TISC Trio Take on World’s Best Over Two Weekends in Duluth And New York City

TISC skaters Peter Doucet, Morgan Williams, and Candy Wong competed and fared well against some of North America’s and the World’s best racers over two weekends of racing in Duluth, Minnesota and New York City.

• Results for the New York 100km, 42km on Facebook
• NYC pictures and more on the event’s Facebook page
• A few pictures from NYC from Peter Doucet
• Pictures from Northshore Inline Marathon- pace lines (on Facebook)
• Northshore Inline Marathon results page

On September 19th, the trio competed in the Northshore Inline Marathon in Minnesota. This event, in its 20th year, takes skaters over 42km’s from Two Harbours to the center of Duluth along the scenic shore of Lake Superior and attracts some of the world’s best racers and bounty hunters- with $20,000 offered to the skater who sets a course record. The scenery was the last thing on the TISC racers’ minds as the flew along the route in large packs (groups) of skaters.

Candy Wong and Kara Peterson working together- photo from Maureen Steltz Photography

Morgan Williams near the from of the Master Men’s 50+ race- photo from Maureen Steltz Photography

Open Men’s lead group, Doucet tucked in a good position- photo from Maureen Steltz Photography

Williams managed to finish 3rd in the Master Men’s 50+, after rival Alex Fedak from Oklahoma managed to breakaway from the group. Doucet’s result was a respectable 21st overall in the Open Men’s race. What’s impressive about Doucet’s performance is his finishing time, slightly above 1 hour 05 minutes- and this while his group faced a head-wind. Eventual winner (and multiple time World Champion & long track Olympian) Bart Swings from Belgium finished just shy of the course records (and the $20,000 prize for breaking the record) with the support of 2014 10km Long Track Olympic Champion Jan Blockhuijsen (Germany)! Candy Wong faced some tough racers, and after settling in after a fast start, she skated a good part of her race with Kara Peterson.

The trio then traveled to Brooklyn, NY the following weekend to compete in the grueling New York 100km. This race challenges participants in the 100km with 19 laps, each lap featuring a brutal climb in Prospect Park. Candy Wong competed in the 42km Pro Elite. She came through with a time just under 1h33, good enough for 3rd overall! Doucet and Williams both competed in the 100km race. Williams skated well and maintained good positioning in the group, and held on to the leading pack for 16 of 19 laps, ending up in 8th place. Doucet instigated a lot of action against legendary Eddy Matgzer and the super fast Francisco Ramirez, but these two bested Doucet’s quest for a victory, with Doucet coming in 3rd overall in a sprint finish!

Morgan Williams (right) kept a watchful eye on the race favourites- photo from Brian Holton

Peter Doucet leads the way. Doucet scored his second ever 100km podium, with his first back in 1997- photo from Jen Markham