Two women break inline marathon records, cash checks

DULUTH, MN. (Northern News Now) - Over 2,000 people skated down the North Shore for the 27th annual NorthShore Inline Marathon.

Every year, participants come from all over the world to skate the scenic route beginning in Two Harbors and ending in Duluth.

For the first time in 25 years, two racers skated their way across the finish line toward a new title.

Karoll Arias and Gabriela Rueda both broke the women’s record for the Inline Marathon by over five minutes. Rueda finished in 1 hour, 4 minutes, 54 seconds. Arias finished in 1 hour, 4 minutes, 55 seconds. The past record was 1 hour, 10 minutes, 26 seconds set in 1998.

At 21 and 23 years old, they traveled from Columbia to compete.

Rueda said there are not marathons like the NorthShore Inline Marathon in Columbia, and it is incredible to see skaters of all ages in a strong community.

“It’s a niche of a niche,” said Adam Bradley, a member of the speed skating community. “As in there’s skating which is a niche, and then there’s speedskating which is even smaller. It’s a very small community. There’s not many people that do it.”

Bradley said Arias and Rueda’s records are long overdue.

This year the NorthShore Inline Marathon offered a $10,000 prize to anyone that could break the record.

“This town’s been waiting for that record break,” said Bradley. “For men, it’s been like 25 years or something, and then for women it’s been like 15 or something. Then there’s a prize on it which is huge.”

The men’s Inline Marathon record still stands at 57 minutes, 18 seconds set in 1998.

2023 Top 5 Results

Men

1. Hamilton Patino 1:02:08.19

2. Viktor Hald Thorup 1:02:37.22

3. Hayden Groves 1:02:40.46

4. Raul Pedraza 1:07:11.52

5. Martin Khlop 1:07:11.55

Women

1. Gabriela Rueda 1:04:54.79

2. Karoll Arias 1:04:55.09

3. Tori Carter 1:15:01.03

4. Jennifer Ibarra 1:15:21.07

5. Karin Gabriel 1:15:22.25

For more information about the NorthShore Inline Marathon, click here.

Click here to download the Northern News Now app or our Northern News Now First Alert weather app.

Copyright 2023 Northern News Now. All rights reserved.