6th Annual Summer Biathlon at the Altoona Rifle and Pistol Club: July 1, 2006
by Race Director Doug Hoover

The 6th Annual Altoona Summer Biathlon was contested on Saturday, July 1 at the Altoona Rifle and Pistol Club in Altoona, Pennsylvania.  This year's race included 65 competitors: 21 women and 44 men.  Although neither improved their respective course records, Doug Hoover and Sonja Hinish each won a fourth consecutive title.
 
The women's race saw Sonja Hinish (Williamsburg, PA) and Stephanie Blackstone (Everett, PA) go 1-2 for the third consecutive year.  However, in this year's race, both of these women were challenged by the strongest women's field assembled in the six-year history of the Altoona Summer Biathlon.  The top five women all finished within 2:18 of Hinish.
 
Enroute to her fourth consecutive win, Hinish broke the 20-29 age group record previously held by Lucie Bergeyova as she shot 90% to outdistance Blackstone by 60 seconds.
 
In finishing second overall for the third straight year, Blackstone broke her own course record for the fastest time recorded with two hits.
 
Emily Ingle (Warriors Mark, PA) established several standards in her first ever biathlon.  Her raw run time of 22:14 was the fastest ever recorded by a woman on this course.  Her adjusted time of 22:14 establishes her as the 3rd fastest woman ever in the 14-19 age group, the 5th fastest overall woman ever, and the fastest woman ever with zero hits.
 
Ann Sick (Millville, PA) also established several records in her first time racing at Altoona.  With an adjusted time of 22:20, she shattered the previous 40-49 age group record by over a minute and also set a new record for the fastest time recorded with seven hits.  In the process, she became the 6th fastest woman ever on the course.
 
Katie Sick (Millville, PA) established a course record of her own.  With an adjusted time of 22:49, she is now the fastest woman ever on this course with six hits and stands as the 8th fastest woman ever on this course.
 
Also of note in the women's race:  Christine Prorock-Rogers, Jeanice Naulty, and Hilary Saucy became the 20th, 21st, and 22nd fastest women ever on the course, respectively.  Caroline Mossip became the second fastest woman ever in the 60+ age group in her first attempt at the Altoona race.
 
Finally, Mary Morgan and Christine Prorock-Rogers joined a group of eleven athletes who have ever shot clean (10-for-10) at the Altoona Summer Biathlon.
 
In the men's race there were also numerous notable performances, starting with Scott Sick, Alden Sims, Todd Winters, and Christian Peterson who became the 12th, 15th, 17th, and 20th ranked competitors ever at this event, respectively.
 
Doug Hoover (Williamsburg, PA) won this event for the fourth consecutive year as he shot clean to win by a 70 second margin.
 
Ben Niebel (State College, PA) had his highest finish ever in four attempts as he shot 70% and finished second overall.  He has now finished in the top-four overall in all four races he has run.
 
Scott Sick (Millville, PA) shattered the 40-49 age group record by nearly a minute as he finished third overall with clean shooting.
 
Alden Sims (Venus, PA) led all juniors as he finished fourth overall with a 60% shooting performance and improved his previous best time by 40 seconds.
 
Tom Daly (Weedsport, NY) became the third fastest man ever in the 50-59 age group with his 80% shooting performance and time of 21:42.
 
An interesting race developed in the men's 60+ age group and three men equaled or bettered the previous age group record.  In 2004 Stephen Novak (Chardon, OH) set the age group record at 28:49.  One year later in 2005 Ed O'Rourke (Princeton, NJ) broke that record by one second with a time of 28:48.  Today, those two waged a tight battle for the entire race with Novak ultimately getting the upper hand with a better standing shooting stage.  But, both men shattered their previous course records in the process.  Novak lowered the record over two minutes with a time of 26:31 and O'Rourke eclipsed the former record by over a minute as well with his time of 27:39.  Finally, Ben Zappa (Ridgway, PA) tied the previous course record with his time of 28:48.
 
Two men joined the elite club of eleven competitors who have shot clean since 1999:  Scott Sick and Corey Murphy (Altoona, PA).
 
Overall and Age Group results of the biathlon follow.

WOMEN OVERALL
Place Name                  Hometown          Run      P    S    Final
----- -----                 --------          ---      -    -    -----
 1    Sonja Hinish          Williamsburg PA   23.46    5    4    20.31
 2    Stephanie Blackstone  Everett PA        22.16    1    1    21.31
 3    Emily Ingle           Warriors Mark PA  22.14    0    0    22.14
 4    Ann Sick              Millville PA      24.35    5    2    22.20
 5    Katie Sick            Millville PA      24.34    5    1    22.49
 6    Christine Rogers      Somerville NJ     27.50    5    5    24.05
 7    Jeanice Naulty        Birdsboro PA      27.58    5    4    24.43
 8    Stephanie Saucy       Harleysville PA   26.44    5    1    24.59
 9    Hilary Saucy          Harleysville PA   27.06    4    2    25.06
10    Hannah Sick           Millville PA      27.37    4    1    26.07
11    Becky Green-Dixon     Port Matilda PA   27.39    0    0    27.39
12    Lorella Thomas        Boalsburg PA      30.33    2    3    28.33
13    Kate Ryan             State College PA  31.01    1    2    29.46
14    Melissa Strouse       Centre Hall PA    31.39    3    1    30.24
15    Erin Daly             Weedsport NY      31.25    4    0    30.25
16    Mary Morgan           Valencia PA       34.58    5    5    31.13
17    Karen Hazenstab       Altoona PA        33.37    4    2    31.37
18    Brenda Donoughe       Altoona PA        33.13    2    1    32.13
19    Chelsea Halliday      Corinth NY        37.50    5    4    34.35
20    Deborah Keegan        Birdsboro PA      49.14    4    1    47.44
21    Caroline Mossip       Bloomingdale NJ   53.14    5    1    51.29
       
WOMEN TOP-4 OVERALL            
 1    Sonja Hinish          Williamsburg PA   23.46    5    4    20.31
 2    Stephanie Blackstone  Everett PA        22.16    1    1    21.31
 3    Emily Ingle           Warriors Mark PA  22.14    0    0    22.14
 4    Ann Sick              Millville PA      24.35    5    2    22.20
            
WOMEN 14-19 AGE GROUP     
 1    Katie Sick            Millville PA      24.34    5    1    22.49
 2    Hilary Saucy          Harleysville PA   27.06    4    2    25.06
 3    Hannah Sick           Millville PA      27.37    4    1    26.07
 4    Erin Daly             Weedsport NY      31.25    4    0    30.25
 5    Chelsea Halliday      Corinth NY        37.50    5    4    34.35
        
WOMEN 20-29 AGE GROUP     
 1    Kate Ryan             State College PA  31.01    1    2    29.46
        
WOMEN 30-39 AGE GROUP     
 1    Becky Green-Dixon     Port Matilda PA   27.39    0    0    27.39
 2    Melissa Strouse       Centre Hall PA    31.39    3    1    30.24
 3    Brenda Donoughe       Altoona PA        33.13    2    1    32.13
                   
WOMEN 40-49 AGE GROUP     
 1    Christine Rogers      Somerville NJ     27.50    5    5    24.05
 2    Jeanice Naulty        Birdsboro PA      27.58    5    4    24.43
 3    Stephanie Saucy       Harleysville PA   26.44    5    1    24.59
 4    Lorella Thomas        Boalsburg PA      30.33    2    3    28.33
 5    Mary Morgan           Valencia PA       34.58    5    5    31.13
 6    Deborah Keegan        Birdsboro PA      49.14    4    1    47.44
            
WOMEN 50-59 AGE GROUP     
 1    Karen Hazenstab       Altoona PA        33.37    4    2    31.37
            
WOMEN 60+ AGE GROUP      
 1    Caroline Mossip       Bloomingdale NJ   53.14    5    1    51.29
       
MEN OVERALL
Place Name                  Hometown          Run      P    S    Final
----- ----                  --------          ---      -    -    -----
 1    Douglas Hoover        Williamsburg PA   20.25    5    5    16.40
 2    Ben Niebel            State College PA  20.05    5    2    17.50
 3    Scott Sick            Millville PA      22.34    5    5    18.49
 4    Alden Sims            Venus PA          20.48    5    1    19.03
 5    Todd Winters          Clearfield PA     21.29    5    2    19.14
 6    Paul Harkins          Maineville OH     21.40    5    2    19.25
 7    Christian Peterson    Butler NJ         22.20    5    3    19.35
 8    John Sims             Venus PA          23.38    5    4    20.23
 9    Ethan Imhoff          Hollidaysburg PA  21.10    1    1    20.25
10    Austin Morrow         Shaker Hts OH     23.02    5    2    20.47
11    Edward Myers          Obelisk PA        23.14    5    2    20.59
12    Richard Merritts      Altoona PA        22.32    2    2    21.02
13    Don Hoffman           Ridgway PA        23.19    5    2    21.04
14    Tom Daly              Weedsport NY      24.27    5    3    21.42
15    Alex Lauer            Huntingdon PA     23.40    3    1    22.25
16    Andrew Keegan         Birdsboro PA      25.00    4    2    23.00
17    Steven Putt           Hollidaysburg PA  25.42    2    4    23.12
18    Brian Moore           Tyrone PA         25.12    4    1    23.42
19    John Donoughe         Altoona PA        26.16    4    2    24.16
20    Nathan Saucy          Harleysville PA   26.16    3    2    24.31
21    Jack Hazenstab        Altoona PA        27.18    5    3    24.33
22    John Gorgol           New Hope PA       26.11    4    1    24.41
23    Marc McCann           PA Furnace PA     25.30    1    1    24.45
24    Jay Hazenstab         Altoona PA        28.17    5    4    25.02
25    Robert Creedon        Woodbridge VA     27.23    4    2    25.23
26    David Alianiello      Altoona PA        27.58    2    4    25.28
27    Stephen Novak         Chardon OH        29.01    4    3    26.31
28    Joe Niebel            State College PA  27.09    1    0    26.54
29    Greg Garthe           Pine Grove Mills  28.37    2    1    27.37
30    Ed O'Rourke           Princeton NJ      28.39    4    0    27.39
31    Frank Gaval           Sugarloaf PA      30.28    5    3    27.43
32    James Garthe          Petersburg PA     30.58    5    2    28.43
33    Ben Zappa             Ridgway PA        29.33    1    1    28.48
34    Jim Kilheffer         E Petersburg PA   30.54    4    2    28.54
35    Jeffrey Talko         Cresson PA        31.40    2    2    30.10
36    William Wright        Ann Arbor MI      33.23    4    4    30.23
37    David Collins         Tyrone PA         33.22    5    3    30.37
38    Myron Kyle            Howard PA         32.54    5    2    30.39
39    William Harshman      Tyrone PA         31.47    2    1    30.47
40    Richard Novak         Willoughby OH     34.51    3    3    32.36
41    Tom Schettig          Cresson PA        34.12    4    1    32.42
42    Bob Duffett           Hollidaysburg PA  34.42    1    0    34.27
43    Donald Leright        Huntingdon PA     45.38    4    5    42.08
44    Corey Murphy          Altoona PA        49.14    5    5    45.29
 
MEN TOP-4 OVERALL
 1    Douglas Hoover        Williamsburg PA   20.25    5    5    16.40
 2    Ben Niebel            State College PA  20.05    5    2    17.50
 3    Scott Sick            Millville PA      22.34    5    5    18.49
 4    Alden Sims            Venus PA          20.48    5    1    19.03
          
MEN 14-19 AGE GROUP     
 1    Alex Lauer            Huntingdon PA     23.40    3    1    22.25
 2    Nathan Saucy          Harleysville PA   26.16    3    2    24.31
          
MEN 20-29 AGE GROUP     
 1    Ethan Imhoff          Hollidaysburg PA  21.10    1    1    20.25
 2    Richard Merritts      Altoona PA        22.32    2    2    21.02
 3    Steven Putt           Hollidaysburg PA  25.42    2    4    23.12
 4    Brian Moore           Tyrone PA         25.12    4    1    23.42
 5    David Alianiello      Altoona PA        27.58    2    4    25.28
 6    Greg Garthe           Pine Grove Mills  28.37    2    1    27.37
 7    David Collins         Tyrone PA         33.22    5    3    30.37
          
MEN 30-39 AGE GROUP    
 1    Todd Winters          Clearfield PA     21.29    5    2    19.14
 2    Christian Peterson    Butler NJ         22.20    5    3    19.35
 3    Austin Morrow         Shaker Hts OH     23.02    5    2    20.47
 4    Don Hoffman           Ridgway PA        23.19    5    2    21.04
 5    Jay Hazenstab         Altoona PA        28.17    5    4    25.02
 6    Jeffrey Talko         Cresson PA        31.40    2    2    30.10
 7    Corey Murphy          Altoona PA        49.14    5    5    45.29
            
MEN 40-49 AGE GROUP     
 1    John Sims             Venus PA          23.38    5    4    20.23
 2    Andrew Keegan         Birdsboro PA      25.00    4    2    23.00
 3    John Donoughe         Altoona PA        26.16    4    2    24.16
 4    John Gorgol           New Hope PA       26.11    4    1    24.41
 5    Marc McCann           PA Furnace PA     25.30    1    1    24.45
 6    Robert Creedon        Woodbridge VA     27.23    4    2    25.23
 7    Myron Kyle            Howard PA         32.54    5    2    30.39
 8    Donald Leright        Huntingdon PA     45.38    4    5    42.08
                  
MEN 50-59 AGE GROUP     
 1    Paul Harkins          Maineville OH     21.40    5    2    19.25
 2    Edward Myers          Obelisk PA        23.14    5    2    20.59
 3    Tom Daly              Weedsport NY      24.27    5    3    21.42
 4    Jack Hazenstab        Altoona PA        27.18    5    3    24.33
 5    Joe Niebel            State College PA  27.09    1    0    26.54
 6    Frank Gaval           Sugarloaf PA      30.28    5    3    27.43
 7    James Garthe          Petersburg PA     30.58    5    2    28.43
 8    Jim Kilheffer         E Petersburg PA   30.54    4    2    28.54
 9    William Wright        Ann Arbor MI      33.23    4    4    30.23
10    William Harshman      Tyrone PA         31.47    2    1    30.47
11    Richard Novak         Willoughby OH     34.51    3    3    32.36
12    Bob Duffett           Hollidaysburg PA  34.42    1    0    34.27
            
MEN 60+ AGE GROUP      
 1    Stephen Novak         Chardon OH        29.01    4    3    26.31
 2    Ed O'Rourke           Princeton NJ      28.39    4    0    27.39
 3    Ben Zappa             Ridgway PA        29.33    1    1    28.48
 4    Tom Schettig          Cresson PA        34.12    4    1    32.42

---

Return to NVRC Home Page