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Long-track skaters set ice on fire, win fans
By Stephen Speckman and Jay Evensen
Deseret News Olympic specialists
If it wasn't U.S. Speedskating's long-track team grabbing headlines during their record-setting race for eight medals in the 2002 Olympics, it was the ice under their blades and the unique building that shook with excitement for two weeks.
Helping to perhaps once again popularize the sport of long-track speedskating was an impressive list of credentials racked up by the team and by what is only the country's second indoor speedskating oval.
The U.S. skated away with eight medals — three gold, one silver and four bronze — more than any American long-track team in history. In the end, long-track speedskaters accounted for almost one-fourth of all U.S. medals.
"I didn't think it was possible," said team physician Eric Heiden.
Not since he won five gold medals in 1980 has American long-track speedskating made such a splash during the Olympics — this time it was six athletes making waves, not just one.
"I didn't think anyone expected us to get as many medals as we have," said double-bronze medalist Jennifer Rodriguez. "It was very unexpected. I don't think any of us guessed we would have been this strong."
The future of the team now lies in young talent like Joey Cheek and Kip Carpenter, who won bronze medals in the 1,000 and 500 meters, and Elli Ochowicz, who recently turned 18 and is already outskating some of her teammates.
Who will be back in four years, of course, is uncertain. Heiden predicts most of the team will be back. Part of maintaining the current winning momentum may lie in future financial support.
Coach Bart Schouten said ADT just signed as a sponsor. But, realistically, he thinks speedskaters in the United States will have to hold down part-time jobs to make ends meet while training. USOC funding helped during the last two years, but he doesn't know whether that will continue.
"$15,000 to $20,000 a year is all they need to pay rent, just so they don't have to work," he said.
"Hopefully, there will be some sponsors who will come to the sport and will help keep the momentum alive," said gold and silver medalist Derek Parra.
As for Parra himself, the future "depends on if I get some sponsors. It's been a good year, but I'd like to save some money rather than always just spend it. I'm used to living off of nothing." He may pursue speedskating marathons in the Netherlands before the next Olympics.
Judging by the medal count, Schouten feels the United States now is a world power in the sport. "The biggest thing is for the organization to keep the program going."
Another world power has also emerged from these Games.
At the Utah Olympic Oval, every single Olympic record was broken while new world records were recorded in eight of 10 events skated during the Games — world records in the ladies' and men's 500 withstood the past two weeks. Skaters also logged nearly 200 personal best times and 86 national records.
While the world's highest indoor ice and superior ice-making technology lend themselves to lifting the Kearns oval to legendary status, Heiden took note of one factor some may have overlooked — the spectators.
"These are the kind of fans you see in Holland" and elsewhere, where speedskating is much more revered and where it's the sport of choice for spectators. "Derek Parra thrives off that stuff."
To the world, the Utah Olympic Oval means fast ice. To the U.S., it means speedskating has a new favorite child, right here in Utah.
The oval "has been one of the best training places we could ask for. It's given us all the possibilities," Schouten said.
He already has seen some promising young Utah skaters who he hopes will develop into Olympic-caliber athletes. "We hope this is the beginning of a tradition here in Utah."
Anyone curious about speedskating is urged to log onto the Web site www.tryspeedskating.com or go straight to the ice.
The oval will reopen to the public March 9. Learn-to-skate programs will be in full swing and, for an extra bonus, people can glide around on the same ice as the Olympians — the ice will not be changed and the building will not lose its Olympic look until after April 8.
For more information, call 968-OVAL (6825).
 U.S. speedskating medalists at 2002 Games
U.S. long-track speedskating medals:
- Gold, Chris Witty, 1,000 meters, world record
- Gold, Derek Parra, 1,500 meters, world record
- Gold, Casey FitzRandolph, 500 meters
- Silver, Derek Parra, 5,000 meters
- Bronze, Joey Cheek, 1,000 meters
- Bronze, Kip Carpenter, 500 meters
- Bronze, Jennifer Rodriguez, 1,000 meters
- Bronze, Jennifer Rodriguez, 1,500 meters
World records broken at the Utah Olympic Oval:
- Men's 1,000 meters, Gerard Van Velde, Netherlands
- Men's 1,500 meters, Derek Parra, U.S.
- Men's 5,000 meters, Jochem Uytdehaage, Netherlands
- Men's 10,000 meters, Jochem Uytdehaage, Netherlands
- Women's 1,000 meters, Chris Witty, U.S.
- Women's 1,500 meters, Anni Friesinger, Germany
- Women's 3,000 meters, Claudia Pechstein, Germany
- Women's 5,000 meters, Claudia Pechstein, Germany
E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com
E-mail: even@desnews.com
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February 25, 2002
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