Eastler, Vaill win Ron Zinn awards for most outstanding U.S. race walkers of the year
By Tom Surber, USATF
Posted Monday, 26 November, 2007
USA Track & Field has announced that Kevin Eastler and Teresa Vaill are the winners of the 2007 Captain Ron Zinn Awards that honor the outstanding U.S. male and female race walkers of the year. Formal presentation of the awards will take place December 1 in ceremonies held in conjunction with USATF's Annual Meeting at the Sheraton Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The annual awards commemorate the achievements of Captain Ronald Zinn, who lost his life in combat during the Vietnam War. Zinn was a member of the U.S. Olympic Team at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. His sixth-place finish in the 20 km race walk is one of America's all-time top international race walking performances.
Kevin Eastler, a 30-year old Air Force captain stationed at Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado, started walking as a 9-year old in Farmington, Maine. His 21st year in race walking may have been his best to date as he won the 50 km and 20 km national championships, as well as the Pan American Cup Trials. He also posted an Olympic "A" Standard qualifying time of 1:22:56 with a 12th place finish at the IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Spain. Eastler, who resides in Aurora, Colo., with his wife and daughter, also was the recipient of this award in 2003 and 2006.
This year marks the sixth time that 45 year-old Teresa Vaill has been recognized as America's top female race walker. The winner of the 2007 USA Track & Field Championship in the 20 km walk in 1:37:28, Vail made 2007 a stellar year by dominating the Pan Am Cup Trials in 1:35:44 and seizing victory at the USA 10 kilometer National Championships with a time of 47:49. A resident of Gainesville, Fla., Vaill was previously named the Ron Zinn award winner in 1986, 1993, 1994, 2004 and 2005.
Captain Ron Zinn Awards Previous Winners http://www.usatf.org/statistics/awards/RW/CaptainRonZinnMemorialAward.asp
Captain Ron Zinn Virtual Memorial Wall http://www.virtualwall.org/dz/ZinnRL01a.htm
Forgues, Vergara twins named Henry Laskau Award winners
Lauren Forgues and twins Ricardo and Roberto Vergara, have been named the 2007 Henry Laskau Award winners. Now in its fourth year, the Laskau Awards are presented annually to the top USA junior male and female race walkers. The awards will be presented during ceremonies December 1 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The Laskau Awards commemorate the three-time Olympian's accomplishments not only as an athlete, but as an inspirational master of the sport who promoted race walking at many levels, including converting numerous runners into race walkers. Laskau, who passed away in May of 2000, was the second race walker ever inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame.
University of Maine sophomore Lauren Forgues, from Boothbay, Maine, had a spectacular year. Not only did she take second (13:55.9 for 3,000m) among the top female walkers in the country at the AT&T USA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Boston last February, she was the winner of both the Pan American Cup Trials (50:35) and the USA Junior Nationals (51:49). Last summer Forgues went to South America twice to represent the USA in international competitions. In May's Pan American Race Walk Cup, Forgues earned the bronze medal in a field that represented teams of walkers from the top countries in the Americas. Later that summer in July, she finished as the runner-up at the Junior Pan American Games in Brazil.
The first twins of race walking, the Vergaro's from Edinburg, Texas, are generally inseparable. And just as they did at this year's two major competitions, the USA Junior National Championships, and the Pan American Cup Trials, the 17 year olds finished 1-2 in most races. Roberto won the USA Nationals in 47:28 with Ricardo taking the title at the PAC Trials with a 48:02 effort.
Race walk competitor/official Lori Maynard dies
Longtime master level official and race walk enthusiast Lori Maynard died at her home in Redwood City, Calif. on Sunday, November 18.
A national class race walker in the late 70s and early 80s, Maynard held numerous masters records and titles. In 2005 she was inducted into the Masters Athlete's Hall of Fame. She was a master level track and field official and an international race walk judge, who officiated at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, and she served as the manager of several USA Track and Field international teams. Maynard also served on many administrative committees within USA Track & Field over the last two decades.
Earlier this year Maynard and her husband Sonny were each honored for 25 years of volunteer service with Stanford Track and Field.
A Celebration of Life will be held in mid-December. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Community Breast Health Project in Palo Alto.
She is survived by her husband of 51 years Ferrell "Sonny" Maynard; son, Don; daughter-in-law, Andrea and sister, Janice Dudley.
Contact:
Tom Surber
Media Information Manager
USA Track & Field
317-713-4690
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