News Archive

December 16, 2004
Nation’s Top Male Speed Skaters Headline At The Pettit

The Pettit National Ice Center, a U.S Olympic Training Facility, will serve as host for the 2005 United States Long Track Speed Skating Championships, December 18-22, 2004. The Championships will serve as a precursor to other speed skating events that will span the globe on the way to the 2006 Winter Olympics.

The Long Track Championships, with racing starting on December 18th at 10am, will feature many notable names, past Olympic medal winners and many Wisconsin-born skaters. Below is a break down of some of the male long track speed skaters that will compete at the Pettit National Ice Center as part of the U.S. Long Track Championships.

Casey FitzRandolph - Verona, Wisconsin’s native son is currently the U.S. National Long Track Sprint Champion. FitzRandolph currently holds the American record in the 500 meters (34.42) and won a gold medal in that same event at the 2002 Olympics.

Chad Hedrick – After racing as an inline skater, Hedrick took to the ice for the first time in 2002. Since then he has done remarkably well by becoming the 2004 World Allround Champion, the 2004 U.S. National Champion in the 10,000 meters and was 1st in the 5000 meters at the 2004 World Single Distance Championships. Hedrick was also the 2004 Oscar Mathisen Memorial Trophy Winner; the award, dubbed “the Oscar of Speed Skating”, is presented annually to honor the outstanding speed skating performance of the season.

Derek Parra - Derek, who spent time living and training in Milwaukee, won the overall title at the 2003 World Cup and placed 2nd at the 2003 World Cup in the 1500 meters. During the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Game, Parra won gold in the 1500 meter and a 5000 meter silver medal.

Shani Davis – A relative newcomer to Long Track skating, Davis was a 2002 Olympian in Short Track. His time with Long Track has so far been sprinkled with success; Davis was 2nd overall at the 2004 World Allround Championships and was the 2003-04 U.S. Allround Champion. After the Long Track Championships Davis will be returning to the Pettit to compete in the US Short Track Championships in February, where he will attempt to be the first skater to become an Olympian in both Short Track and Long Track, in the same Olympic year (2006).

Joey Cheek - Cheek took home a 1000-meter bronze medal at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Back in October of this year, Cheek set a new Pettit Track Record in the 1000 meters, overtaking a record that has stood for over four years.
For media credentials to secure your spot at any of the weekend’s activities or for more information on the 2005 United States Long Track Speed Skating Championships contact Rob Multerer at the Pettit National Ice Center. Tickets are also available for $5 each day.

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