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The International Masters Speed Skating Group (IMSSG) has posted a preliminary Competition Calendar for the upcoming 2008-09 season.
Although specific information is not yet available, the schedule includes a possible 4th event in North America at the Olympic Oval in Salt Lake City.
Over the past year, I've received a few e-mails from Jim Lynch in Australia asking when there's going to be some international masters short track competitions. Jim, who just recently turned 60, was the first world short track champion back in 1978. There have been some recent indicators of progress toward giving Jim and other masters short trackers this opportunity.
Out of discussions at the February 2007 meeting of the International Masters Speed Skating Committee (IMSSC) in Calgary, a separate parallel organization called the International Masters Short Track Committee (IMSTC) was formed. Coordinated by Antonio Nitto, of Italy, the committee includes additional provisional representation from Australia, Canada, Germany, Switzerland and USA. In its first news release in March 2007, it was hoped that one or more international masters short track competitions might take place during the 2007-08 season. To our knowledge, this unfortunately does not appear to have occurred.
There are other signs of activity, however, that indicate the possible beginnings of opportunities for masters to race short track in various locations around the planet such as:
During November 4 - 5, 2006, the West Allis Wisconsin Speed Skating Club ran its 1st Masters International Speed Skating Competition at the Pettit National Ice Centre in Milwaukee. The event, unfortunately, did not appear to be repeated in the club's 2007-08 calendar.
In December of both 2006 and 2007, the Banff-Canmore Speed Skating Club (headed by Ian Mellors, Canada's representative to the IMSTC) organized the 1st and 2nd Masters Ice Racing Challenge. Coined as the "unofficial Canadian masters short track championship", Ian has recently offered this event to Speed Skating Canada's Competitions Development Committee. Interested international competitors should contact Ian to determine their eligibility to participate.
There was a short track competition during August 3-4, 2007 in Chamonix France called the Trophee Leon Quaglia that appears to have attracted some masters competitors from Great Britain, France, Belgium, Italy, and the US. Results of the 26th edition of this event were published here.
Then, the Opening Games in Turnout Belgium on October 13, 2007 also included masters skaters from Belgium and the Netherlands. See here for the results.
On March 1-2, 2008 in Odense Denmark, the Danish International 2008 included mostly Danish masters, but also one skater from the Netherlands as indicated by the results.
Closer to home here in Canada, the results of the North American Championships in Milwaukee Wisconsin show masters competitors from Canada and the US, but also a senior skater from Australia. This is an event in which Australia's Dennis Pennington has been seen to compete in past years.
And lastly, the Closing Games (Golden Sun Award) took place, again, in Turnout Belgium on April 12, 2008. The results show that masters competitors came from Denmark, Belgium, France and Italy,
The eligibility of international masters skaters to compete in these events isn't known for sure. For interested masters competitors, watch here for future entry information and ask the competition organizers if you can participate.
Finally, a recent link on Peter Doucet's Speed Skate World led me to find the World Masters Short Track website of Frank Anderson in Perth Australia. This is definitely good news for international masters short track and we look forward to hearing more from Frank in the future.
Thank you to Alicia Weiss, of the Ottawa Pacers Speed Skating Club, for her following account:
Despite being held on Easter weekend, 41 masters representing 16 clubs participated at the 2008 Ontario Masters championship March 22-23. And what a show they put on!The women skated together and most finals were won in well-fought races by Shannon Rampton (Masters 2 - Ottawa) and Olga Maidankina (Masters 1 - Clarington). Both were beautiful to watch and they kept us guessing as to who would win the race. Unofficially, both set provincial records (pending formalities). The meet was a real positive experience for the women and many PBs were shattered, not just beat. Some masters appear to travel with their own cheering squads. I’ve never heard so much noise from the stands as when the Masters Men 2 heats came on. With 18 skaters, the 40-something men were able to skate a proper age class group. Newcomer Constant Montpellier (Brampton) put on quite a show to win the gold, followed by silver medalist Cameron Boyd (London) and bronze winner Vaughn MacDonald (Niagara). Masters Men 2 will have to watch out next year as Masters Men 1 gold winner. Paul Pickard (Quinte) will be among their ranks. Masters Men 1, 3 and 4 skated together and again, led some close races.It was exciting to see and hear all the masters cheering each other on. The energy was just awesome and showed the real spirit of masters racing. Congratulations to all for a successful meet. I look forward to seeing our ranks grow next year!Masters 1 – WomenGold: Olga MaidankinaSilver: Alicia WeissMasters 2 – WomenGold: Shannon RamptonSilver: Kelly BallBronze: Lisa MeyerMasters 3 – WomenGold – B RoothamSilver – Carol-Anne GreyMasters 4 – WomenGold – Anna DelaneyMasters 1 – MenGold: Paul Pickard (QUI)Silver: Jaroslaw Dubicki (OAK)Bronze: Hal Lightwood (TBB)Masters 2 – MenGold: Constant Montpellier (BRA)Silver: Cameron Boyd (LON)Bronze: Vaughn MacDonald (NOL)Masters 3 – MenGold: Elio Cozzarini (KAW)Silver: Greg Dabrowsky (BRA)Bronze: Ali Rahnema (MAR)Masters 4 – MenGold: Graham Lodge (KIN)Silver: Roger Buxton (MAR)
Complete results can be seen here.
