Ronald Philip SKARIN

Ron Skarin competed on the roads for the United States at the 1972 Olympics, riding the team time trial, and then was a track racer in 1976, riding in the team pursuit. Skarin was quite versatile, winning 10 US titles from 1971-81, with six in the team pursuit, the 1975 individual pursuit, the 1976 10-mile scratch race, the 1978 points race, and the 1981 Madison. He was champion on the roads at the 1973-74 Tour of Somerville, at the time the premier single-day race in the United States. Skarin won a gold medal in team pursuit at the 1975 Pan American Games.

Skarin also competed in Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) racing. Between 1973-80 he broke several records for HPV speed records, including the men’s hour record, which he set in May 1979 at Ontario Motor Speedway in California, covering 51.310 km. In 1980 he also helped set the tandem hour record of 74.497 km.

Skarin stayed in cycling as an administrator. He was Director of the US Cycling Federation from 1979-80, and was an assistant coach of the US cycling team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Skarin was also a director at the Encino Velodrome from 1981-86 and coached introductory track cycling classes at the velodrome.