Racing News:

Italian Wins 2006 a2a
Guenci and O'Connor claim victory in longer than expected ultramarathon

Planet staff
posted Sunday, Oct. 1, 2006
(updated 3:27 p.m.)

Click image for larger photo
Mauro Guenci celebrates as he crosses the finish line in Atlanta. Behind him is Bont North America's Aaron Arndt, who finished second.
Photo: Tish Gorman

The fourth time proved to be the charm for Mauro Guenci who won today's Athens to Atlanta Road Skate after near misses in recent years.

The 40-year-old Italian finished the hilly ultramarathon with a time of 4 hours, 50 minutes and 8 seconds.

Guenci's time was the slowest for a winner of a dry-weather a2a in more than 10 years. But there was a reason for this: The lead motorcycle led the racers in the wrong direction near the beginning of the race, adding about three miles to the distance, which was supposed to be 87 miles.

First Woman

Winning the women's race was a2a rookie Erica O'Connor of Ypsilanti, Mich. Her time was 5 hours, 23 minutes and 9 seconds.

Finishing second was Karin Gabriel of Roselle Park, N.J.

O'Connor is a relatively unknown in the inline world. She finished third in last May's Wolverine Inline Marathon in Detroit.

Guenci's Triumph

Guenci's win ends the four year reign of Twincam's Eddy Matzger as king of the a2a. Matzger, 39, finished fourth today with a time of 4:59:19.

Guenci and Matzger were both part of the lead men's pack that formed early in the race. Other members of the pack were Aaron Arndt and Jono Gorman, both of Bont North America; Peter Doucet and Francisco Ramirez, both of K2-Empire; Randy Bowman, Bruce Belden and Dennis Humphrey.

After about 30 miles, the two Canadians, Arndt and Doucet, broke away from the pack and took a big lead.

Guenci and Matzger attacked repeatedly to catch them. But each time they attempted to bridge the gap, the chase pack would catch them and the teammates of Arndt and Doucet (Gorman and Ramirez) would take the lead and slow down the pack.

In this way, Arndt and Doucet were able to build a big lead, which Ramirez estimates reached close to 30 minutes.

With about 25 miles left to go, Guenci and Matzger finally got away from the chase pack. Gorman went with them, but the two veterans dropped him five miles later.

Later still, Guenci left Matzger behind and began chasing down the leaders. He caught Doucet first and then beat Arndt in the final sprint.

Doucet finished next, about six minutes back. Then came Matzger, two minutes later.

Past Contender

Guenci has been a top a2a contender for the last four years.

In 2004, he finished just behind Matzger in second place.

The year before, he struggled and finished fifth, 17 minutes behind Matzger.

In 2002, he finished a fraction of a second ahead of Matzger. But officials gave the win to Matzger after ruling that Guenci had illegally interfered with Matzger by grabbing him in the final sprint.

The weather for today's race was partly sunny: mild at the start but warm by mid-day with most skaters still on the course.

About 400 skated in the event, which included shorter distances of 38 and 52 miles.

• For full results as we get them, click here.

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