Sunday's Leader-Telegram Article

TheTelegram requires a purchase to read this article online. What you don't get to see are the pictures. Amy and I were also mentioned on the front page as corresponding for the paper beginning February 16th. Can't wait for this all to begin this Friday!!!! (our part of this article starts about half-way down)


Leader Telegram News Front Page
Olympic dreams: Locals to attend event
Longtime friends

Karlene Lorentz. Former competitive speedskater Karlene Lorentz is thrilled she will be able to watch a speedskating event at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Posted: Saturday, February 6, 2010 11:00 pm Updated: 11:20 pm, Sat Feb 6, 2010.

By Gary Johnson Leader-Telegram staff 0 comments

Just like during her competitive speedskating days, Karlene Lorentz expects to feel the adrenaline flowing next Sunday when she steps into the Richmond Olympic Oval, a venue at the 21st Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The Eau Claire resident and her husband, Jeff, will attend their first Olympics, spectating at the finals of the women's 3,000-meter speedskating event.

Karlene, 56, started speedskating during her youth with the Eau Claire Roll-On speedskating club. After taking several years off, she returned to speedskating and finished third in the women's master's division of the 1997 National Long Track Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y.

"Some of the skaters in the Olympics this year skated in past meets with me, though they were younger," said Karlene, a homemaker.

Calling his wife "the athlete in the family," Jeff Lorentz is happy Karlene will be able to see speedskating in person.

"I think it's going to be a great experience for her," said Jeff, 57, who works for the state Department of Transportation. "I'm hoping she enjoys little flashbacks of when she was competing competitively."

During their trip, the Lorentzes will see their son Chad and his wife, Wendy, and they plan to stay a couple of nights at a hotel about 60 miles out of Vancouver.

The Lorentzes will be at the games for four days and hope to find tickets for several events, drink hot chocolate and enjoy the camaraderie of the international event.

"I love the Olympics," Karlene said.

Friends since fourth grade, Jennifer Holec and Amy Lund have a list of adventures they want to experience before they turn 40.

The 1992 Altoona High School graduates can cross another one off their "to do" list when they attend the Vancouver Olympics.

"Both of us love all the events," said Holec, 35, an Eau Claire bank manager. "The hardest part will be that we're missing some while we're traveling. Otherwise we'd be glued to the TV."

The women said the chance to see the Olympics in person in a neighboring country was too good to pass up.

Holec and Lund hope to see athletes and famous people in person while soaking in the Olympic atmosphere.

"Being in the middle of what you see on TV, that will be amazing," Holec said. "I'm going in with not a lot of expectations. We'd like to see the flame and just talk to people."

The longtime friends will see at least two events - luge and curling - but hope they can get tickets for more events.

Lund, 36, a social studies teacher at LaFarge High School, called the thought of being at the Olympics "almost a little unreal."

"One of the things I like to do is travel to share my experience with the kids," said Lund, who teaches geography. "The Olympics are a great example of how countries can work together instead of always talking about fighting. People put that aside during the Olympics."

Holec agreed, saying professional sports get too heated at times.

"It's the camaraderie of all the athletes (in the Olympics)," Holec said. "It's more for the love of the sport at that level."

Lund said there may be other Olympic trips in the women's futures.

"I'm hoping this won't be my last Olympics," she said. "I hope it will give me a taste of what it is like. And if I see somebody famous, that would be cool."