CANADIANS IN BERLIN

Many thanks to Randy Plett for the following report and photos -

Two Canadians were among 18 women and 64 men competing in the 14th Masters International Masters Cup in Berlin Germany.

Brett Arnason, from Winnipeg, was the top overall skater for the Men 60 age class placing 1st in the 500m (43.52), 2nd in the 1500m (2:16.84), 3rd in the 3000m (4:56.80) and 4th in the 5000m (8:43.54) distances.

Randy Plett, also from Winnipeg, was on track for a high overall standing in the Men 45 group after placing 2nd in the 500m (41.32), 2nd in the 1500m (2:03.25) and 6th in the 3000m (4:25.71) distances. Unfortunately, Randy was DQ'd in the 5000m after missing a lane change with only 2 laps remaining and on track for a PB.

Congratulations Brett and Randy!

Complete results can be seen here.

MASTERS SPEED SKATING STORY

A video by Dave Clements, of the Quinte Blades Speed Skating Club, is one of 8 finalists in the ongoing Canada's Best Speed Skating Story contest. Dave's story provides a unique insight into what motivates masters to keep skating despite the aches and pains that might otherwise relegate us to the couch.

The entries of finalists can be viewed here. The first stage of voting concludes tomorrow on February 21, 2010.

Not only a master speed skater, Dave is also a hard-working volunteer as President of the Quinte Blades Club. Good luck Dave and the Quinte Blades!

MASTERS INTERNATIONAL AMERICAN OPEN

Seven Canadians, including 5 men and 2 women, were among 54 skaters from 10 nations who took part in the 1st Masters International American Open held during January 30-31, 2010 in the Utah Olympic Oval in Salt Lake City. The olympic-style long track event offered a choice of short all-round (500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m) and sprint (2x500m, 2x1000m) competitions.

This venue, a legacy of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, is arguably one of the 2 fastest ovals in the world resulting in 29 new IMSSC records and over 60 personal best times being set at this event. Brett Arnason (Winnipeg) was temporarily the holder of the Men's (60) 1000m record with a time of 1:25.01 only to see it broken again minutes later by American John Diemont with a time of 1:22.34. Remarkably, John lowered the record again the following day to 1:21.96.
The most inspirational performances of the weekend were delivered by Randy Plett (also of Winnipeg) who, only 8 months after serious injury in a cycling race, set numerous personal bests and high overall placements in the men's short all-round competition - 6th in 500m (40.96), 3rd in 1000m (1:19.34 - PR), 3rd in 1500m (2:02.82) and 6th in 3000m (4:23.39 - PR).
Other Canadian competitors included Ann Hanham (Burlington), Julie Houle (Saint John - PR's in 500m and 1000m), Daren Lind (Edmonton), Don Bumstead (Calgary) and Ross Hanham (Burlington).

Complete results can be seen here.
Many thanks to event organizers Andrew Love and Brian Boudreau as well as all of the many officials and volunteers for the event which included with a track-side lunch and awards ceremony which recognized all IMSSC records and personal bests.

Many thanks also to Eric and Kimberly Kraan who graciously hosted a post-event party and buffet at their beautiful home in the neighbouring mountain foothills.

Watch for the 2nd edition of this event which is hoped to be held 1 week before the Masters International Speed Skating Games planned for Calgary's Olympic Oval in 2011.

MASTERS INTERNATIONAL SPRINT GAMES

Many thanks to Anika Bedard for the following report:

Last weekend many skaters came to the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee for the last of the three international meets of the season held in North America. A total of 18 women and 66 men from Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Russia and USA competed in this sprint event.

Photo by Rene Therrien

Both racing days started very early at 8 o’clock with the U.S. anthem played by Olu-Olusegun Sijuwade, talented saxophonist and skater.

Photo by Steve Penland

Photo by Rene Therrien

With tail wind from the ventilation in the oval and an excellent ice, fast times were recorded throughout the weekend and many PBs and masters world records were broken.

Canadian skaters: Don Bumstead, Brett Arnason, Constant Montpellier

and Anika Bedard.
Photos by Steve Penland

Saturday evening, skaters and friends were invited to a friendly potluck dinner at Olu’s house. The evening was filled with skate talk, world cup videos and good food! To conclude the event, a banquet and victory ceremony was held Sunday evening in the beautiful ballroom in the Hilton Hotel where a fine dinner was served accompanied by beautiful music played by Olu.

Photo by Rene Therrien

Many thanks to the organizing committee and race officials for this well organised event that we all enjoyed!

To view the complete results.

To see more Steve Penland pictures.

MICO 2010

The 3rd Masters International Canadian Open was run under perfect outdoor weather conditions in Quebec City during January 23 to 24, 2010. The 25 men and 16 women from both Canada and the USA were blessed with sunny skies, little wind and temperatures just below freezing. Canadian skaters came from Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The short all-round competition included olympic-style 500m, 1000m, 1500m and 3000m events as well as fun unofficial pursuit races of 6 laps for men and 4 laps for women. Medals were awarded in 5 year age categories for women 20-24 up to 55-59 years and for men 30-34 up to 65-69 years. Complete results can be seen here.

Many skaters and guests gathered for dinner, drinks and conversation at the nearby Restaurant Le Mundial on Saturday evening.

Additional photos can be seen here. Many thanks to Maryse Poudrier and her team of volunteers for an excellent and fun event.

LAKE MOREY MARATHON

Gaetan Rochette of Marathon Skating International sent the following message:

I would like to let you know about the Skate Vermont at Lake Morey Resort (LMR). See the press release attached.

This will be a fun weekend including two marathons which will be included in the MSI Series.

Lake Morey Resort is a Hotel located on the shore of Lake Morey Vermont. The Resort is preparing a groomed track of 1000m long for the marathons and a 5-mile ice path all around the lake for public skating.

As you may know, marathons have been organized several times some years ago and LMR would like to put it back on the schedule.

Here are some interesting facts :

No need of SSC or USSC affiliation since LMR is providing insurance. It is a good opportunity to try an ice skating marathon.

Skaters will benifit of special room rate till the race day.

And, there are activities for spouses and families such as a culinary competition on the ice, a snow sculpture contest and a torch-lit parade.

We would appreciate if you can get the word out to your mailing list.

Gaetan can be contacted at grochette@gmail.com.

MASTERS INTERNATIONAL CANADIAN OPEN - DINNER INVITATION

Thank you to Anika Bedard for extending the following invitation -

You are cordially invited to a dinner during the Masters’ International Canadian Open Speed Skating Meet on Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 18:30 at the restaurant Le Mundial located at 965 Route de L'Église, Québec.

Please confirm by e-mail your attendance and the number of people accompanying you to anikabedard@hotmail.com before January 20.

For directions from the Gaétan-Boucher Oval.

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.

LOW WALKS AROUND THE WORLD

Master speed skater, Kathy Hunt, started a new phenomena last Spring by photographing low walkers in Ottawa for the Ellis Edge Summer camp. Others have joined in and sent their own pictures of low walking in various places around the planet resulting in the publication of this photo album.

Pettit National Ice Centre - Milwaukee Wisconsin, November 2009
Photo by Jim Hundt courtesy of Catherine Kwiecien

Low walkers everywhere - unite and send your snaps to mss@cogeco.ca.

MILWAUKEE TRAINING TRIP

Six masters skaters from southwestern Ontario and one from New Brunswick travelled to Milwaukee's Pettit National Ice Centre during November 12-15 for some long track skating. Tired of the single-push straightaways of short track, the warm wind-free indoor oval was a welcome change.

Back row: Jim
Front row (left to right): Larry, Constant, Julie, Tracy, Shannon, Olu, Ross
Photo courtesy of Catherine Kwiecien

We skated 5 open sessions over 4 days and participated in time trials on the Saturday morning. Joined by our Wisconsin friends, Olu and Jim, we were also permitted to use to the available facilities for warm-up/cool-down including stationary bikes and stretching matts.

Left to right: Larry, Julie, Constant, Tracy, Shannon, Catherine, Ross, Olu
Photo by Jim Hundt, courtesy of Catherine Kwiecien

There was also time for socializing incuding celebrating Larry's 47th birthday with milkshakes at Denny's restaurant. Several of our party will be returning to Milwaukee for the 2nd Masters International Sprint Games during February 6-7, 2010.

QUINTE MASTERS CAPACITY CHALLENGE

The following message was received from meet coordinator, Laura Woodall -

Hi Folks,

Please find attached information and entry form for Quinte Masters Challenge on December 12th.

This is an Olympic Size arena :o) This meet will run at the same time as Region 12 Special Olympics qualifier which will have 12-13 skaters. Hotel information will follow tomorrow.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Please help pass this along to other masters. I look forward to seeing you there!

Hotel is arranged - Comfort Inn, 200 North Park Street, 613-966-7703, $92 per night plus tax, must reserve by November 27th.

- Laura

BANFF/CANMORE MASTERS ICE RACING CHALLENGE - UPDATE

Meet coordinator, Ian Mellors, e-mailed the following update today -

The annual short track meet hosted by the Banff/Canmore SSC is upcoming on December 11 - 12. We are again running the Masters Meet, the Masters Ice Racing Challenge, where the Masters will skate 7 times over two days, racing the 4 Masters distances.

This year we have expanded our Masters weekend. Masters skaters encompass many different types of skaters. Some skate for the thrill of competition, some to improve their skills and others as a fun form of exercise. The Masters Ice Racing Challenge (MIRC) was created to celebrate Masters short track skating. We have revamped the schedule for the weekend to include both the competitive skater and the recreational skater.

As in the past, MIRC will be combined with the annual short track ability meet hosted by the club, the Canmore Ice Racing Challenge. Skating will commence Friday night, starting with the 1000m for the competitive Masters, and exhibition races (666m, 777m, and 1000m) for age class skaters. The purpose of the exhibition races is to give age class skaters (Midget, Juvenile, Junior and Intermediate) the opportunity to get a sanctioned time in each of their official age class distances. New this year, between the 1000m heats and finals there will be approximately one hour of ice available for recreational Masters skaters to participate in skating skills activities with a coach.

Racing will continue on Saturday. The competitive Masters will skate the 777m, 500m and 1500m super final, along with the youth skaters competing in CIRC. The youth skaters will race five times over three different distances in an ability racing format.

For more information please review the attached Information sheet, forms can be found at our website.

For Masters who would like to take part in MIRC, please let me know your intent to participate asap, and if you will be participating in the banquet and Sunday Clinic, so that we can plan accordingly.

If you have any questions please drop me a line.

Sincerely,

Ian Mellors
Banff/Canmore SSC
ianmellors@yahoo.com

NEW MASTERS SPEED SKATING CLUB IN QUÉBEC CITY

Many thanks to Anika Bedard who sent the following report -

We have very good news for the master speed skating community in Québec City. Masters have finally joined forces and formed a new club called Club de patinage de vitesse des maîtres de Québec, dedicated to the specific needs of adults and master speed skaters.

Before I started skating, I was told the master speed skating was very popular and strong about 15 years ago and masters skaters were much more involved in the speed skating community of the city. For many reasons, in the last few years, membership as well as overall participation have been slowly declining to a point where we were wondering sadly if the end of masters speed skating in the city was coming. About 4-5 years ago, the Regional center was set up and their goal was to offer speed skating training for skaters of all ages. This new regional organisation was needed and offered to young skaters opportunities to develop to their best potential in this sport and eventually join provincial and national teams but it never really catered to and understood well the needs, drive and goals of masters and sadly regularly forgot to include us in their overall yearly training.

Last year, the Sainte-Foy club with François Calletta, organiser of the Pentathlon des neiges, had decided to themselves cater to their needs and offered classes for beginners and intermediate skaters supervised by the Olympian Isabelle Doucet. These classes were very popular. This year, with the merger of masters of the two major masters clubs, these classes will still continue to be offered and also a new training group is added for advanced recreational and competitive skaters under the supervision of Patrick Dufour, former coach in the Sainte-Foy club and Regional Center.

If you become a member in our club, beside the possibility of joining a training group, attend club activities and meeting nice and interesting people ;), you will be allowed to skate at the Gaétan-Boucher oval during speed skating club hours from 18:00 to 19:00 every day except Sunday and from 11:00 to 13:00 on weekends when there is no racing scheduled (see calendar). Everyone can join, even if you don't reside in the vicinity of Québec City .

The club has also decided to purchase long track skates for rental for those who would like to try speed skating.

With all these changes, we hope that it will give a push to master speed skating in the city. If you would like more information or interested in becoming a member, you can write to our president André Langlois at cpvmq@live.ca

19th MASTERS INTERNATIONAL ALLROUND GAMES

This season's edition of this penultimate masters speed skating competition will be held in Baselga de Pine, Italy during February 26 to 28, 2010. The meet will be limited to 213 skaters of which 16 are reserved for Canadian and US skaters up to December 10, 2009. After that, remaining open spaces will be allocated to skaters from other countries, who's quota's have been exceeded, on a first-come-first-served basis. At this point, only 5 of those spaces have been taken by entries from 2 Canadians and 3 US competitors.

We were fortunate to participate in this same competition in 2005 and recorded our experience, part of which is repeated below. Baslega de Pine was a magical place for us, an experience we hope others will enjoy as well. Baselga de Piné 2005 - the Canadian Perspective
July 1, 2005

The hot hazy days of the Canadian summer have arrived. Speed skating has gone into a kind of alter-hibernation while masters skaters continue to prepare for the next season to begin – running, cycling, in-line skating, weights and dryland training. What keeps these aging athletes going with continued determination, despite the aches and pains – and knowing they mustn’t quit their day jobs just yet? It’s for the love of the sport and the continued pursuit to improve. It’s for those few days each year where all other concerns are forgotten and one is completely immersed in skating – like those wonderful days we spent in Baselga de Piné last February.

Canadian masters skaters travelled to Italy from a wide variety of geographic origins in our vast country. Brett Arnason, his wife Marnie and friend Eugene Kirmey arrived first from Manitoba – a province that has produced many of Canada’s best skaters – Susan Auch and Cindy Klassen. Soon after, came Bob Laurence followed closely by Ann and Ross Hanham – all from Ontario, home to such speed skating stars as Kristina Groves, the Overlands (Kevin, Cindy and Amanda) and Derrick Campbell. Next to appear was Anika Bédard and her husband René, with friend Lyse Fournier not far behind – all from Québec which brought us the great Gaétan Boucher and so many outstanding short-trackers such as Marc Gagnon and Nathalie Lambert. And then, from western Canada, came Doug Brown, and friend Tim – who trains at the famous Olympic Oval in Calgary Alberta from which, came Jeremy Wotherspoon, - perhaps the greatest Canadian speed skater of all time.

Then last, but certainly not least, after much rumour and speculation, Patrick Kelly and his wife Karen made a surprise last minute entrance. Patrick, originally from Ontario and now living in Lake Placid New York, ranks amongst all those great Canadian speed skaters mentioned above - having represented our country at the 1992 and 1994 Olympics. For Patrick, this trip to Baselga de Piné was a trip down memory lane, having competed and trained there many years before.

For the rest of the Canadians, this was a new and wonderful place so different from their various home regions. Each morning, we awoke to church bells and roosters who didn’t seem to care what time it was. With peanut butter nowhere to be found, we soon developed a taste for Nutella – especially the milky creamy variety. Where Canada has become a land of 24-hour convenience stores and Sunday shopping, we soon found out that all of Baselga de Piné shuts down for siesta every afternoon. And so we went hungry our first day - having looked for lunch too late. When shops finally began to re-open, we discovered the wonderful fruit market where Patrizia lured Bob to the back room to sample her special stock of high-powered grappa. Although residing in a number of places throughout the town such as the Olimpic, 2 Camini, and Serraia, the Canadians soon became a sort of family, dining together in the evenings with our Dutch, Norwegian, and Korean friends at the Hotel Olimpic, the Pink Panther, Albergo 2 Camini, Ristorante de Gigi and the Pizzeria Alpino. There we would fumble with Italian menus and translation books, often gesturing as if playing charades. At our largest gathering at the Gigi, our good friend Sjoerd van Tiel of the Netherlands negotiated the entire meal with the owner calling out menu items and asking for a show of hands.

And then the real reason we travelled all this way became our daily routine - just as if we had all become independently wealthy and could do whatever we wished – skating 2 times a day at the Ice Rink Piné. We skated in the daylight and under the lights at night, skating until the ice re-surfacer forced us to leave, practicing our starts, working on our corners and gliding the straights. For Canada, despite its wintery reputation and our legacy of speed skating stars, has only 2 refrigerated ovals in the entire land. And so for those skaters who are not blessed to live in Calgary, Ste Foy or Lake Placid - Baselga de Piné presented a welcome opportunity to skate until one’s legs retained only enough strength for the walk back to the hotel and the climb up the stairs to bed – at the same time, attempting to conserve enough stamina for the racing that was yet to come.

Between these skating sessions, we walked about the town exploring the twisting winding streets of the old neighbourhoods and visiting the churches situated atop the various hilltops. From these vantage points, we gazed out to the Dolomite Mountains that surrounded this beautiful place. On one day, we all jammed into the Bédard’s rented Volkswagen like the proverbial college stunt and travelled down the mountain into Trento. While René gave a guest lecture at the university, the rest of us explored some remnants of the ancient Roman Empire on which this city was founded including the Castello del Buonconsiglio and the ruins preserved in tunnels below the streets. And then the day arrived for which we had all trained so hard, travelled so far and awaited with so much anticipation. Go to the start …… with Ann, Lyse and Anika first, followed by the men - all skating the fastest 500m we could possibly muster. And fast we were – with Bob skating the 2nd fastest time of his age group and Patrick thrilling us all with the fastest 500m of all competitors. In the days that followed there was both satisfaction and disappointment – some personal records and victories mixed with falls, nagging injuries and missed races. And when it was all over, the times told the story - with Patrick 2nd overall in his classification, Eugene declared the fastest 75-79 year old man in the world and the rest of us with varying degrees of personal satisfaction – all with gratitude to the coaching assistance of René, Karen and Tim. With racing behind us, we finally broke our training regimen and began to party - knowing we had 12 months to rid ourselves of any lingering after-effects. And so we gathered with all competitors, friends, volunteers and officials for a great feast of local delicacies and wines interspersed with vodka-induced Russian dancing and songs. There was much hand-shaking, hugging, exchanging of addresses and congratulations all around.

But now, that feeling of independent wealth that we had enjoyed for so many days began to wane – those nagging thoughts of schedules and responsibilities began to appear in the backs of our minds. In one last effort to drive them away and to prolong the Baslega de Piné experience, many of us adjourned to the boathouse bar “floating” on frozen Lake Serraia where the beer, grappa and conversation continued to flow long into the evening and our Dutch friends treated us to a demonstration of belly gliding on the surrounding ice.

But then time ran out – and we parted after final hand-shakes, hugs, congratulations and promises to keep in touch. Luggage was packed, tickets were checked and all dispersed by planes, trains and automobiles to their respective homes throughout the world. Where now in the hot hazy days of summer - we run, cycle, in-line skate, lift weights, hop and jump –knowing we can’t quit our day jobs just yet. We wait for winter to return and for one more chance to forget about everything else except the sport we love – next time.

FALL TRAINING CAMPS

For masters skaters not fortunate to live close to the Calgary Olympic Oval or the Richmond Olympic Oval, here's two opportunities to get some long track training this Fall -

The Centre d’entraînement de patinage de vitesse de la région de Québec (CEPVRQ) is running a training camp at the Gaetan Boucher oval in Québec City on November 13 to 15. This venue will also be the site of the 3rd Masters Canadian International Open scheduled for January 23 to 24, 2010.
There are also open speed skating and weekend time trials available to masters skaters at the Petitt National Ice Centre in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There is a small contingent of masters skaters from southwestern Ontario planning a trip there arriving 4:30 pm Thursday November 12 and departing Sunday November 15.

CHRONICLE OF THE TRAVELLING SKATES

Another interesting post, with thanks, from the the intrepid Travelling Skates -

I am not travelling much these days - but if you decide to travel to Québec City in January for the Master’s International Open, I hope that you will have time to visit the city and see this interesting architectural feature. Not long ago, I read an article in the Québec newspaper Le Soleil that caught my attention as a speed skater. It described interesting railings that could be seen on balconies in some areas in Québec City. To my surprise, this type of railing was also on my own balcony! These decorative bands are in fact iron leftovers from a business that use to make skating blades in the 1940’s and 1950’s and were re-used by a tinsmith to make railings.

S.Kates

3RD MASTERS INTERNATIONAL CANADIAN OPEN

If you’re over 20 and love to speed skate, here’s your chance to participate in the premier masters event of the 2009-10 speed skating season at the Gaetan Boucher Oval in Québec City. Scheduled for January 23 to 24, 2010; the meet is open to masters and senior skaters of all abilities, interest and experience – long track, short track, marathon, competitive and recreational.

Don’t have clap skates? There’s nothing wrong with fixed blade skates and short track blades also work just fine. Or you could try borrowing or buying clap blades to fit on your short track boots. You might also be able to rent clap blades from some organizations such as Zt Sports.

There will be plenty of opportunity, in the week before the competition, to enjoy the outdoor oval and test your legs in this fun and exciting sport. Skaters will come for lots of reasons – to get some exercise, achieve a personal best time (guaranteed for all newcomers) and have some fun with the friendliest folks you’ll find on ice anywhere.

Canadian Masters – Québec City 2006

The actual racing will be a short all-round Olympic-style competition (4 events, 2 skaters per race) with the potential for additional unofficial fun events such as team pursuits. But the real fun is what happens between and during the races – warm-ups, skating the inner lane (always open) and hanging out with old and new friends in the warm dressing rooms and meeting room overlooking the ice. As the competition is an international event, you may even meet some other masters from the USA, Europe and Asia.

Canadian Masters – Québec City 2006

Although not confirmed, there is the possibility (given sufficient interest) for a social get-together for all skaters on the Saturday evening between the 2 days of racing.

The Gaetan Boucher Oval is one of Canada’s premier speed skating ovals and eastern home to the National Team – so chances are good, you’ll be able to watch some of the best up-and-coming skaters in the world in between your own adventures on the ice. How’s that for inspiration? The Oval was also the site of the International Masters Allround Speed Skating Games in both 1996 and 2001.

And a trip to Québec City offers so much more than speed skating. There will be plenty of opportunity to experience one of Canada’s oldest cities which just celebrated 400 years of history, steeped in French Canadian cultural charm and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

Meet information and entry form are now available. We hope to see you there!