Around the World
14-Year-Old is the Youngest to Finish Marathon on Antarctica
Winter Vinecki aims to run all seven continents in honor of her deceased father.
When 14-year-old Winter Vinecki, an ace student at Stanford University’s online high school and two-time Ironkids national champion, crossed the finish line of the Antarctica Marathon on March 30, she became the youngest person to run 26.2 miles on the formidable continent.
Vinecki raised her arm in victory—and, no doubt, relief—as she ran the final few steps of what amounted to nearly five hours of running in 22-degree temperatures.
Vinecki’s time of 4:49:45 earned her third place in the women’s race, behind winner Inez Anne Haagen, 49, of the Netherlands, who ran 3:41:52, and U.S. resident Ginger Howell, who clocked 4:24:24.
“It hasn’t hit me yet,” says Vinecki of her achievement, in an email between classes. “I was just out there doing what I needed to do for the 1 in 6 men in the world [who have prostate cancer].”
In 2008, Vinecki’s father, Michael, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of the disease. The young triathlete, who has been racing since she was five, initially planned to compete as a means of shedding light on childhood obesity, but founded Team Winter in honor of her dad instead.
When he passed away in 2009, Vinecki set a goal of running a marathon on all seven continents. With the Antarctic race now behind her, she has four remaining: Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia. She plans to finish them all before she turns 15.
Vinecki trains in Park City, Utah, as a member of the Fly Elite aerials ski team as a 2018 Olympic hopeful. She qualified for the Junior Freestyle Skiing World Championships, but gave up her spot in order run on the Earth's southernmost continent.
Vinecki’s achievement follows on the heels another young competitor’s Antarctic success. In February, Nikolas Toocheck completed the White Continent Marathon, Antarctica’s other marathon, at age 9. Due to inclement weather, Toocheck and his father were among 27 runners forced to stop after 18 miles to board a plane to Chile. The young runner, now 10, finished the remaining 8 miles in Chile for a combined time of 6:20.
Like the White Continent Marathon, competitors in the Antarctica Marathon faced travel challenges. The ship originally scheduled to transport runners from the tip of Argentina to the race on King George Island was damaged by an iceberg. It took three weeks to secure a new ship.
Ninety-two of the 114 original registrants were able to rearrange their schedules and compete on the frozen tundra. Among them were Alan Nawoj, 33, of Lexington, Massachusetts, the men's winner (3:29:56) as well as 17 runners intent on completing their quest to run a marathon or half-marathon on all seven continents. All 17 were inducted into the Seven Continents Club during an outdoor barbecue after the race.
Vinecki raised her arm in victory—and, no doubt, relief—as she ran the final few steps of what amounted to nearly five hours of running in 22-degree temperatures.
Vinecki’s time of 4:49:45 earned her third place in the women’s race, behind winner Inez Anne Haagen, 49, of the Netherlands, who ran 3:41:52, and U.S. resident Ginger Howell, who clocked 4:24:24.
“It hasn’t hit me yet,” says Vinecki of her achievement, in an email between classes. “I was just out there doing what I needed to do for the 1 in 6 men in the world [who have prostate cancer].”
In 2008, Vinecki’s father, Michael, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of the disease. The young triathlete, who has been racing since she was five, initially planned to compete as a means of shedding light on childhood obesity, but founded Team Winter in honor of her dad instead.
When he passed away in 2009, Vinecki set a goal of running a marathon on all seven continents. With the Antarctic race now behind her, she has four remaining: Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia. She plans to finish them all before she turns 15.
Vinecki trains in Park City, Utah, as a member of the Fly Elite aerials ski team as a 2018 Olympic hopeful. She qualified for the Junior Freestyle Skiing World Championships, but gave up her spot in order run on the Earth's southernmost continent.
Vinecki’s achievement follows on the heels another young competitor’s Antarctic success. In February, Nikolas Toocheck completed the White Continent Marathon, Antarctica’s other marathon, at age 9. Due to inclement weather, Toocheck and his father were among 27 runners forced to stop after 18 miles to board a plane to Chile. The young runner, now 10, finished the remaining 8 miles in Chile for a combined time of 6:20.
Like the White Continent Marathon, competitors in the Antarctica Marathon faced travel challenges. The ship originally scheduled to transport runners from the tip of Argentina to the race on King George Island was damaged by an iceberg. It took three weeks to secure a new ship.
Ninety-two of the 114 original registrants were able to rearrange their schedules and compete on the frozen tundra. Among them were Alan Nawoj, 33, of Lexington, Massachusetts, the men's winner (3:29:56) as well as 17 runners intent on completing their quest to run a marathon or half-marathon on all seven continents. All 17 were inducted into the Seven Continents Club during an outdoor barbecue after the race.
Source: http://www.runnersworld.com/
