Harrimans’ trailside condo after the race.

Thank you to everyone who participated.

Bill Harriman

results: 2014 New Balance Nationals Indoor T&F, One-Mile Race Walks

Posted on March 15, 2014 by jkuo

Results from the 2014 New Balance Nationals Indoor T&F Meet one-mile race walks. The event was held on Saturday, March 15 at the New Balance Track & Field Center at The Armory, New York, NY.

Event 46  Girls 1 Mile Race Walk Championship

    Name                    Year School                  Finals 
================================================================
Finals                                                          
  1 Ashleigh Resch            15 Yellow Springs, OH     7:19.22F
  2 Katie Michta              14 NY, NY                 7:22.67F
  3 Maegan Allen              16 Arlington, MA          7:28.16 
  4 Katharine Newhoff         15 Islip Terrace, NY      7:31.10 
  5 Alexandra Bennett         15 Kings Park, NY         7:33.13 
  6 Monika Farmer             15 Bohemia, NY            7:34.63 
  7 Natalie DeQuarto          14 NY, NY                 7:36.46 
  8 Sydney Sirois             17 Greene, ME             7:42.72 
  9 Kayla Allen               17 Lewiston, ME           7:44.10 
 10 Allison McConville        14 Valley Stream, NY      7:49.74 
 11 Rebecca Wittlin           15 Pittsford, NY          7:53.64 
 12 Kaitlin Martins           16 NY, NY                 7:56.76 
 13 Maria Garcia              16 Thiells, NY            8:00.40 
 14 Meaghan Podlaski          15 Albany, NY             8:01.23 
 15 Sabrina-Rose Mason        14 east quogue, NY        8:08.41 
 16 Monica La Borde           14 Farmington, NY         8:19.37 
 17 Alexa Kluepfel            14 Elwood, NY             8:19.52 
 
 
Event 45  Boys 1 Mile Race Walk Championship

    Name                    Year School                  Finals 
================================================================
Finals                                                          
  1 Anthony Peters            14 Chicago, IL            6:38.81 
  2 Alexander Peters          14 Chicago, IL            6:44.34 
  3 Cameron Haught            17 Yellow Springs, OH     6:55.42 
  4 Geraldo Flores            14 Pharr, TX              6:55.51 
  5 Spencer Dunn              16 Auburn, ME             7:17.63 
  6 Jonathan Lazor            15 Madison, CT            7:21.03 
  7 Matias Serna              17 San Juan, TX           7:24.46 
  8 Timothy Sunnerberg        14 Burlington, MA         8:22.97 
  9 Alexander Harvey          14 kings park, NY         8:48.83 
 10 Nolan Allen               18 Arlington, MA          9:07.89 
 -- Andrew Siedman            15 Penfield, NY               DNF 
 -- Jonathan Aguilar          18 Alamo, TX                   DQ

Results: USATF-Maine Association Indoor Track & Field Championships – 2/23/2014

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Rich McElvery

New Balance Field House, Orono, Maine
(results from me.milesplit.com)

Girls 9-10 800 Meter Race Walk
1  Sirois, Molly  10  Unattached       4:45.30
2  Brewer, Megan  10 Unattached        6:07.70

Girls 11-12 800 Meter Race Walk
1  Trefts, Izabelle  11 Old Town        4:58.60

Girls 13-14 3000 Meter Race Walk
1  Allen, Kayla  14  Unattached        15:07.50

Women 15-16 3000 Meter Race Walk
1  Sirois, Sydney  15 Unattached      15:20.70
2  Beliveau, Victoria  15 Unattached  17:47.40

Men 17-18 3000 Meter Race Walk
1  Brenner, Sam  17  Unattached       15:35.53

Men 55-59 300 Meter Race Walk
1  Blank, Peter   59 Potomac Valley   20:02.31

Results: USATF New England Indoor Championship – 2/23/2014

Posted on February 24, 2014 by jkuo

Maryanne Daniel set a Masters Age Group record in the 3000 meter race walk at the USATF New England Track & Field Championship on Feb 23, 2014.

Here are the results of the 2014 USATF New England Indoor Championship, 3000 meter and 1 mile race walks held at Harvard University, Boston MA on Sunday, Feb 23, 2014.

220 Yard banked track, Combined co-ed race

Women 3000 Meter Race Walk
================================================================
Name                  Age Team                  Finals
================================================================
1 Annica Penn          18 Unattached            14:53.97 (Collegian)
2 Maegan Allen         15 MA HS (home school)   15:44.19 MA HS Rec
3 Holly Lindoe         18 Franklin Pierce Col.  15:54.91
4 Maryanne Daniel      55 Connecticut RW        16:02.41 New W55 Record
5 Cheryl Armstrong        Unattached            17:36.86

Men 3000 Meter Race Walk
================================================================
Name                  Age Team                  Finals
================================================================
1 Edward O'Rourke III  52 New England Walkers   14:52.09
2 Spencer Dunn         15 ME HS                 14:59.70
3 Nolan Allen          13 MA HS (home school)   16:15.35
4 Stephen Peckiconis   54 Cambridge Sports Un   16:40.68
5 Larry Epstein        55 New England Walkers   17:32.07
6 James Miner          65 Unattached            18:05.34

Junior 1 Mile Race Walk (concurrent with 3000)
================================================================
Name                  Age Team                  Finals
================================================================
1 Timothy Sunnerberg   17   M  MA HS             8:33.8H

Judges: Geoff Bye, Thomas Knatt (chief), Justin Kuo, Rich McElvery and Steve Vaitones

Results: Mass. Scholastic Invitational Race Walk Championship – 2/19/2014

Posted on February 20, 2014 by Rich McElvery

2014 USATF New England Reggie Lewis Center Youth Meet
Reggie Lewis Center, Boston

In the second annual Mass. Scholastic Race Walk, supported by New England Walkers, siblings Nolan Allen and Maegan Allen were again first across the line in the mile competition. Maegan recorded a best ever time for the event by a Massachusetts girl, 7:46.34. Both winning times qualified for next month’s New Balance National Scholastic meet – the first Mass. boy and girl ever to achieve this honor in the race walk.

Co-ed, 800 meter combined with the mile.

Women 10&U 800 Meter Race Walk
1 Molly Sirois Unattached            5:10.10

Women 13-14 800 Meter Race Walk
1 Abigail Blay Waltham TC            4:20.90
2 Jackie Fitzgerald Unattached       5:22.50

Girls 1 Mile Race Walk Scholastic
1 Maegan Allen Unattached            7:46.34
2 Kayla Allen Auburn RunningCl       7:50.75
3 Sidney Sirois Auburn RunningCl     8:00.77
4 Victoria Beliveau Auburn RunningCl 9:15.55

Boys 11-12 800 Meter Race Walk
1 Daniel Duarte Providence Cobra     5:11.10
2 Nick Ranta Unattached              5:58.00

Boys 1 Mile Race Walk Scholastic
1 Nolan Allen Unattached             8:28.79
2 Tim Sunnerberg Burlington          9:02.87

Valia Vaitones attends Elite Junior Race Walk Camp

Posted on February 5, 2014 by Rich McElvery

To encourage and develop young race walkers, the NE Walkers board of Directors voted last November to donate $250 toward travel expenses for Valia Vaitones to attend the Elite Junior Race Walk Camp in Texas.

Valia contributed the following article about her experiences while in Texas:

I attended the National Junior Race Walking Camp in Pharr, Texas, which lasted for a week, beginning December 28, 2013. It was a great experience being among so many athletes who enjoy race walking, and to be taught by such great coaches. The other walkers were very encouraging to everyone there—from different parts of the USA, and from four other countries, over 65 in all— all just sharing the sport we love. It was a great youth camp experience without any youth drama! There was lots of time to get to know everyone, and to get to know the other girls as friends and as future competitors.

Valia Vaitones (with red cap) attended the RW camp in Pharr TX.

The second day there, most people walked a 3 km track race. Before the race, we watched the older athletes do 10 and 15 Km races—Rachel Seaman set a Canadian record! It was a bit overwhelming to be around so many good walkers. In my race, I decided to stay with a small group in the middle to start. Then I broke off and found that I had the will to set my own pace, and I caught up to Kaitlin who competes in college. We walked together for the 2nd half of the race—I paced off of her, and I in turn pushed her. I had strong last lap—but my legs were burning! I ended up with a personal record of 17:13, which makes me the first New Hampshire high school walker to be nationally ranked! That time was a 40 second improvement from this summer.

The evening after the race, we saw race films and got feedback on our form. The next day we did lots of mobility and form work, and I learned some new things to practice. Ian Whatley set up a treadmill with two cameras and a screen. Most athletes don’t get to see themselves “live”, but we got to see ourselves walk in real time from two sides! We were critiqued on our form, and could adjust and see instantly how we corrected things.

Valia Vaitones (center) and friends.

We had evening talks about walking after high school, and how to keep up the motivation, and about the NAIA schools that have good walkers. Tim Seaman talked about excellence in training. He challenged us to incorporate workouts that challenge us!

Unfortunately, a few of us got the flu, including me. But it was still a great event! I thank the New England Walkers for supporting me this year! I can’t wait for next year!

“Dream it, walk it, live it”
Valia Vaitones

2014 Greater Boston Track Club Invitational – 1/19/2014

Posted on February 5, 2014 by Rich McElvery

2014 Greater Boston Track Club Invitational – 1/19/2014

Gordon Indoor Track – Harvard University

This was the largest field of race walkers the GBTC Invitational has had in years — the highest quality, and the youngest average age as well. Following the two races, Tom Eastler conducted an informative mini-clinic.

Race Walk Results

Mixed 1 Mile Race Walk (Junior)
1  Allen, Maegan Unattached 8:30.9h MA HS Home Schooled
2  Vaitones, Valentin 17 Golden Spikes TF 8:33.9h NH HS
3  Beliveau, Victoria LA Racewalkers 8:40.2h ME HS
4  Caira, Alessia Waltham Track Club 10:19.8h MA Middle School
-- Sunnerberg, Tim 17 Unattached DQ

Mixed 3000 Meter Race Walk
1  Burnett, Katie 25 Unattached 14:08.15 USA Qual
2  Talcott, Dave 53 Shore AC 14:29.71
3  Dunn, Spencer 15 Unattached 14:47.20 ME HS US Jr Outdoor Qual
4  O'Rourke, Ed New England Walkers 15:19.56
5  Sirois, Sidney LA Racewalkers 15:27.11 ME HS US Jr Outdoor Qual
6  Allen, Kayla LA Racewalkers 15:40.55 ME HS US Jr Outdoor Qual
7  Brenner, Samuel 17 Unattached 15:49.77 ME HS
8  Lindoe, Holly Franklin Pierce Col 16:00.77 US JR Outdoor Qual
9  Peckiconis, Stephen CSU 17:00.47
--  Epstein, Larry 55 New England Walkers DQ

Judges: Tom Eastler, (Chief.), Tom Knatt, Justin Kuo, Tom Menendez, Steve Vaitones

Tom Eastler leads a RW clinic at the GBTC Invitational at Harvard University.