Top O Michigan Marathon winner
I would like to know what year this event started. Also I know that a Mr Johnny Muller won it in B Class back in the early to mid 50's. Would like that information, I know he ran a Van Pelt (Spring Lake Michigan Boat), motor??? & also I would like to know where he lived at that time & whatever else I can find out???
Thanks
Top-O-Michigan Marathon 1953
I finally tracked down Mr Johnny Mueller & he still lives near Spring Lake, Michigan. He won Top-o-Michigan & the 100 Mile Gull Lake, Michigan Marathon in 1953 running a Mercury KG7H & a Van Pelt Racing Scooter which was built at Spring Lake, Michigan. He also went on to win many more races in later model Van Pelt racing boats. I believe all in "b" class.
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Gull Lake,Michigan Marithon
Ronald - Thant's great you made your contact with Mueller. You mentioned the Gull Lake 100 mile marithon race in your post. At the time my uncle helped put those races on. The pits were based out of Wilkinson's marine,one of three marina's on the bay of the lake. I still have conversation with my uncle about those races on the lake I still boat on and live 5 miles from. He just turned 95 and has told me in great detail how grueling a race it was. The lake itself is 5 miles long by approx. 1/2 to 3/4 mile wide. That made for quit a few laps on a lake that at times, could have 2 foot white caps. I remember he told me at the end of the race they had ambulance personel on site to help the racers get out of their boats and tend to their woehs. It's one of the old forgotten marithons of the 1950's. It would be very cool to see a re-run of on this lake. Unfortunetly it's all developed with big buck lake homes and no real good spot to pit out of. They also had some unlimited races held on this lake as well.If anybody has any more history or pic's of this marithon from the past please share them.
The first picture is of the lake and how it looks today. The second one is of my relitives enjoying my uncles boat on the lawn of our cottage on the lake during that time period.