Updated July 6, 1997
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Vote to Decide Future of Veterans T&F
The biggest race in WAVA's recent history won't be on the track at Durban. It's between WAVA Treasurer Al Sheahen of the USA and WAVA General Secretary Torsten Carlius of Sweden to succeed Italy's Cesare Beccalli as WAVA president (stepping down due to term limits). The webmaster concedes a bias in favor of Sheahen. Al recently sent me some materials pitching his candidacy. But these promises are a milestone in WAVA history, and he deserves support in pursuit of these ideas -- which include masters in the Olympics, a WAVA Web site and a fund-raising drive to encourage vets to remember WAVA in their wills. There is some concern that the election will become a geographical contest between Europe and North America. This is senseless. Al has the best interests of the entire world organization in mind. And with his good, old-fashioned American ability to market and tap sources of money, he would be the best bet for a more visible, healthy and wealthy WAVA. Meanwhile, if anyone has a presidential pitch from Torsten (in English), I would be happy to scan this material to my Web site as well. The election is July 24.
Face the facts: Records are a Mess
Records are sacred. But the process by which they are compiled is not. A critique of Masters Age Records, the fabled booklet put out by WAVA and USATF Masters Records Chairman Pete Mundle, reveals countless problems:. Conflicts with WAVA records. Marks still "pending" after 33 years. Omissions, misspellings. Even dozens of old 100-yard dash marks that are SLOWER than more recent 100m marks. In short, a shambles. It's not too late for the system to be overhauled. If the powers that be have the courage to face facts: Their records are in error.
WAVA Web Site Invites Postings
The World Veterans Athletics Championships this month promises to be the most exciting meet of the masters calendar. And despite a reference to meet results being for sale in hard copy, the webmaster has been assured daily meet results will be online as well. The WAVA site also has started a public forum of postings from athletes around the world. Check it out.
Dutch Masters Champs Results Online
Onno Waalewijn reports results of the Dutch Masters National Championships, where one European and14 Dutch masters records were set (the European one being Rini Hagenaars' 12.34 in W45 80m hurdles.) Onno also provides these translations:
hoogspringen - high jump verspringen - long jump hinkstapsprong - triple jump polsstokhoog - pole vault speerwerpen - javelin discuswerpen - discus kogelstoten - shot put kogelslingeren - hammer? snelwandelen - walk? (I'm not sure about these).
Track and Field: Such a Lovely Couple
Linda Barron reports from WAVA meet headquarters in South Africa: "Wedding bells (or should that be drums beating) will be ringing on the 24 July at 3pm at the Championships Village. Tying the knot will be Gary Gallagher and Hazel Conner, two athletes from Great Britain."
M60 Relay Record In Mill at Marin
Andy Hecker reports from Southern California that a 4x1600 relay record attempt for M60-69 is in the works July 26 at the College of Marin, north of San Francisco. WAVA's listed M60 record for that event is 24:06.6 by a U.S. quartet at New Orleans in August 1994. The meet announcement adds: "Any other record attempts are welcome. USAT&F officials will be present. More information will be on the Internet at the Tamalpa Runners Web Site or contact Kevin Mangan (415) 927-1429 or Bernie Hollander (415) 897-6842."
A Shameless Appeal for a Masters Savior
Instead of chronicling the exploits of Merlene Ottey and near-masters Linford Christie, Johnny Gray and other amazing specimens of our species (whose astounding recent marks will be uploaded eventually), the webmaster has been spending time brainstorming about bucks. Specifically: how to get lots of them into USATF Masters coffers. See the results of my ruminations. And please remember masters track in your will!
Enter Podkopayeva Prediction Contest!
The webmaster wondered how fast Yekaterina Podkopayeva would run at age 45. The webmaster isn't alone. Dave T of Massachusetts has launched a contest to predict how fast the Russian will run the 1500 this year, with an Aug. 1 deadline for submitting entries. Thanks, Dave, for undertaking this project -- the first of many masters games, we hope. (And thanks also to National Masters News for pledging a prize!)
T&FN Editor Reveals Need for Education
On June 12, 1997, the webmaster posted the following note to the The T-and-F Mailing List:
Young and younger (and gh):
When is T&FN going to properly cover Yekaterina Podkopayeva? The Russian
legend turned 45 on June 11-- three days after running 1500 in 4:06.36 (possibly
in the rain) at Moscow IAAF meet. Podkopayeva, who earlier won the World
Indoor 1500 title in 4:05.19, was a far more deserving choice than Mary Slaney
for the May cover. YP is such a phenomenon that her masters marks were excluded
from factoring when a WAVA committee came up with the current age-graded
tables. (Members thought she'd throw the curve off too much.) WAVA lists
the W45 record for 1500 at 4:36.58 by Heather Mathews of New Zealand in 1992.
(But Pete Mundle lists W45 record as 4:34.93 by Jutta Pederson of Sweden
in 1992. So it goes.) Any bets on how fast these will fall? YP is the Queen
of Vets!
--Ken Stone
On June 16, 1997, the editor of Track & Field News (Garry Hill) replied thusly, with a posting to the T-and-F Mailing List:
Doh! Why didn't we think of that?! Those Podkopayeva covers would have moved off the newstand shelves so fast that I could retire a millionaire!
Pardon my snottiness, but can we have a reality check here? The only people who give a rat's ass about Masters track are those few people who actively compete. I salute their hard work, but they're not part of the "elite" track world. Never have been, never will be.
An interesting string of rebuttals followed in succeeding days, including my own. Feel free to add your own comments. Or write directly to Garry Hill.
British Vets Smash Another Relay Best
Our British friend and correspondent Matthew H. Fraser Moat reports another world M40 relay record for the veterans of the British Milers Club. Despite torrential thunderstorms, a BMC fab foursome averaged 4:32 miles to smash the club's own M40-49 record for the 4 X 1-mile. Matthew reports:
BMC Nike Relays at Watford
Wednesday 11th June (Torrential thunderstorms)
2 BMC Veteran Squad 18:08.5
**** World Veteran Record ****
P Molloy V45 4:30.5 / K McLellan V40 4:35.6
D Bedwell V40 4:30.9 / D Wilcock V40 4:31.5
(previous best 18:11.9 by the BMC from 1995)
This mark also is far better than the listed WAVA M40 best for 4x1600 (but listed with a "y" for yards) of 18:22.6 by a USA team of Franklin, Thomas, Barnett and Hampton at Los Gatos, Calif., on Feb. 21, 1988. Well done, chaps!
Happy Birthday, Katy Podkopayeva!
IAAF GRAND PRIX ZAMENSKIY BROTHERS MEMORIAL MOSCOW sunday June 8 1997 Women's 1,500 metres 1. Irina Biryukova (Rus) 4.05.70 2. Lyudmila Borisova (Rus) 4.06.24 3. Yekaterina Podkopayeva 4.06.36 4. Nouria Merah (Algeria) 4.09.93 5. Teresia Kiesl (Austria) 4.10.32 6. Svetlana Miroshnik (Ukraine) 4.11.55 7. Stella Olgeanu (Romania) 4.12.39 8. Olga Komyagina (Rus) 4.13.81
A Big Ol' Howdy to Texas T&F Page!
Phil Murray reports that he's begun a site devoted to Texas Track & Field, which should have no dearth of big things to report, including masters. Amble on by, and check out this growing site!
Veterans Age-Group Records Online
From Finland, a hotbed of masters track that hosted the 1991 world WAVA meet, comes word of the first comprehensive Masters Age-Group Records Web site! Olavi Niemi has compiled world indoor WAVA records in all 5-year age groups. Also listed are European, Scandinavian and Finnish national veterans records. Niemi is with Perpetuum Mobile magazine, writes Georg Dunkel, webmaster of the records page as well as czar of his own Finnish Veterans 400 home page, which gets better by the month.
Slaney Guilty of Testosterone Doping?
Still hell no!
USATF Illinois Association Certifies WTC
We know the way to San Jose. Thanks to M40 sprinter Gerry Krainik of Oak Forest, Illinois, the first Internet-based track club is now the first such TC to be granted official USATF certification! Ray Vandersteen of the Illinois association reports that the Webmaster Track Club now is Club 370 in the USATF universe. Like other masters clubs, whose members sometimes live outside the "home" region, the WTC will be able to field relay teams at masters nationals. Despite going mainstream, our radical premise remains: No dues. No red tape. Just communication and competition. If you've been waiting on the sidelines for the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, wait no longer. We're in. You don't have to submit an athletic profile (or give up your privacy) to run for the WTC, however. Just write Gerry, the WTC relays captain, and say you're interested in joining us in San Jose. Then help us collect some hardware.
Join Our Crew of WAVA Snoops
So what's really going around in WAVA and USATF Masters circles? Share your own piece of the puzzle with the Masters T&F Home Page and we'll see to it that the behind-the-scenes secrets get out! Just e-mail me. Masters around the globe will appreciate it!
Here's me, fearless (and foolish) Ken Stone, during a shuttle hurdles relay race in Santa Ana, Calif., when I was a 16 years old. Notice which way the hurdles are facing. Special effects are by the truly master webmaster, Al Stone, whose oft-honored site averages 1,000 hits a day.
By popular demand, here's info on National Masters News, the authority on masters athletics. And now with e-mail: NatMaNews@aol.com
America Online chose this site its Member Home Page of the Week for Nov. 25, 1996. AOL members can view judges' comments at keyword: MHPContest. In addition, we're listed in Newsies on the Web -- a collection of links (I'm under Editors) to journalists with home pages.
So whatcha think? Write to the masters webmaster, and don't be shy! (You're guaranteed a reply.)
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