Maine gearing up for Masters Nationals

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http://www.umaine.edu/news/article.asp?id_no=1830

UMaine Hosting 2007 USA Masters Track and Field Championships
July 20, 2007
Contact: Rolland Ranson, (207) 581-1077 / (207) 866-5889; George Manlove, (207) 581-3756

ORONO, Maine – A thousand athletes, aged 30 to 94, and their families, friends and supporters, soon will arrive at the University of Maine, Orono, for the 2007 USA Track and Field Masters Championships Aug. 2-5.

Athletes travel from almost every state in the nation, including Hawaii, Alaska and California to compete, according to Rolland Ranson, assistant head track and field coach at UMaine and director for this year's outdoor masters events. Other countries represented by athletes are Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico.

The event also is testimony to the adage "you're never too old," says Ranson.

"This is recognized and respected as one of the greatest championships in the world" and good publicity for the university, Ranson says, noting that this year's masters event logo includes a familiar UMaine symbol, the black bear. Internet exposure and event publicity efforts "just throws that UMaine black bear out there all over the world," he says.

Being selected to host the USA Track and Field Masters Championships is competitive, with many states vying for the privilege. UMaine hosted the event in 1998 and in 2002 because of its excellent facilities, including housing for athletes, according to Ranson. Many of the competitors and family members will stay in area hotels and inns, but more than 300 will stay in Hancock, Oak and Balentine dormitories.

"We have people aged 93, 94 and 95, plus 30-year-olds," says Ranson, a member of the board of directors for the Maine Association of USA Track & Field. "These are athletes who are continuing their competition, or starting. They travel throughout the country. They'll compete three or four times during the year."

Two of several Maine competitors are 75-year-old Bill Donnell, a Downeast sawmill operator from Sedgwick, Maine, who excels in the hammer throw, and UMaine philosophy professor and runner Doug Allen, a Yale track star in the early 1960s, Ranson says. Other competitors include a 93-year-old sprinter, Frank Levine from Pennsylvania, a former 1976 Olympian high-jumper, James Barrineau from Virginia, and a 40-year-old sprinter, John Simpson from Texas who runs a 10.50-second 100-meter dash – faster than the UMaine track record of 10.58 seconds set in 1991 by former UMaine student Carl Smith.

"They'll do a lot of running events, but they also do a lot of jumping events and they throw the javelin, discus, hammer, and the shot put. It's phenomenal," Ranson says. "They make it a point to stay active and compete throughout their lives."

One thousand men and women are registered for more than 20 traditional track and field events. Participants compete in 14 age groups of five-year categories. With family and friends accompanying the athletes, Ranson expects the championships to bring about 3,000 people and "a huge economic impact" to the area.

This year's championships should be particularly good, since competitors also are preparing for the track and field World Championships Riccione, Italy in September, "so a lot is at stake in our championships," Ranson says. Events begin at 7:30 a.m. and continue all day Thursday through Sunday, Aug 2 – 5. Admission is free.

Ranson will get officiating help from throughout the state and beyond. They’ll also be using the Brewer High School computerized photo-finish timing system, which Ranson considers the best in the world.

Others helping with the logistics of the event include athletic trainer Amy Adamo, Alfond Arena maintenance supervisor Eric Stoup, assistant athletic director Will Biberstein, along with Bruce Stinson, director for conference services, the UMaine Sports Medicine Department, several local massage therapists and local teachers Dave Jeffrey and Glendon Rand., UMaine's Cutler Health Center will have EMTs and an ambulance available, thanks to Dennis Russell and Dick Young at the center. Athletics accounting supervisor Jenise Soucy is helping with program financials and accounting. Claude Junkins, director of engineering support services, and forestry professor Tom Brann will direct the on campus computer and wireless operations to put event results online quickly.

"One of the reasons we keep winning bids is our excellent outdoor facilities and grounds crew, medical, conference services" Ranson adds. "We are capable and ready for all situations. That is another major reason that the USA Nationals love to come back to Maine."

Further information about the event is available at the USA Masters Outdoor Track and Field Championships is available at its Web site or by calling Ranson at (207) 581-1077.

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http://www.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?DUI ... 7_09_19_30

Seven Olympians, 32 current world champions to compete at USA Masters Championships
07-27-2007

Contact:
Tom Surber
Media Information Manager
USA Track & Field
317-713-4690
INDIANAPOLIS - In what looms as one of the largest national masters track and field championships ever held outside of the West Coast, the University of Maine eagerly awaits some 1,100 competitors, ages 30 to 95, for the 2007 USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships August 2-5 in Orono, Maine.

The USA Masters Outdoor Championships annually showcases extraordinary demonstrations of speed, power, skill and endurance by many of the world's finest masters track and field athletes, proving that age is no barrier to lifetime fitness. Athletes compete in five-year age divisions, beginning at age 30. In 2007, the meet will be webcast live at www.usatf.org

Many of the athletes competing in Orono will look to show their readiness for the 17th World Masters Athletic Championships, September 4-15, in Riccione, Italy.

Olympians competing in Orono include (Name, Olympiad, masters age group, hometown and event):

* Franklin "Bud" Held (1952 Helsinki, 1956 Melbourne javelin) M75, of Del Mar, Calif, will compete in the pole vault and discus.

* James Barrineau (1976 Montreal high jump), M50, Burke, Va.., high jump.

* Patricia "Trish" Porter (formerly Trish King), (1988 Seoul high jump) W40, Albuquerque, N.M., high jump.

* Bernice Robinson Holland, W80, Cleveland Heights, Ohio (1948 London hurdles and high jump) shot put, discus and javelin.

* Jan Merrill-Morin (1976 Montreal as Jan Merrill) W50, Holmdel, N.J., 5,000 and 1,500.

* Bob Mimm (Rome 1960), M80, Willingboro, N.J., race walk.

* Cherrie Sherrard (Tokyo 1964), W65, Vallejo, Calif., shot put and discus.

Among those expected to stand out at the meet is women's all-time masters great Philippa Raschker, who was a finalist for the 2004 AAU Sullivan Award, presented annually to America's top amateur athlete. Raschker turned 60 on February 21, which likely opened the door for her to set a whole new set of world and U.S. records in her new age group. Raschker, who has set more than 200 U.S. and world track and field records during her career, is entered in 11 events: 100m, 200m, 400m, 80m hurdles, 300m hurdles, high jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump, javelin and the pentathlon, which is an additional five events combined.

Other likely standouts include 2007 USATF Masters Athletes of the Year Nolan Shaheed of Pasadena, Calif., 57, a jazz musician who played with Count Basie and Marvin Gaye. The owner of world and U.S. running records, Shaheed is entered in the M55 400m, 800m, 1500m and steeplechase.

Also look for Alisa Harvey, 41, from Manassas, Va., in the W40 800m and 1500m. Harvey set a new indoor world masters mile record in January (4:47.26) and an American outdoor record in the 800m (2:07.57) in March.

Over-90 excellence: Six competitors are over 90 years of age. Likely meet's oldest, 93 year-old Frank Levine (in 800m, 1500m, 5,000m) of Norristown, Pa., has set a variety of distance-running records. The M90 sprints will feature torrid battles between Bob Matteson, 90, of Bennington, Vt., and Reverend Champion Goldy of Haddonfield, N.J. Matteson is the world indoor record holder in the M90 800m at 4:50.81, though he can run any distance. Matteson is entered in five events in Orono. Both he and Reverend Goldy (six events) are distinguished in many ways, not the least of which is that both are still working professionally - Matteson as a management consultant, Goldy as a minister. Also over 90: Betty Jarvis, oldest female at 92, of Aberdeen, N.C., who will compete in five events, Dan Bulkley of the Southern Oregon Sizzlers in five events, and Max Springer, 92, of Knoxville Tenn., in six events.

Current world champions competing

prepared by Ken Stone of masterstrack.com

2006 World Indoor Champions entered in 2007 USA Masters Outdoor Champs; (Lists current age group, name, world championship events, hometown, events contested in Orono)

M35 Don Drummond, 60H (Fresno, Texas): 400, 110mH, 400mH

M45 Kevin Paulk, 800 (Portland, Ore.): 800 and 1500

M45 Greg Foster, TJ (Lumberton, N.J.): 100, 200, 110H, Long jump, Triple Jump

M45 Bruce McBarnette HJ (Sterling, Va.) High Jump

M50 James Barrineau, HJ (Burke, Va.): High Jump

M55 Bill Collins, 60m, 200m, 400m (Houston, Texas): 100m, 200m, 400m

M55 James Broun, 60mH (Sarasota, Fla.): 100mH

M60 Roger Pierce, 4x200 relay (Essex, Mass.): 100m, 200m, 400m

M65 Emil Pawlik, pentathlon (Jackson, Miss.): 100mH, 300mH, High Jump, Long Jump, Discus

M65 Sid Howard, 800m, 1500m (Plainfield, N.J.): 800m, 1,500m

M75 John Starr, 3,000m walk (Newark, Del.): 5 km, 10 km race walks

W45 Joy Upshaw Margerum (Los Altos, Calif.) 100m, 200m, 80mH, Long Jump

W45 Lesley Chaplin-Swann, 800 (McDonough, Ga.): 400m, 1500m, 10 km

W45 Patricia Porter, HJ (Albuquerque, NM): HJ

2005 World Outdoor Champions entered in 2007 USA Masters Outdoor Championships; (Lists current age group, name, world championship events, hometown, events contested in Orono)

M35 Don Drummond, 110mH (Fresno, Texas): 400m, 110mH, 400mH

M40 Robert Thomas, 400m (Indianapolis, Ind.): 100m, 200m, 400m

M40 David Ashford, 110mH (Wheeling, Ill.): 110mH

M40 Brian Pope, 5,000m (Oxford, Miss.): 5 km, 10 km

M45 James Chinn, 400m (San Marcos, Calif.): 100m, 200m, 400m

M45 Darnell Gatling, 400mH (Freeport, N.Y.): 400m, 400mH

M45 Bruce McBarnette, HJ (Sterling, Va.): High Jump

M50 John Nespoli, SP (Collierville, Tenn.): shot put, discus

M55 Marion McCoy Jr., 100m (Lawrenceville, Ga.): 100m, 200m

M60 Charles Allie, 200m, 400m (Pittsburgh, Pa.): 100m, 200m, 400m

M60 Roger Pierce, 400m (Essex, Mass.): 100m, 200m, 400m

M60 Larry Barnum, 800m (Reno, NV): 200m, 400m, 800m

M60 Norman Frable, 5 km, 20 km race-walks (McKinney, Texas): 5 km & 10 km walks, High Jump

M65 Emil Pawlik, 100mH, decathlon (Jackson, Miss.): 100mH, 300mH, High Jump, Long Jump, Discus, 60, Pentathlon

M75 Jerry Donley, PV (Colorado Springs, Colo.): High Jump, Pole Vault

M90 Dan "Lucius" Bulkley, 2000m steeplechase, decathlon (Phoenix, Ore.): 200m, 400m, 800m, 300mH, 2 km steeplechase, Pentathlon

M90 Max Springer, 800m, 1500m, LJ, TJ (Knoxville, Tenn.): 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, Long Jump, Triple Jump

W35 Lisa Daley, 200m, 400m (White Plains, N.Y.): 200m, 400m

W40 Mary Grene, 1500 (Andover, Kan.): 1500m

W45 Patricia Porter, HJ (Albuquerque, NM): High Jump

W45 Carol Finsrud, shot, discus, weight pentathlon (Lockhart, Texas): Shot Put, Discus, Hammer, Weight, Javelin

W65 Marie-Louise Michelson 1,500 (Stony Brook, N.Y.): 800m, 1500m, 5000m, steeplechase

W80 Miriam Gordon, 5 km & 10 km race walks (Hollywood, Fla.): 5 km & 10 km race walks

Media are invited for coverage and athlete interviews. For media interviews onsite, see Bob Weiner, National Masters Media Chair at Trackside or call Bob's cell at 202-329-1700. Additional contacts: Rebecca Vander Linde at 301-283-0821; and George Manlove of the University of Maine public affairs office at 207-581-3756. Peter Taylor and Ken Stone contributed to this release.

The meet schedule and current list of athletes entered are available at the Championships web site: http://www.usatf.org/events/2007/USAMas ... pionships/