Racing news:

New St. Paul Race Draws Fast Field
Many of continent's top skaters are entered
By Planet staff
posted Tuesday, August 18, 2006

With a field that includes many of North America's top skaters, Saint Paul's new "Miss and Out" elimination event could turn out to be one of the most exciting U.S. inline races of the year.

The packed men's field is particularly strong. Among the 20 skaters will be:

• Four members of the U.S. World team, including Joey Mantia (reigning world marathon champ) and Hyper's Dane Lewis.
• Five members of the Bont North America racing team, including Jordan Nelson, winner of last week's Hayward Marathon, and Canadian short track skaters Jean Olivier and Steve Robillard.
• Skate legend Eddy Matzger
• And former Hyper skater Bret Whitman, who will be appearing in his first race since breaking both feet in a fall earlier this year.

The racers will skate 20 laps around Mears Park in downtown Saint Paul. At the end of each lap, the last skater across the line will be eliminated.

The race is likely to favor racers with an indoor background, such as Mantia and Lewis. Elimination formats are commonplace indoors.

By the Clock

But outdoor racers may have one advantage: The race will go clockwise around the course, rather than counter-clockwise. All indoor races go counter-clockwise, so indoor skaters generally have limited experience going the other way.

The event organizer, 26point2, says the direction of travel was dictated by the topography of the course.

By Friday afternoon, the women's field included 14 skaters, among them Hyper's Jessica Smith, 2005 World Team member Jilleanne Rookard, Peggy Girgenti and Mechele Busby.

The top finishers in the elimination will split a $1000 cash purse.

The field for Sunday's Saint Paul Inline Marathon also looked strong.

More than 1600 skaters were registered by Friday afternoon. The skaters from the elimination are all planning to lace up in the morning for the marathon. Aside from them, the field will include at least three Olympians: U.S. short track skaters Kimberly Derrick, Ryan Leveille and Anthony Lobello, all skating as guest members of Bont North America.

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