LAKE PLACID, N.Y. --- American speed skaters look to make their own history when they compete in Saturday and Sunday’s, Feb. 11-12, 2017 U.S. Long Track National Speed Skating Championships, in Lake Placid, N.Y. Three Olympians headline a national field of more than 100 skaters, all of whom will compete on the same track where American Eric Heiden raced to either World or Olympic record times en route to an unprecedented five gold medals during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games.

Some of the United States’ top up and coming speed skaters, who hope to someday be World and Olympic team athletes will race alongside Olympians Amy Peterson-Peck, Caroline Hallisey-Kepka and Trevor Marsicano.

Peterson-Peck competed in five Olympic Winter Games, including 1988 when short-track was only a demonstration sport, winning three medals. She was honored by carrying the U.S. flag during the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 Games, held in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Hallisey-Kepka was Peterson-Peck’s teammate during both the 1998 and 2002 Olympic Winter Games. She also competed in the 2006 winter Games, held in Turin, Italy, in which she helped to lead the United States’ 3,000-meter relay team to a fourth place finish.

Marsicano is a 2006 Olympic silver medalist in the team pursuit. He didn’t skate in the finals, but in the quarterfinals he teamed with Chad Hendrick and Jonathan Kuck.

During the 2009 World Single Distance Championships, Marsicano captured a career four-best medals, one gold, one silver and two bronze. He has also skated to two gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the world championships.

Saturday and Sunday’s event on the outdoor Olympic speed skating oval serves as a qualification event for the 2016 Winter World Cup Teams. Athletes as young as 15 to as old as 60+ are expected to compete in different age groups.

Competition Saturday is from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., while on Sunday action is from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information visit http://www.whiteface.com/events/2017-us-national-long-track-championship.

For more information about this event and all of the events and activities held on ORDA’s Olympic venues, log onto www.WhitefaceLakePlacid.com.

-- ORDA --

Established in 1982, the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) was created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. ORDA operates Whiteface, Belleayre and Gore Mountain ski areas; the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg; the Olympic speed skating oval, Olympic jumping complex and Olympic arena. As host to international and national championships, the Authority has brought millions of athletes, spectator and participants to the region, resulting in significant economic development.