OLYMPIC TORCH

As it has, and will, in more than 1,000 communities across Canada - the Olympic torch, on its 106 day journey from Greece to Vancouver, passed within 1500 m of my home last Saturday evening.

Ann and I stood with our friend and skate coach Mike Murray and his family and watched it come through the darkness up the hill that I've cycled and ran for the past 25 years. And be passed to another bearer in the park where we used to play with our own children.

Earlier that day, I had skated in Gage Park in Brampton where the ice was in unusually good condition - again with thanks to the torch which had lapped it twice the previous evening in the custody of sledge hockey player Ryan Bennett.

Photo courtesy of the Brampton Guardian

It's truly amazing and inspirational how one can be touched in small ways by something so huge.

QUINTE MASTERS CAPACITY CHALLENGE

Many thanks to Kathy Hunt for the following report and photos -

Who would think skating 6 races in just 4 hours could be fun? All the masters who attended the recent Quinte Blades Master’s meet in Belleville will tell you that it was great!

We raced between 6 and 10 p.m. on Saturday, December 12^th, 2009. The Group “A” Master’s skated two each of 1000 meters, 500 meters and 1500 meters, and the Group B Master’s skated two each of 666 meters, 500 meters and 777 meters. The racing schedule sounds intense, but we were pleasantly surprised by our successes. The short period between races gave us enough time to rest but still keep warmed up.

The two master’s groups alternated in the racing schedule with the Special O’s throughout the friendly evening of racing. The atmosphere was cosy as we stepped out on to the huge, glass-smooth ice surface to hear ourselves informally announced by first name and club only. Afterwards we checked our results on the unique hand-written score board. Who knew it could still be done without computers?

Sandy shows us the travelling scoreboard.

And after all that racing we still had energy to celebrate. We gathered at Crabby Joe’s to indulge in the half-price appetizers and a few pints, of course! The special results board followed us there, and we enjoyed the camaraderie of studying it together.

Note: quarters, results, draft, smiles. The food didn’t last long once it arrived!

(in photo: Kathy, Alicia, Shannon, B, Colleen, Vytas, John P, Sandy, Dave)

After some congratulatory clinking of glasses Dave awarded us our “medals” – a 2010 Speed Skating quarter for all participants, and the “Slow Poke” prizes for those who finished at the bottom of their groups. Who knew slower could be better? And yes, a few of us did a “low walk” photo to add to Ross’s Master’s Blog collection.

Low walking at Crabby Joe's - Kathy, Alicia, Dave, Becky, Sandy

All the master’s would like to thank Laura Woodall, Dave Clements and the entire Quinte Blades club for running such a unique and enjoyable meet. It was a first of its kind, a fabulous idea and a resounding success! We all hope there will be more to follow.

Double “thumbs up” for the Quinte Blades!

Complete results can be seen here.

MASTERS COMPETITORS NEEDED

Registration deadlines for 3 major international masters meets in North America are fast approaching.

As of December 8, twenty-two skaters have registered for the 3rd Masters International Canadian Open to be held in Quebec City during January 23-24, 2010. Registration closes December 23.

Masters Meet in Quebec City - 2006

One week later, the 1st Masters International American Allround & Sprint will be held in Salt Lake City's Olympic Oval. So far, thirty-four competitors from 10 countries have signed-up including five Canadians. Registration closes January 9, 2010.

And on February 6-7, 2010; Milwaukee's Pettit International Ice Centre will host the 2nd Masters International Sprint Games. The registration cut-off has recently been extended to January 9, 2010 to try to increase the number of skaters currently estimated at 79. Of the 10 nations represented to-date, there are four Canadian competitors.

Masters Meet in Milwaukee - 2006
Photo courtesy of Andrew Love

These 3 meets represent a unique opportunity for masters speed skaters in North America - especially the Milwaukee sprint games which will not likely return to this continent for several years to come. There is plenty of capacity for additional skaters in all these competitions and it's hoped more will decide to join in the fun in the final weeks before registration closes.

QUEBEC MARATHONS

Masters skaters were prevalent in both events of Marathon Skating International's 2009-10 race series which opened this past weekend with the successful running of the Quebec Marathons at the Anneau Gaetan-Boucher in Quebec City.

Photo by Thais Martel from Quebec Hedbo

Fifty-two competitors completed the 25 km event on Saturday evening under excellent conditions with -1C temperature and no wind. Top skaters for men were Jim Cornell (40-49), Juri Juteau (30-39) and Sergio Almeralla (30-39), with Martine Charbonneau (30-39), Madison Roy (0-19) and Anika Bedard (40-49) finishing as the fastest women.

Sunday morning's 40 km race was slightly colder and windier with 29 skaters finishing. Winners in the men's category were Sergio Almeralla, Jim Cornell and Juri Juteau while the top women were Suzanne Dionne (40-49), Catherine Kwiecien (40-49) and Marie-Pierre Parent (20-29).

Complete results can be seen here.

Many thanks for an excellent event to organizers including Gaetan Rochette, Pierre Gagne and Maurice Gagne.