19th Chris Thater Memorial Criterium - NE

Binghamton, New York, USA, August 25, 2002

2001 Results Results Past winners

Men: Walters wins Thater for second time

Courtesy of Team Navigators

Canadian Mark Walters (Navigators) won the 19th annual Chris Thater Memorial Criterium, held in the streets of Binghamton, NY. The race is dedicated to the memory of Chris Thater, a local cyclist who was killed by a drunk driver.

This 80 km criterium is a staple of the domestic scene and one of the stops on the National Racing Calendar. This event usually attracts a top-notch field and this year was no exception. The racing action started out in typical fashion; fast and furious with the attacks coming non-stop from the starter's whistle. Within 10 laps, several of the early breakaways joined forces and a group of about 25 riders soon had a 50-second gap on the rest of the field. With all of the major teams represented it looked good to go...even if it was a bit on the large side of efficient.

After another 10 laps, an attack by Navigators' Marty Nothstein was matched by several others, and the pace quickened even more. With a little bit of re-shuffling, the new breakaway had nine riders and was blasting around the 1-mile course. Nothstein and Mark Walters were representing the Navigators, Scott Moninger and Mike Sayers from Mercury, John Lieswyn from 7-Up, and four others wasted no time putting distance on their competitors.

The teams of Saturn and Prime Alliance were the biggest to miss the selection, and with small squads on hand it was going to be difficult to reverse the damage being done. The race was now broken in to four groups, and the front nine were not coming back. In just a few laps, they breakaway was breathing down the backs of the main field, and with a few more hard pulls, they were safely in the fold.

As the lap counters were looking at 15 to go, three of the groups had come back together, but another group of five were still out, and hoping to lap the field also. Unfortunately for the five, the Navigators had the strength in numbers and began to set up the field sprint for Nothstein and Walters. With a total of nine riders on the lead lap, the Navigators' blue train took over the front with 10 to go and started to ramp up the speed.

As the field came around for the final lap, it was all hands on deck as the squad delivered Mark Walters to a perfectly timed sprint to take the victory. In a close 2nd it was Mike Sayers (Mercury) followed by John Lieswyn (7-Up).

Women: Van Gilder too strong

Courtesy of Team RONA

Laura Van Gilder (Trek PLUS) won the 56 km Chris Thater Memorial criterium, beating Lynn Gaggioli (Michela Fanini) and Amy Jarvis (RONA) after attacking solo in the early stages of the race and successfully holding off a small group of chasers.

The race was aggressive from the start, as the 50-strong pack had to chase and catch several early breaks. About a third into the race's 30 laps, Laura Van Gilder broke away...and stayed away for the rest of the race. Then a group of three, which included Lynn Gaggioli of Team Michela Fanini, broke away in pursuit of Van Gilder. Amy Jarvis (RONA) managed to bridge to this group, which wasn't looking like catching Van Gilder.

"Then we watched each other more than we chased Laura (Van Gilder)," said Jarvis. "I suppose we figured Laura would outsprint us anyway."

So Van Gilder crossed the finish line unchallenged, and Gaggioli outsprinted Jarvis for second.

Photography

Images by Zui Hanafusa

Frances Harrison (CRCA/Women's Sports) leads the women's 3/4 pack up a climb
Randy Sharp (Axis, L) leads the Cat 3/4 Women
Frances Harrison (CRCA/Women's Sports) just edges out Randy Sharp (Axis) with Shelley Reynolds (HVVC/Webevent.com) in third in the Women's 3/4 race
Mark Walters sits in third
Marty Nothstein out of the saddle
ARGH! I'm being followed
Jeff Hopkins powers up the climb
The Pro Men chase group
The Pro Men finish line
The chase group in the Senior Women
The strain is starting to show
Laura Van Gilder crosses the line

Results

Men Pro I/II - 80 km
  
1 Mark Walters (Navigators)
2 Mike Sayers (Mercury)
3 John Lieswyn (7Up)
4 Viktor Repinski (Saturn Devo)
5 Alexandre Lavallee (Team VW Trek)
6 Colby Pearce (Lombardi Sports/Okoto)
7 Andrew Randell (Kissena)
8 Scott Moninger (Mercury)
9 Marty Nothstein (Navigators)
10 Peter Rogers (Iteam Nova)
11 Plamen Stoyonovich (Mercury)
12 Oscar Pineda (7Up)
13 Todd Littlehales (Navigators)
14 Jason Waddell (Mathis Brothers)
15 Steve Speaks (Mercury-Atlantic)
16 Henk Vogels (Mercury)
17 Kevin Monahan (7Up)
18 Roselvert Marte (Gap)
19 Andrew Pinfold (Ital Pasta)
20 Antoine Varghese (Ital Pasta)
21 Giusseppe Giuliano (Sympatico)
22 Melito Heredia (Toga)
23 Sergio Rolando (Toga)
24 Jason Snow (Fuji)
25 Steve Cate (Mathis Brothers)
 
Senior Women I/II - 56 km
 
1 Laura Van Gilder (Trek-Plus)
2 Lynn Gaggioli (Michela Fanini)
3 Amy Jarvis (Rona)
4 Charm Breon (Freddie Fu Cycling)
5 Lenora Felker (Freddie Fu Cycling)
6 Ericka Schwartz (Red 5)
7 Anne Samplonius (Trek-Plus)
8 Nicole Freedman (Rona)
9 Tania Duff-Miller (Freddie Fu Cycling)
10 Kerry Cohen (Marangaroo)
11 Liz Begosh (Tango America)
12 Catherine Powers (Terry Precision)
13 Marjon Marik (Prime Alliance)
14 Amyazellie Tremelling (Trek-Plus)
15 Brooke O’Connor (NEBC/Cycle Loft)
16 Kristy Gomes (NCVC/Spokes)
17 Sophie St.-Jacques (Trek-Plus)
18 Beth Leasure (Cabot/Artemis)
19 Sarah Foulkes (Verizon)
20 Katheryn Curi (Dansko/Wheelworks)
21 Ann Turrin (Amoroso’s/HH Racing)
22 Veronica Martinez (Amoroso’s/HH Racing)
23 Laura Schmidt (Terry Precision)
24 Meg Morse (Serotta)
 
Masters 30+
 
1 Jason Snow (Team Fuji)
2 Mark Light (Beans Lite Bike)
3 Wilson Vasquez (GS Mengoni)
4 Scott Bodin (Bethel)
5 Ramon Benitez (Artemis)
6 Steve Speaks (Mercury Atlantic)
7 Dave Osborne (Artemis)
8 Steve Krisko (FLCC)
9 Ted Inoue (Mercury Atlantic)
10 Aubrey Gordon (Team Squiggle)
 
Masters 40+
 
1 Ed Beamon (Watchung Navigators)
2 Steve Speaks (Mercury Atlantic)
3 Christopher Chong-Tenn (High Gear)
4 Scott Bodin (Bethel)
5 Stephen Hudyncia (MVBC)
6 Paul Marchese (GMBC)
7 Aubrey Gordon (Team Squiggle)
8 Thomas Butler (GBRC)
9 Glenn Swan (Cranford Bike Club CTS)
10 Todd Kapeghian (Tioga Velo Club)
 
Masters 50+
 
1 Chip Berezny (Bike Line LWA)
2 Philip Stanley (Tri State Velo)
3 Joe Saling (Somerset Wheelmen)
4 Ed Luban (Onondaga CC)
5 John Hawley (Team Aurora)
6 Joe McDonald (Tioga Velo Club)
7 Chuck Dominick (Onondata CC)
8 Beth Leasure (Artemis)
 
Senior Men III/IV
 
1 Steve Krisko (FLCC/ChrisCookies)
2 Aubrey Gordon (Team Squiggle)
3 Tim Tobbe (Swan Cycles/ChrisCookies)
4 Jorge Ortiz (Tarrytowns)
5 David Osborne (Artemis)
6 Keith Ryan (CRCA/Axis)
7 Jon Frederick (East Coast Velo)
8 Daniel Burnam (FCRC)
9 Bill Mathys (Bike Club)
10 Kevin Swanson (Mercury/Atlantic Racing)
11 Carlos Rivera (Metro/Sanchez)
12 Xavier Melendez (CRCA/Miyashoji)
13 John Morales (Tarrytowns)
14 Sean Marvel (CRCA/Axis Furniture)
15 Mihael Ginghina (CRCA/Remax)
16 Vincent Cintron (Moneygram)
17 Jeffrey Gustafson (Tri State Velo)
18 Jim Elsner (FLCC/ChrisCookies)
19 Ryan Graff (Main Line Cycling)
20 Chad Butts (Swan Cycles/ChrisCookies)
21 Tim Huneck (CBRC/CK Cycles)
22 Ken Thomas (Galyan’s)
23 Devin Grosh (MLC/Bikyle Flyers)
24 Somraj Seepersaud (Kissena)
25 Dan Staffo (Handle Bars Cycling)
 
Senior Men IV/V
 
1 William Dean (Nittany Velo)
2 Darius Filipiak (NCC/BikeReg.com)
3 Somraj Seepersaud (Kissena)
4 James Delaney (Tioga Velo Club)
5 Tim Bingham (Onondaga CC)
6 Chad Byers (Wallkill)
7 Mitchell Luck (Artemis)
8 Paul McDonnell (CBRC)
9 Matthew Latyszonek (Team Colavita)
10 Andrew McLaughlin (Somerset Wheelmen)
 
Sr Women III/IV (August 24)
 
1 Elizabeth Tyrell (Somerset Wheelmen)
2 Shelly Reynolds (HVVC/Webevent.com)
3 Penny Buchar (HVVC/Webevent.com)
4 Jacqueline Paull (Somerset Wheelmen)
5 Sara Barker (HVVC/Webevent.com)
6 Cheryl Osborne (Artemis)
7 Regina Hammond (CRCA/Miyashoji)
8 Kate Stewart (OCC)
9 Evelyn Egizi (Artemis)
10 Terrie Kingsbury (Elmira)
 
Senior Women III/IV
 
1 Frances Harrison (CRCA/Women’s Sports)
2 Randy Sharp (Axis)
3 Shelley Reynolds (HVVC/Webevent.com)
4 Cheryl Osborne (Artemis Racing)
5 Jane Berger (CRCA/Axis)
6 Elizabeth Renald (CRCA/Women’s Sports)
7 Kira Krenichyn (CRCA/Axis)
8 Gaetane Perreault (Onondaga CC)
9 Sara Barker (HVVC/Webevent.com)
10 Regina Hammond (CRCA/Miyashoji)
 
Citizen Women 19 - 34
 
1 Dawn Fox (Tioga Velo Club)
2 Jennifer Bennek (Onondaga CC)
 
Citizen Women 35 - 49
 
1 Marsha Kapinus (Tioga Velo Club)
2 Deborah Sprankle-Rohn (Tioga Velo Club)
3 Cynthia Ballandne (Tioga Velo Club)
4 Laura Lamash (Binghamton)
 
Citizen Men <18
 
1 Brendan Flannagan (Tioga Velo Club)
2 Michael Layton (Binghamton)
3 Barrett Sweet (Binghamton)
4 Frank Jenner (Vestal)
5 Austin Clair (Binghamton)
6 Sean Amyot (Ellisburg)
7 Matt Jacobson (Vestal)
 
Citizen Men 19 - 34
 
1 Billy Cyr (Binghamton)
2 Bill Carroll (Sinking Spring)
3 Steve Thesier (Endwell)
4 Kurt Woodruff (Binghamton)
5 Kyle Bramley (New Paltz)
6 Noel Bonk (Liverpool)
7 Jeffrey Maximiek (Horseheads)
8 John Hendrickson (Endwell)
9 Paul Brunner (Barton)
10 Mike Canestaro (Dayton)
 
Citizen Men 35 - 49
 
1 Tim Singler (Tioga Velo Club)
2 Patrick Kapinus (Tioga Velo Club)
3 Jim Malee (SVVC)
4 Ernest Bourgeois (Guys Bicycle)
5 Paul Palmer (Tioga Velo Club)
6 Lloyd Campbell (Tioga Velo Club)
7 Gary Graham (Tioga Velo Club)
8 James Pynn (Onondaga Cycle Club)
9 Doake Brown (Cortland)
10 Alan Snow (Binghamton)
  
Citizen Men 50 - 59
 
1 Bob Bresee (Tioga Velo Club)
2 Jim Metzgar (FLCC)
3 Bradley Brown (Cortland)
4 Daniel O’Brien (Binghamton)
 
Citizen Men 60+
 
1 Leonard Murphy (Main Line CC)
2 Richard Rohn (Tioga Velo Club)
3 Harold Shakelton (Starlight)

Past winners

Men
 
2001 John Lieswyn (USA) 7 UP/Colorado Cyclist 
2000 Mark Walters (Can) Team Shaklee
1999 John Lieswyn (USA) Team Shaklee
1998 (2) Frank McCormack (USA) Saturn
1997 Ashley Powell (USA) Elite
1996 Scott Mercer (USA) Team Shaklee
1995 Frank McCormack (USA) Saturn
1994 Roberto Gaggioli (Ita) Coors
1993 Mark McCormack (USA) IME-Bolla
 
Women
 
2001 Kristy Scrymgeour (Aus) Saturn
2000 Katrina Berger (USA) Charles Schwab

Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com