BANFF/CANMORE MASTERS ICE RACING CHALLENGE

The following message was received from Ian Mellors - meet coordinator for the Banff/Canmore Speed Skating Club:

Please find attached the announcement and information for the 8th Annual Canmore Ice Racing Challenge (CIRC) and the Masters Ice Racing Challenge.

The Masters competition will run in conjunction with CIRC. Masters will race 500m, 1000m and 1500m on the 111m track and, if time allows, also a 3000m points race at the end of the competition.

We will not be offering a separate ISU Junior division. Any ISU Juniors skaters will race with the T2T on the 100m track.

If you have any questions, please drop me a line. Registration Forms and Summary sheet will follow shortly.

Please pass this email along to any Masters skaters who you think may be interested in attending.

USA SINGLE DISTANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS - REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

Registration is now open for this competition which will be the first of 3 major international masters speed skating events to be held in North America during the 2011-12 season. Scheduled for January 7 to 8, 2012 at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, this meet will give skaters the unique opportunity to skate up to 6 races in 2 days including 500m (x2), 1000m, 1500m, 3000m and 5000m. This is unlike many competitions where there are only 4 races or the possibility of being eliminated from the longest distance. This event also provides women with the rare opportunity to skate 5000m.

Canadian Brett Arnason at 2011 USA Single Distance Championships
Photo by Steve Penland

Located in the historical heartland of American speed skating, the Pettit Centre is an incredible facility which is highly accessible to masters skaters. There will also be much opportunity for training on the oval prior to this unique and friendly competition. Canadian participation would help to solidify this as a truly international event.

SALT LAKE CITY MASTERS CAMP - LAST CALL

US Speed Skating Masters News has issued a final notice calling for masters to enter this November 9 to 13 camp at the Utah Olympic Oval. If the recent masters camp in Milwaukee is any indication and with leadership from US Olympic medalist, Derek Parra, this camp promises to be an excellent opportunity for skaters wishing to improve their technical skills and training knowledge. Camp information and entry form are available at these links. Sign-up now and don't miss your chance to participate in this unique masters event.

U.S. WINTER NATIONAL SENIORS GAMES - RESULTS

According to results on the Rochester Speed Skating Team (RSST) website, seven women and twenty-one men ranging in age from 50 to 80 years skated in this competition for 50 years+ skaters on October 1st.

The sole Canadian competitor, Constant Montpellier, was first overall in the men's division. This was Constant's first return to short track competition since his skating accident in November 2010.

Photo courtesy of Jerry Roberts

In his event report, RSST president Jerry Roberts pointed out the following highlights -

1. Breaking into the ESL and setting up in the dark while they were sleeping.
2. Irene's professional caliber announcing.
3. The looks on the Iron Maiden's faces when Irene announced the 15 thousand metre race.
4. Tom Conley giving 80 year old Rod Tolley a false start for delay when he was slow getting to the starting line.
5. Canadian Constant Montpellier winning the U.S. National meet.
6. The heartfelt applause for all the seniors at the awards ceremony.

For his part, Constant reported on his Facebook wall: "First short track competition since I broke my back last November. Felt very unsure on my blades, but felt good to skate short track again. I'll take gold ... woot, woot :)"

Photo courtesy of Constant Montpellier

Many thanks to organizers Jerry Roberts and Melody Burdekin who opened up this national event to Canadian skaters, and to U.S. master skater extraordinaire Glenn Corso who officiated.

4th MASTERS INTERNATIONAL CANADIAN OPEN - REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

Entry form and information for this long track event to be held in Fort St. John, British Columbia on February 4 to 5, 2012 are now available on the International Masters Speed Skating Committee website.

In addition to short all-round distances (500m, 1000m, 1500m and 3000m), the competition will include exhibition racing of 100m sprints as well as team pursuits of 6 laps for women and 8 laps for men. The entry deadline is January 16, 2012. All masters (30 years+) as well as seniors (20-29 years) should seize this opportunity to skate indoors in this great Canadian masters event in the unique Pomeroy Centre.

MILWAUKEE MASTERS CAMP

Thirty-two masters, including eight Canadians, converged on the Pettit National Ice Centre in Milwaukee Wisconsin for this camp during September 22 to 25, 2011. Excellent coaching was given by many US speed skating Olympians led by Ryan Bedford, Kip Carpenter and Heidi Miller with assistance from Jilleanne Rookard, Mitch Whitmore, Trevor Marsicano and Brian Hansen.

The camp commenced Thursday afternoon with both dryland/warm-up and on-ice sessions followed by 2 dryland and 2 ice sessions on Friday, another dryland and ice session on Saturday and one final ice session on Sunday. Dryland/warm-ups were both indoors and outdoors, weather-permitting, consisting of jogging, imitations, band-work, plyometrics and slideboard.

Ice sessions covered the full spectrum from basic position through to team pursuit skating, including cornering technique and starts.
Thursday, Saturday and Sunday concluding with technical sessions on equipment, sharpening, rockering and video analysis. On Friday evening, there was a social event with food and drink sponsored by Cramp 911.

More photos can be seen here.

Both campers and coaches have been very enthusiastic about the success of this camp suggesting a good possibility of it being repeated and improved (if that's possible) in 2012. Registration remains open for another upcoming masters camp in Salt Lake City which promises to be equally great.