News Archive

November 6, 2003
US Speedskating Announces Fall World Cup Team

U.S. Speedskating recently announced the skaters who will all take a place on the United States Long Track Fall World Cup team. The team consists of five of the six medallists from the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and will feature a number of Wisconsin natives on the squad.

The men’s sprint team is dominated by fellas from Wisconsin, including two 2002 Olympic medallists. Kip Carpenter, who hails from Brookfield, Wisconsin and a bronze medallist in the 500-meters at the Salt Lake Games, will compete in the 500- and 1000-meters. Nick Pearson, a 2002 Olympian from Vernon, Wisconsin, will compete in the 500- and 1000-meters. Joining Pearson in the 500- and 1000-meters is Verona, Wisconsin’s 2002 Olympic 500-meter gold medallist Casey FitzRandolph, who returns to competition following a year away from the sport. Janesville, Wisconsin’s nineteen-year-old phenom Tucker Fredricks will skate in the 500-meters

Two women from Wisconsin are entrants on the ladies sprint team and will compete with the men in Calgary and Salt Lake this December. West Allis, Wisconsin’s Chris Witty, a three-time Olympic medallist and gold medallist in the 1000-meters at the 2002 Games, will skate the 500- and 1000-meters. Elli Ochowicz, Waukesha, Wis., a 2002 Olympian, will skate both the 500- and 1000-meter races.

Jennifer Rodriguez, a bronze medallist in the 1000- and 1500-meters from the 2002 Olympic Games, will lead the women’s all-round team. Joining Rodriguez on the ladies team are Kristine Holzer and Elm Grove, Wisconsin’s own two-time Olympian Catherine Raney. Raney will compete in the 1500-, 3000-, and 5000-meters, having been prequalified in each event during 2002. Sarah Elliott who hails from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin and 17-year-old World Cup newcomer Maria Lamb, from River Falls, Wisconsin, round out the women's allround team. Elliott will skate the 1500-meters, while Holzer and Lamb will compete in both the 3000- and 5000-meter races.

The men's all-round team will feature five World Cup veterans and one new skater to the circuit. 2002 Olympic gold and silver medallist Derek Parra, who was second in the world rankings last year, will anchor the squad. Other skaters hoping to fair well later this month in Germany and the Netherlands are: Chris Callis, Chad Hedrick, World Cup newcomer Clay Mull and three-time Olympian KC Boutiette. Rounding out the squad is Waukesha, Wisconsin’s own Tim Hoffmann, who hopes to make a big impact in the 1500- and the 10,000-meter events.

Contact: Rob Multerer
Director of Marketing
Pettit National Ice Center
414.266.0100, ext. 132
rmulterer@thepettit.com