Monday, August 22, 2011

US WINTER NATIONAL SENIOR GAMES - FORMAT CHANGE

Jerry Roberts, of the Rochester Speed Skating Team, has sent the following message last week about this event -

Here is the latest on our senior meet. The Sports Authority got a bit nervous about ice costs etc, and the result is that it is now a one day meet Saturday October 1.

I have enclosed the application and poster. We welcome all over 50 (by December 30, 2011) skaters. Registration deadline is posted as 9/3, but will be extended. They just want to get an early head count.

There will be a welcoming party on Friday, and something similar on Saturday. Ice time is reserved from 8:00a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and we'll try for an early morning warmup. Note; they charge an extra $5 for charge cards, but checks are welcome.

Any questions, go to the website or e-mail on the flyer, or directly to me at rsstpresjerry@frontier.com .

I've been practicing Oh Canada on the bag pipes, I hope at least one of you shows up so I can play it.

Should you wish to speak, my daytime cell is 585-943-4919.

Thanks;

Jerry Roberts

It's important that anyone wishing to participate in this event register ASAP.


Saturday, August 13, 2011

2011 US WINTER NATIONAL SENIOR GAMES - REMINDER

Melody Burdekin has sent the following reminder about this event -

On behalf of the Rochester Speed Skating Team (RSST), I'd like to invite your masters skaters (age 50+ by 12/31/11) to join us at the 2011 Winter National Senior Games. These will be held in Rochester NY with a Welcoming Party on Friday 9/30/11 and short track racing from 8 am to noon on Sat. 10/1 amd Sun 10/2. Distances raced will be 500m, 1000m and 1500m.

The Senior Games are hosted by Monroe County Sports and the short track speed skating will be run by RSST. This is sure to be a great time and we hope to see all of your master skaters there!

Please pass on this e-mail to any masters skaters in your area. There are several host hotels to chose from but they are filling up fast. I have called the Holiday Inn Airport and know they still have several rooms available with double beds. Registration ends 9/23 but don't wait til the last minute! We are hoping to get as many skaters registered in the next few days as possible. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Registration for Senior Games can be done on-line by clicking onto this link for the Senior Games.

Thanks - - Melody

Melody can be contacted at melodyb64@yahoo.com

Saturday, July 23, 2011

US MASTER CAMPS - SALT LAKE CITY REGISTRATION OPEN

Information and registration are now open for the Salt Lake City camp are now available on the Utah Olympic Oval website.

Olympic champion Derek Parra and the Utah Olympic Oval, site of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, are offering this 2011 Masters Training Camp. The camp is open to novice-advanced masters skaters and will cover specific long track aspects of training and technique as well as a general Nutrition clinic and introduction to Sports Psychology.

The week will include 9 hours of long track skating on the 400m sheet of ice and 5 hours of “off-ice” dry land training, including video analysis, between “on-ice” training sessions. The camp will begin on the evening of November 9th with a registration/check-in meeting to go over the finalized schedule and the Utah Olympic Oval policies and procedures. The week will wrap up on Sunday, November 13th with metric time trials for those participants who are interested in setting a fast time in various “official” distances. The training camp cost is $200.00 per participant.


For more information, contact Derek Parra at Derek.Parra@Olyparks.com

Sunday, July 17, 2011

US WINTER NATIONAL SENIOR GAMES - UPDATE

Melody Burdekin has provided an update regarding the Winter National Senior Games to be held in Rochester NY.

The distances raced will be 500, 1000 and 1500 m. Check-in will be Friday evening (during the welcoming party for participants) and skating will be Saturday October 1 and Sunday October 2 from 8 am to noon. The mail-in registration period has been extended, so all entries must be received by September 23, 2011.

Anyone wishing more information should contact Melody at melodyb64@yahoo.com.

US MASTERS SPEED SKATING NEWS

The Masters Council of US Speed Skating has published its first edition of US Masters Speed Skating News.

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

US MASTER CAMPS - MILWAUKEE REGISTRATION OPEN

Information and registration form for the Milwaukee camp are now available on US Speed Skating's website.

Participants must have some prior experience. Registration is open to the first 30 skaters who apply before September 8, 2011.

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

US MASTERS CAMPS - UPDATE

With respect to these proposed camps, Glenn Corso has provided some additional information, as follows, and is looking for initial feedback.

CAMP 1 - MILWAUKEE

The dates look like they will be September 21 or 22 through the 25th. This will be run by Ryan Bedford, not the oval, so payments and registration will be directly to him (cheque or cash). I'm expecting this is going to run around $200-$300 each. Final numbers have not been nailed down yet. Each participant will be responsible for their own hotel and transport. Hotels can be chosen from the list on the Pettit website for discounts. Groupings may be facilitated once we have a better handle on registrants. $10/session payable to the oval since it is not their event. Insurance will be part of the purchase of the oval access so you don't have to be a member of USS, but you should be.

This will be the second weekend after they start getting the ice up at the Pettit and is the one that will guarantee the ice will be stable enough to have starts. That being the case, there will likely be time trials on Saturday morning, the 24th.

We're trying to structure this so that if someone cannot make the whole camp, they can come in mid-stream or leave early, or just come for one day. Pricing will be determined by Ryan if I can nail him down long enough.

Here is the general plan:
  • Thursday afternoon ice, allowing for people to travel in on Thursday morning, if desired.
  • Friday ice AM and PM, dryland/off-ice AM and PM
  • Saturday ice AM and PM (possibly mid-day if there are races that weekend or implement them into the camp)
  • Sunday off-ice AM, ice AM
  • Video after 3 of the sessions, and 2-3 dryland sessions.

We will NOT have use of the upstairs Hall of Fame room on these dates due to some other events already planned there. We will have access to one of the other party rooms down by the concession stand and I'm expecting, weather permitting, we will be outside for the dryland activity.

I am trying to get a more detailed plan from Ryan. If anyone has specific things that they would like to go over, let me know.

CAMP 2 - SALT LAKE CITY

Expected dates are November 9 through 13. Cost between $175 to $250 depending on the amount of ice time. Hotels and travel the responsibility of participants. I'm working on seeing if we can get a good rate a some local hotels to the rink as opposed to staying in SLC and having to drive 40 minutes each way. This should allow for some carpooling and sharing of rooms and expenses.

The general plan is as follows:

  • Wednesday-Travel - PM registration meeting
  • Thursday - AM long track ice session - 2 hrs, 11:30-1:30 / Mid-day dryland training (turn cables) / PM dryland training (slide board)
  • Friday - AM long track ice session - 2 hrs, 11:30 - 1:30 / Mid-day dryland (jump-imitations) / PM long track ice - 1.5 hrs, 5:30-7pm
  • Saturday - AM time trials, 8 - noon) / BBQ ? or skate and dryland/sports psychology
  • Sunday - AM long track ice - 2 hrs, 9-11 am / Travel

I asked Derek to include some nutrition, race planning and sports psychology as well... if no one wants to do that stuff, we can just do more skate and dryland.

If anyone wanted to come in early, they should check to make sure that ice is available since, some Wednesdays and Fridays, there is no afternoon ice.

I'm sure some flexibility will be afforded here, but the price will be fixed even if you have to leave early or arrive late.

Glenn needs to know if these dates (which he doesn't have a lot of flexibility on) will appeal to most of those interested. Please respond to Glenn at both Glenncorso@gmail.com and gcorso@optonline.net.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

CANADIAN OPEN MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2012 - DATE CHANGE

The date of this event has been changed to February 4-5.

Sunday, May 01, 2011

KEVIN FROST - GOLD IN RUSSIA

Congratulations to master skater, Kevin Frost, who won 5 gold medals at the 2nd open blind speed skating championship in Russia last month. The complete story in the Orleans Star can be seen here.