Hello Family and Friends,

December 20-22 was a very successful weekend for Casey at the US Championships!  He has taken one more step in the right direction of a successful comeback. Below is a summary, with some excerpts from newspaper articles.  THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TO CHEER ON THE CHAMP!!
 
Saturday
Casey was a double winner on the first day of the U.S. Championships in MILWAUKEE. Casey captured the 500-meters with a time of 36.08 seconds. He also won the men's 1000-meter event with a time of 1:11.76. Kip Carpenter placed second in both races. Nick Pearson was third in the 1000 with a time of 1:12.20.  "I was happy with the 1000," said FitzRandolph. "In the 500 I had a slip on the first turn, but otherwise I felt pretty good out there. The one thing I didn't do well was get off the line. Both openers were, quite frankly, unacceptably slow. But I look for those times to get better tomorrow (Sunday)."
 
Times from Saturday's 500- and 1000-meter competitions will be combined with Sunday's 500-meters and Monday's 1000-meters to determine the U.S. Sprint Champion. The top four skaters in the mens standings will compete in the World Sprint Championships Jan. 17-18 in Nagano, Japan and the World Single Distance Championships in Seoul, Korea at the end of the season.
 
Sunday
Casey won his third race in as many tries on Sunday. Casey claimed the men's 500-meters with a time of 35.83 seconds. "Because our men's sprint team is not 100 percent healthy right now, I'm not totally surprised at my performance this weekend," said FitzRandolph. "I'm
pleased with where I'm at. I've felt the best that I have this season."
 
Monday
FitzRandolph Claim U.S. Sprint Championships is what the headlines read!
Casey swept the weekend's men's sprint events. He won today's 1000-meters with a time of 1:11.15.  Winning all four races was definitely unexpected this weekend. But as you can imagine, he is very pleased with his results!! He finished the weekend with a combined score from all four races that totalled 143.365 points while Kip Carpenter finished second with 144.210. Nick Pearson was third with 145.295 points.
 
Casey, Carpenter and Pearson, along with Joey Cheek (Greensboro, N.C.) who finished fourth, will comprise the U.S. World Sprint Team.
 
After taking last season off, Casey is pleased with his results this weekend.  "It feels very good that I still have it," said FitzRandolph. "I can breathe a sigh of relief and know that now it's just a matter of work and good mental training.  I looked at it as a one-race competition today. It's one step up the ladder but it is an important step because it is the U.S. Championships."
 
We hope this update finds everyone well and happy this holiday season! Take care and please give our best wishes to all your loved ones this merry seaseon!!
 
Jenn and Casey Fitz