CLAUSEN BEARS THE ELEMENTS EN ROUTE TO ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP
October 19, 2003

HAUPPAUGE, NY - With temperatures hovering around 50 degrees, an overcast sky and little if no wind, thoughts of ideal conditions for the 2003 50km USATF National Championship abounded. Those pristine conditions however quickly gave way to torrential downpours as an elite field that included defending champion, Curt Clausen, had to bear the elements to complete this year’s 31.1 mile edition.

A lead pack comprised of Clausen, Tim Seaman and Al Heppner quickly formed as the trio walked comfortably together. For Seaman, the day’s goal was to help his ARCO teammates out while logging in a 25km workout.

Gary Morgan, Dave Doherty and John Soucheck lead the second pack, all with the hopes of walking a 4:45 Olympic Trials qualifier. 

Steve Quirke and Ben Shorey followed close behind.  Walking in his first 50km, Shorey seemed to have learned his lesson from the 20km nationals where he went out in a blistering pace.

In the women's race, Cheryl Rellinger led wire-to-wire as her only challenge came from Erin Taylor.

While Heppner looked choppy in the early goings, he seemed to smooth out as he broke away from Clausen and Seaman after 15km.  It was starting to look like Heppner’s day, when things took a turn for the worse. 

Clouds darkened, and not just the one over Heppner’s head as he was given his third DQ call and removed from the course. The weather conditions, once ideal, gave way to intermittent down pours as a cool and pleasant day turned into a bone chilling cold.

Erin Taylor made a bold move to challenge Rellinger.  The two walked stride for stride for a while, but then it appeared Taylor's leg started to bother her.  Taylor’s leg eventually caused her to drop out allowing Rellinger to pull away from the field.

Without anyone to challenge Clausen flipped on his proverbial auto pilot switch as he finished in a workout like 4:29:32.

The race for second got exciting as Gary Morgan pulled away from Soucheck and Doherty.

Ben Shorey notched a very impressive 50km debut as he finished 3rd. The most impressive performance of the day however did not belong to the defending champ, nor to a young, brash upstart. Rather it was the performance of 55 year old Nick Bdera of Roosevelt Island, NY that was most deserving of such an honor.

Bdera broke three standing US Records in the process, crossing 30km in 2:48:19 (old record - 2:50.29), 40km in 3:45:49 (old record - 3:55:55) and finishing in 4:44:10 (old record - 5:00:39). Bdera’s finishing time qualifies him for the 2004 Olympic Trials.

Overall there were 44 starters in the event, over the three race distances.

The 20K women's race was won by Teresa Vail while the 20K men's race was won by Dave McGovern.

--Full Results--

USA 50km Race Walking Championship - 10/19/2003
Hauppauge, NY

Men's Open 50km Race Walk
1, Curt Clausen, NYAC,Chula Vista, CA, 4:29:32.
2, Gary Morgan, NYAC, MI, 4:36:31.
3, Ben Shorey, UWP,Kenosha, WI, 4:37:43.
4, Steven Quirke, UWP,Kenosha, WI, 4:39:11.
5, John Soucheck, SHORE AC, Little Silver, NJ, 4:40:14.
6, Dave Doherty, San Diego Track Club,Chula Vista, CA, 4:42:11.
7, Nick Bdera, ESRT,Roosevelt Island, NY, 4:44:10.
8, Rod Craig, Pegasus Athletic Club,Bad Axe, MI, 5:04:18.
9, Bill Vayo, WUSA,White Plains, NY, 5:09:26.
10, Vlado Haluska, Unattached,New York, NY, 5:11:22.
11, Douglas Johnson, KENT,Morganfield, KY, 5:14:16.
12, Max Walker, IND,Greenwood, IN, 5:17:46.
13, Michael Bartholomew, WUSA,Plainview, NY, 5:28:13.
14, Wilson Crone, UPSW,Troy, NY, 6:18:41.
15, James McGrath, WUSA,Medford, NY, 7:06:01.
--, Steven Pecinovsky, NB,Woodbridge, VA, DNF.
--, Ed Fitch, MVTC,OH, OH, DNF.
--, Stephen McCullough, Unattached,Rocky Hill, CT, DNF.
--, Jack Starr, PHAS, Newark, DE, DNF.
--, Al Heppner, ARMY, Chula Vista, CA, DQ.
--, Bob Keating, NEW, Nashau, NH, DQ.
--, Roderick MacElwain, Unattached,Dallas, TX, DQ.

Men's Team Champion: WalkUSA (Vayo, Bartholomew, McGrath)

Women's Open 50km Race Walk
1, Cheryl Rellinger, WUSA,Troy, NY, 5:38:09.
2, Jennifer Marlborough, PARK,Brooklyn, NY, 5:56:40.
--, Erin Taylor, PARK,New York, NY, DNF.
--, Janet Higbie, IND,Indianapolis, IN, DQ.

Women: No Team Champion

Men's Open 20km Race Walk
1, Dave McGovern, NB,Mobile, AL, 1:31:51.
2, Tim Seaman, NYAC,North Babylon, NY, 1:41:58.
3, Bill Harriman, NEW,Tewksbury, MA, 2:10:46.
--, Jake Jacobson, ESRT,Jupiter, F, DNF.
--, Alexis Davidson, ESRT,Brooklyn, NY, DQ.
--, Matt Pearo, WUSA,Manorville, NY, DQ.
--, John Shilling, WUSA,Douglaston, NY, DQ.

Women's Open 20km Race Walk
1, Teresa Vaill, WUSA,Gainesville, F, 1:38:34.
2, Loretta Schuellein, WUSA,Oyster Bay, NY, 1:51:33.
3, Sarah Perry, Unattached,Sunrise, FL, 1:55:03.
4, Maria Michta, WUSA,Nesconset, NY, 1:59:14.
5, Pat Motschwiller, LIWC,Wantagh, NY, 2:08:32.
6, Joanne Harriman, NEW,Tewksbury, MA, 2:27:50.
7, Maria Ferraro, LIWC,Floral Park, NY, 2:29:16.

Men's Open 10km Race Walk
1, Dimitri Ofengenden, Unattached,Woodbury, NY, 1:01:00.
2, Joseph Folks, WUSA,East Patchogue, NY, 1:08:46.

Women's Open10km Race Walk
1, Kathleen Taranto, WUSA,Hauppauge, NY, 1:17:20.