February 4th 2010- Tons Of Long Track Speed Skating News, Videos, Articles, & More

February 4, 2010

With the 2010 Winter Olympics fast-approaching, I’ll do my best to keep SSW updated with fresh speed skating news.

On that note, please understand that I’m balancing training and work with maintaining SSW.

If you need a short cut to the juice stuff, here are ‘Peter’s Picks’:

With that being said, let’s dive straight into all that is good and recent from the wide world of long track speed skating.

VIDEOS

BLOG ENTRIES

At the end of the farce, and after a five day delay, despite being at the top of three very short lists, none of the guys made the final cut. Devastating doesn’t even begin to describe it, especially for Josh, who was our highest-ranked skater in a world cup in ANY event, who had actually qualified, only to be bumped out by an out-of-form skater (who wouldn’t have even made the reserve list this year) on a strange technicality.

RESULTS & REPORTS

Outdoor ovals are a different story, especially those with natural ice. Hard natural ice exposes all technical flaws in a skater. Any inefficiencies are accentuated, especially when you get tired. It is a whole different ball game, because I not only need to focus on racing the race, but I also need to change my tactics. This could include getting lower going into the wind and sitting slightly higher with the wind. If its going to be windy, then I’ll use it to my advantage.

‘RZ on the slideboard, imitating what she sees her daddy doing. She is not facing the right direction, but she is smiling, and that is more important than technique for a little kid! (and for most adults too…)‘- photo from Andrew Love

Photo from Andrew Love

PICTURES

Photo from here

Photo from Tims ProSkateShots

Sjoerd wins- photo from Tims ProSkateShots

Sjoerd crashhhh!!- photo from Tims ProSkateShots

MISC/ STUFF I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT’S ABOUT, PROBABLY BECAUSE IT’S NOT IN ENGLISH

And while it’s expected this should be a great Games for Canada in the medal standings, the real rewards are likely to come in 2014 in Sochi and beyond – if we maintain a strong sports system.

I can only tell what went through my mind:

Hope I won’t have a false start,
Hope I wont’t fall during the start,
Hope my opening is decent enough for a fast endtime,
Hope I won’t have a messy crossing,
Hope he doesn’t cross over me at the first crossing in case I had a first
innerlane,
Hope I can make use of my opponent somewhere (drafting behind him during a
crossing),
Hope I have some over at the last straight.
Hope I have a new personal record, or at least a seson best.

OLYMPICS

Its important we remember what a great season these guys have had and are having. When you try to make an Olympic team after only one year in a sport it was never going to be easy. Even Olympic champion Derek Para did not pull that off in his first season. March 2009 we celebrated as these two boys and their team mate Sophie Muir broke into the times needed just to compete at a world cup. It went on from there with constant improvement and even with this non- selection the improvement is not stopping, as we speak the everyone is getting faster and faster.

Photo from Stuart Davis, Vancouver Sun files

By my count, the AP predicts 30 total medals for Canada and 27 each for the United States and Germany. A whopping 15 of Canada’s medals are expected to be gold, with nine going to the U.S. and eight going to Germany.

By SSW | Posted in A Bit Of Sunshine, Article, Blog, Championships, Facilities, Forum, Funny, Inspiration, Interesting, International, Interview, Junior, Long Track, Marathon, National Selection, Olympics, Photos, Race Series, Records, Reports, Results, Skaters, Sport Development, Training, Travel, Upcoming, Video, World Cup | Comments (0)

February 1st 2010- Long Track Speed Skating News

February 1, 2010

Ok, let’s start the weekend re-cap with long track speed skating news;

The family of nations is equally strange & wonderful during the Olympic games. You can feel intense national pride one moment, chant USA! USA! USA! at the top of your lungs, and the next find yourself granting deep respect and admiration for athletes from all over the world.

You find yourself celebrating with them, after a moment earlier, cheering against them.

Clara Hughes- photo from here

Speed Skating Canada (SSC) wishes to congratulate Clara Hughes (Glen Sutton, QC) on being named Canada’s flag bearer for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony. The announcement was made by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) moments ago in Richmond, BC, home of next month’s speed skating competitions.

Andrew Love & a masked friend- photo from Andrew Love

Italian team during World Junior Cup in Baselga di Pine- photo from Passion-For-Skating

By SSW | Posted in A Bit Of Sunshine, Blog, Championships, International, Junior, Long Track, Marathon, Olympics, Photos, Race Series, Results, Skaters, World Cup | Comments (0)

Speed Skaters Featured In Verizon Commercial

January 25, 2010

Here’s one of the greatest commercials of all-time; Verizon- Sail.

My favorite skater is the guy in blue ;)

By SSW | Posted in A Bit Of Sunshine, Legends, Long Track, Television, Video | Comments (2)

January 18th 2010- Short track news, a bit of roller

January 18, 2010

Here are a few links coming from the early part of this past weekend.

My entry with the flame was announced and the crowd went wild. Something popped into throat and I was fighting back tears. My jog was real now. I have honestly never felt a shudder like that before. I remember one similar when we were at Canada Winter Games back in 2003, but this was more intense.

SHORT TRACK NEWS


Photo from Liam McFarlane


Photo from Michelle Portesi


Photo from Maarten Slembrouck’s Blog

A BIT OF ROLLER


Photo from Bont Skates

By SSW | Posted in A Bit Of Sunshine, Blog, Championships, Companies, Gear, Inspiration, International, Junior, Olympics, Photos, Reports, Roller, Short Track, Skaters, World Championships | Comments (0)

January 13th 2010- Lots Of Roller Speed Skating News

January 13, 2010

Below are a bunch of links to news & more from the wide world of roller speed skating;

I’m sick of our sport being in decline, so here is a plan…at least from an American perspective because that’s where I live.

One reason for the demise of the sport in my opinion is that most USA racing is done INSIDE away from the public eye.
That’s a fact that is probably not going to change, but here is a way to get it in everyones face and on TV and get some momentum going.
Joey is just the guy to do it.

Follow me here.

Joey is Mates with Apollo Anton-Ono, I believe they train (Gym work) together sometimes at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
Joey is Mates with Chad Hedrick…former USA team mates in fact.
Joey is Mates with DD (Derek Parra)

That is 3 OLYMPIC Champions with a huge Media Draw who used to roller and inline skate!
I can’t be certain about Chad and Apollo, but my guess is that this Feb could be their last Olympics and DD has already dropped out of competition.

These 3 Athletes OWE Inline Skating in part for their success and I think it is time for a bit of payback after the Olympic competition.
It would help tremendously if somewhere we had an “Angel” investor who could motivate theses 3 with a Big $$$$ amount, but if not, they should just go back to their roots and help us wheelies out a little.


Photo from ASTA


Photo shared by Powerslide

By SSW | Posted in A Bit Of Sunshine, Advice, Championships, Companies, Equipment, Events, Falls, Forum, History, Indoor, International, Long Track, Marathon, Photos, Race Series, Reports, Roller, Skaters, Sport Development, Technique, Track, Training, Upcoming, Vendor, World Cup, Youth | Comments (0)

January 12th 2010- Lots of blog entries plus more, including reports

January 12, 2010

Here are numerous blog entries that I have found for you

ROLLER BLOGS & MORE

When you’re training at a top level in skating, it requires that you push yourself above and well beyond the level of comfort; you are physically required to break your muscles down to build them stronger and more tolerant. This, in turn, will cause you to temporarily go backwards in terms of speed, strength, and endurance, which is completely normal and sometimes this breakdown period lasts a long time- it does not mean you’re over training. I’ve been around some of the best olympians in the world and after observing their training habits, im confident that term “over training” is commonly misused; what you really mean to say is you’re sick of being outside of your comfort zone. Every time i come back from being off for a long period of time, i put myself through hell to get back in the condition i was in before… sometimes i go weeks at a time getting beat by people i know i can smash, which drives me up a damn wall, but i know its what i have to do. The point is this, when you’re hurtin so bad you cant see straight and you think it’s because you’re over training, bight the bullet and ride it out, you wont regret it.

ICE BLOGS & MORE

As excited as I am right now, having just qualified to race in my first Olympic Games, I have to be honest when I say that my race yesterday was not perfect. Don’t get me wrong, I’m NOT complaining about how I finished, or about the fact that my first Olympic Games will be at home. That is pretty incredible. All I’m saying is that there were a few things that could have gone a lot better during my race.

This whole experience has made me ask some tough questions because I now feel a void inside me. I’ve worked so hard over the last few years to try and achieve this goal and it was over before I knew it.

Denny Morrison will be packing at least three pairs of skates for the Olympics – you can never be too prepared – but there’s something else the Canadian speed skater wants to take with him to Vancouver: his brother.For the past few years, Denny and his older brother Jay Morrison have had their sights set on competing for Canada as a brother tandem. The speed skating Morrisons of Fort St. John, B.C., don’t lack for drive or talent, but they are now facing an unexpected glitch in their master plan.

So here’s the news, back in July I got an unusual call from the City of Medicine Hat. Unusual in the sense that I never get a call from the City of Medicine Hat. Turns out, they submitted my name to be a torch bearer in Medicine Hat this coming January 16th! But wait a minute that’s not all, I will be the final torch bearer that evening and will be lighting the cauldron in Medicine Hat. The Olypmic flame will be staying there over night.


Photo from Clara Hughes


Photo from Laurie Marceau

By SSW | Posted in A Bit Of Sunshine, Blog, Championships, Indoor, International, Junior, Long Track, MISC, Marathon, National Selection, News, Nutrition, Olympics, Photos, RIP, Reports, Roller, Short Track, Skaters, Sprint, Team, Training, Travel, Trials, Video, World Championships | Comments (0)

Andrew Love- Salt Lake City Long Track Speed Skating World Cup- Day 3

December 23, 2009

Andrew Love’s most recent little treasure that he shared with us is SLC world cup day 3;

Jeremy Wotherspoorn, ripping a 1000m. He has skated some of the most brilliant races I have ever seen in person… Jer, many of us in the Speedskating world are cheering for you. I have chatted with him a few times, this is such a nice guy…

Contrasting styles of the uber-smooth “catman” 1998 world sprint champ Jan Bos, and the fighting style of Chad Hedrick… Jan is flowing in his skating, and Chad just fights like crazy. But I have always pointed out that when you slo-mo these top athletes, or just see static images, you can see that their essentials, like push direction, are always perfect. Push direction is what counts.


Photo from Andrew Love

By SSW | Posted in A Bit Of Sunshine, Blog, International, Long Track, Photos, Race Series, Reports, Skaters, World Cup | Tagged | Comments (0)

Christmas At The Oval

December 23, 2009

Today Christmas arrived at the oval as all five of us were at the speed skate practice time at 2:00pm. Prior to going on the ice I gave each recipient a bag with his/her initial on it and on the count of three they opened their bags. Each of us wore our hats and they are as comfortable and warm as they look.

Read more here; Christmas at the oval.

By SSW | Posted in A Bit Of Sunshine, Blog, Long Track, MISC | Comment (1)

France’s Dynamic Duo Christophe Audoire And Nathalie Barbotin Tie The Knot

December 23, 2009

For years, France’s dynamic duo of Christophe Audoire and Nathalie Barbotin could be seen together, side-by-side. Now, the couple have tied the knot. Read more here; Christophe Audoire / Nathalie Barbotin se disent oui.


Photo from here

By SSW | Posted in A Bit Of Sunshine, Congrats, Roller, Skaters | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Crazy Apolo Ohno Creates New Winter Olympic Discipline: Speed Skating Down Luge Course

December 22, 2009

Most people would have to either use a lot of cheap drugs, or have a death wish, to do what Apolo Ohno does in this video- see what I mean here; Sports Challenge: Speedskater Apolo Ohno Skating Down the Luge.

By SSW | Posted in A Bit Of Sunshine, Short Track, Skaters, Video | Tagged , , , | Comments (2)