The Sports Page: Former Olympic Speedskater, Chantal Cermak , Thursday, February 18:

by Scott Hall

The Third Annual U.S. Speedskating National Marathon is this Saturday and Sunday in Bemidji. Racers will compete in 25K and 5oK races around a 1000 meter oval on Lake Bemidji. There will also be a Citizens Race at 2 o'clock on Saturday. Race organizer and former Olympian, Chantal Cermak (right), is our guest on the Sports Page this week (Thursday morning at 7:40).

Chantal and U. S. speedskating legend, Bonnie Blair, were just a year apart at Centennial High School in Champaign, Illinois, but Chantal didn't get started in the sport untill she was a 22 year old student at the University of Colorado. She competed in the 1000, 1500, and 3000 meter events for the U.S. Olympic team in the 1994 Olympics. She now coaches the Bemidji Speedskating Club.