MILWAUKEE INTERNATIONAL MASTERS MEET

10 Canadian masters were among the over 70 competitors who participated in the Milwaukee International Masters Meet held at the Petit Center during February 18 to 19, 2006.

The competition was almost non-stop with 11 events scheduled within 2 half-day sessions. The 5 year age groups for men and women skated both olympic-style (metric) 500m and 1000m; mass-start (pack-style) heats and finals over 500m, 800m and 1000m; and mass-start (pack-style) finals for 1500m and 3000m. The final event saw all competitors in a 5000m drop-out mass-start race.

Canadian participants included 5 skaters from Manitoba, 1 from Saskatchewan and 4 from Ontario with overall placements as follows:

Men 35-39
- Bernie Enns, Winnipeg: 3rd

Men 40-44
- Randy Plett (Winnipeg): 4th
- Barend Tollenaat (Winnipeg): 10th

Men 50-54
- Bob Laurence (Cambridge): 1st
- Mickey Kupchyk (Regina): 2nd
- Ross Hanham (Burlington): 5th

Men 70-74
- Don Ego (Newmarket): 1st
- Gerry Bos (London): 3rd

Women 35-39
- Leela Braun (Winnipeg): 1st

Women 40-44
- Karla Cybulsky (Winnipeg): 2nd

Courtesy of Andrew Love, a group photo of all skaters can be seen at
http://www.andrewlove.org/blog/blogpics06/mastersinternational/biggroup.jpg

with additional photos and stories at
http://andrewlove.org/blog/?p=234
http://andrewlove.org/blog/?p=235
http://andrewlove.org/blog/?p=238

Complete event results, courtesy of meet coordinator Al Jakubowski, can be seen at:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~mss/2006MIEvents.pdf
http://home.cogeco.ca/~mss/2006MIOverall.pdf

This was a tremendous fun event for masters skaters of all abilities and ages where Canadian competitiors were welcomed with open arms. Many thanks to meet co-organizers Harry Dingle and Stephen Gunther, as well as to Al Jakubowski and his team of volunteer officials.