| With the Minnesota State Capitol as a backdrop, a pack of male pro racers climb a hill along the Mississippi River at last year's inaugural St. Paul Inline Marathon. Photo by Darlene Prois Fine Inline
Badger State Games welcomes all; makes up for cancelled Great River Roll
By Joel Patenaude There's good news and bad news for inline skaters this summer, especially those in the Twin Cities, the mecca for the sport in the Midwest. The good may compensate for the bad, so let's start with the latter and
then get to the good stuff. 
| At the 2004 North Shore Inline Marathon, 46-year-old Fred Scheer (left, #160) – a former world-champion log-roller from Hayward, Wisconsin, and owner of Fred Scheer Logrolling Shows – narrowly beat Lenny Willcox (#239), 45, of Pompano Beach, Florida, In the pro veterans category. Photo by Darlene Prois |
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After a six-year run, the Great River Roll inline half marathon
and seven-mile recreational skate in Minneapolis will not be held this year. Stricken with financial and staffing problems, the organizers have called off the late July event.
Great River Roll race director Michelle Snider is now executive director of the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association. Snider said that her former position and another
race-related one remains unfilled, which in part caused the association to abandon the event it organized in conjunction with the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board. With an average of 350 competitors from year to year, Snider said the Great River "still had room to grow," but there are no plans, as of yet, to revive it in 2006 or thereafter.
The good news is that the St. Paul Inline Marathon on August 21 is looking to grow from the 1,600 racers accomodated at the inauguaral event in 2004. Mike Coffrin, promoter of the St. Paul race, said he hopes to attract 2,500 entrants this year. Of course there's also the perennial favorite and
grand-daddy of all inline skating events in the U.S. the North Shore Inline Marathon in Duluth on Sept. 17 taken on by some 5,000 racers. While North Shore does offer a half marathon, Great River Roll skaters eyeing the St. Paul event would need to make the leap to a full marathon. The greater distance "is certainly doable, but there's a
committment piece" to training for a full inline marathon, Coffrin said.
For those not ready to make that commitment but willing to cross the state line for a half marathon, a new opportunity exists at the Badger State Games on June 26. In only its second year of holding inline races, the BSG has opened up the half and full marathon to non-Wisconsin residents. (Out-of-state cyclists and
triathletes are also invited to the Games. For more info, see the schedule of "silent sports" BSG events starting on page 25 and online at www.SportsInWisconsin.com.)
Jim White, one of four inline skating commissioners for the Badger State Games, said he is excited about the door being thrown open to non-Wisconsinite inline skaters.
White, who serves as webmaster for Growinlinespeed.com, said he travels all over the country to
participate in inline races. He said it will be nice for a change when racers come from elsewhere to compete on his home state turf. He said he also looks forward to returning the hospitality he's encountered in the relatively small competitive inline skating community.
On a personal level, the Waukesha resident and masters skater welcomes the competition. "I'm 64 and the
only serious skater in Wisconsin in my age category. I'd like to see people I can compete against," White said.
Last year's inaugural inline events at the BSG drew only about 50 skaters with all but 10 completing the full marathon. The planned kid's skate didn't take place for lack of entrants. The new open-door policy should boost participation.
"I'm guessing we'll have 200 racers, but if we only get 100 I'll be happy," White said. "If we get 50 again,
I'll be satisfied, too. At least it gives skaters a chance to race."
The new BSG route along the Wisconsin River is also being touted scenic alternative to the Great River Roll, which followed the Mississippi River to and from Minnehaha Park in the Twin Cities. The BSG course out from Portage and back is much more rural, however, which means less traffic to contend with.
Traffic concerns were part of the reason the St. Paul Inline Marathon course has changed somewhat. The
marathon will now end on better pavement leading to Rice Park. This is where the finish line for the inaugural event was intended, Coffrin said, but a previously scheduled wedding reception in the park prevented it. Coffrin said he's happy the spacious park will be available this year.
2005 INLINE SKATING EVENTS
June 5, Grand Old Days, St. Paul, MN
8K inline skate race starting at Grand and Wheeler to Dale and back, helmets required; also 8K run, same
course; a half mile youth run, and 5K walk/jog. Register at www.tslevents.com; www.grandave.com/events.html
June 11, Brainerddispatch.com Online Inline Half Marathon, Baxter, MN
The event is for men and women in pro/advanced and fitness/recreational divisions. Register at www.brainerddispatch.com/onlineinline
June 18, Big Granite Inline Marathon & Half Marathon, Ashland, WI.
A 12.75-mile looped course of town roads, state & county highways. The marathon will be two laps of this course. The entire lap has been paved in the last four years and features quality blacktop. The course offers a scenic mix of hills, flats, curves and straightaways.The course is an exciting course that will challenge skaters of all abilities. It is not advised that beginning skaters register for this race. Contact race director Russ Korpela at ashchamb@centurytel.net; www.biggranite.com.
June 26, Badger State Games Inline Racing, Portage, WI
Half marathon, full marathon. New course on Hwy O less hilly than last year's route, more scenic, better pavement, and fewer intersecting roads, as it runs parrallel to the Wisconsin River. www.SportsInWisconsin.com.
July 16-17, MS SUN 75, Hinckley, MN
The 2005 Referral Mortgage MS SUN 75 will follow the scenic Willard Munger Trail from Hinckley to Duluth. The event is fully catered and fully supported with frequent rest stops, first aid and meals. Event is a fund-raiser for multiple schlerosis research. http://msSun75.com
July 24, Hoyt Lakes Skate Half Marathon, Hoyt Lakes, MN
Out-and-back 13.1-mile, gently rolling course . For further info, e-mail Ben at bmc@lcp2.net or Bryan at sampsoniam@yahoo.com.
Aug. 21, St. Paul Inline Marathon, St. Paul, MN
The course runs along the Mississippi River on lengthy stretch of Warner and Shepard Roads. Great surface conditions, impressive scenes of the river and the Saint Paul skyline. The last stretch of the marathon brings you into the heart of Saint Paul, finishing in historic Rice Park. Divisions: recreational, fitness,
advanced, pro, pro master and pro veteran. Once you register you have access to a free, six week, interactive online training program courtesy of Zephyr's MarathonSkating.com. www.saintpaulinlinemarathon.com
Aug. 20, National Criterium Inline Championships, Downers Grove, IL
www.dgnationalchampionships.com
Sept. 17, North Shore Inline Marathon, Duluth, MN
The largest inline marathon and World Cup event in the country. Follows the same scenic course as the Grandma's Marathon. The 26.2 mile marathon begins just south of Two Harbors, continues along scenic
Hwy 61, rolling through the I-35 tunnels, and finishes at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. The Eighth Annual Kids Sprints and fun skate will be held Friday, Sept. 16. www.northshoreinline.com
Sept. 10, UNCF Walk For Knowledge, Chicago, IL
The United Negro College Fund. Each person who walks obtains sponsors who make pledges (not per mile, flat amounts). Parents of young children, feel free to bring the babies and the buggies. In-line skaters, etc., strap up and get ready to roll. Runners and bikers are also encouraged to attend. www.uncf.org |
