Inline Skating In The News

Skaters satisfy need for speed

2008-09-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

By Alicia Cosgrove
Published: Friday, August 29, 2008 3:50 PM CDT
Fresh from the USA Roller Sports Inline Speed Skating Nationals, two Summerfield competitors have been enjoying a well-deserved break.

Mollie Brown, 17, competed in the June outdoor competitions in Colorado and the July indoor competition held in Nebraska. She was elbow-to-elbow with skaters from 77 other teams, all of whom hoped to perform well enough to qualify for the Federation Internationale de Roller Sports Speed Skating World Championships in Gijon, Spain, in September.
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In-line skaters excel at national event

2008-09-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

Northville resident Susie Jackson accounted for seven medals and placed first overall in the Grand Master Ladies Division. Jackson's son, Nathan, also fared well at his first national meet, placing second in the freshman boys division and second in the freshman four boys relay along with Kaleb Broomhall, Aaron Cingle and Zachery Dimitri.

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Family fun day for New Castle County

2008-09-03T10:08:00.000-07:00

Many athletes in various sports got their start in roller skating. NBA 2004 Slam Dunk Champion, Fred Jones, credits roller skating with strengthening his leg muscles, which helped result in a successful college career at Oregon and a position with the Indiana Pacers. Olympic gold medal speed skater Chad Hedrick started his career on roller skates before switching to ice skates to compete in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Olympic speed skater Apollo Ono also began competing in speed skating with inline skates before switching to ice blades to compete in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.

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Olympic hopeful Mark back on track after injury

2008-08-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

PENNSBURG — While the focus of the Olympics has most recently centered on Beijing, thousands of athletes are well into their training for the 2010 Winter Games.

And one of those athletes, 18-year-old Alex Mark of Pennsburg, is hoping Vancouver, Canada, will be the site of his Olympic debut.

Mark, who attended Upper Perkiomen High School as a freshman, is the youngest member of the Wheels on Ice Program (WHIP), designed to crossover America's top talents in inline skating onto the ice. Only 12 skaters from throughout the U.S. were picked for the program, and athletes like Joey Cheek, Derek Parra, and Apolo Anton Ohno are proof the system can yield Olympic hardware.

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Horning makes national team

2008-08-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

One of the best inline speed skaters in the nation, Horning left Salisbury for Colorado Springs, Colo., last Friday to train for the 2008 World Roller Speed Skating Championships in Gijon, Spain. Along with the other 23 members of the U.S. world team, she'll be in Colorado for another two weeks, training six-to-eight hours a day before leaving for Spain on Aug. 26.

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Rock Hill skaters excel

2008-08-13T08:58:00.000-07:00

Jacob Anderson, 8, Damon Spencer, 10, and Will Irby, 12, set national records in inline speed skating in Lincoln. The three were among a group of 14 at the championships who practice under trainer Donnie Allen of Rock Hill.

Anderson broke the national record for the 1,200-meter primary two mixed -- with teammate Deja Johnson, 7 -- and the 1,200-meter primary two-boy -- with teammate Travis Spencer. Jacob and Damon set another national record on the 1,200-meter juvenile four-boy -- with teammates Aidan Murphy-Booth, 8, and Clay Ellerbrock, 9.

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Greased lightning

2008-07-09T10:39:00.000-07:00

By John Denny

The Clackamas Review, Jul 8, 2008

PORTLAND – Things are looking up for the speed skating team at Oaks Park Roller Rink.

“We’ve moved up from the sixth strongest region in the nation last year to this year we’re the third strongest region,” said Derek Meade, a 38-year-old Milwaukie speed-skating enthusiast who coaches the team.

Meade is a big reason things are looking up for the Oaks Skating Club team. He’s been a part of competitive speed skating since he first took up the sport close to 30 years ago, and he’s got credentials.

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From 'out of nowhere,' Honey Brook speedskater makes his mark

2008-07-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

By Tom Brolley
Reading Eagle

Keith Carroll toed the starting line at the first race of the recent Junior Inline Speedskating National Championships, ready to make a quick impression.

In less than 27 seconds, the 17-year-old from Honey Brook did just that, setting a blistering pace in the time trial and breaking the national record in the 300-meter banked track race.

"That race let everyone know that he's the fastest man on the track," said Jeff Foster, Carroll's coach with SOS Racing. "That really set the tone."

Carroll would finish the championships with two national records and four medals - two golds and two silvers - on his way to placing second overall at the meet in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The next step for the Twin Valley senior-to-be is the World Speedskating Championships in September in Spain. Foster said Carroll has the chance to come away with five medals.

After that there may not be much left for Carroll to achieve in inline skating, leaving him with a tough decision.

Carroll aspires to go to the Olympics in 2014, but there's a small problem: Inline speedskating is not an Olympic sport. Carroll will eventually have to decide if he wants to pursue that goal or stick with inline skating.

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Healthy and injury free, Baver has great expectations

2008-07-07T12:09:00.000-07:00

By Tom Brolley
Reading Eagle

Before Allison Baver went on to Olympic fame in short track speedskating, she was a local kid terrorizing the competition on inline skates.

The Wilson grad, along with skaters such as Apollo Anton Ohno and Chad Hedrick, is among a growing number of former inliners to have success on ice.

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Denham Springs native wins skating race

2008-07-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

Debbie Rice of Denham Springs won the women’s division of the American Family Insurance Badger Games Inline Marathon on Sunday in Portage, Wisc.

Rice, 40, finished the 25.5-mile inline-skating race in 1 hour, 15 minutes and 27.3 seconds, more than 5 minutes faster than the runner-up. She stayed with the lead men’s pack until the midpoint of the race.

She finished 15th overall.

The victory in the women’s division, Rice’s second in a National Rollercup race, gives Rice a narrow lead in the NROC master women’s division with 120 points.

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Hoffman Estates to host inline skate marathon

2008-07-07T12:05:00.000-07:00

Thirteen years ago, as the popularity of inline skating peaked, members of Chicago-based Team Rainbo skating club began cruising the streets of Hoffman Estates.

The village provided an ideal central weekend practice site for a team whose members hailed from as far south as Orland Park and as far north as Lake Geneva, Wis.

Team Rainbo members now hope their old practice site will provide a perfect backdrop for one of skating's largest events.

On July 26, Hoffman Estates will host the second annual Chicagoland Inline Marathon and Half Marathon, featuring men and women of different skill abilities and ages. Mundelein hosted the inaugural marathon last year.

"It's a great opportunity for anybody who likes skating to put on a pair of skates and be around other people that like to put on skates," said Team Rainbo member Greg Major of Oak Park.

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Local inline skaters feel the need for speed

2008-07-07T12:03:00.000-07:00

By Joe Habina
Special Correspondent

Having dabbled in competitive inline speed skating, Melanie Fortner did not want her son Matthew to get involved. It would require too big a commitment in time and finances.

But as a 6-year-old soaking in his first competition three years ago, Matthew's “eyes were glued to the floor,” said Melanie, who couldn't resist his pleas for a pair of skates.

In just a short time, Matthew has become a national champion, setting a U.S. record with his female partner in the 1,200-meter mixed-relay race at last year's national championships in Omaha, Neb.

Next Sunday, the Fortners, including family patriarch Mike – all of whom are reigning national titleholders from Concord – will begin competition in the 2008 Indoor Speed Skating National Championships in Lincoln, Neb. Matthew's mixed-relay partner will be Kannapolis 11-year-old Jenna Alexander, skating in her first national competition.

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Area skaters continue busy summer season

2008-07-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

By DEVIN HASSON/Staff Writer
(Created: Friday, June 20, 2008 2:48 AM CDT)
It has been a busy month for a handful of Mesquite-based in-line skaters who have been competing in events all over the region.

On May 24, brothers Joseph Burns, 15, and Spencer Burns, 8, who compete for DFW Speed, each won titles at the South Central Regional Championships in Waco. As a result, both qualified for the 2008 National Speed Skating Championships in Lincoln, Neb., on July 13-17.

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Local skaters go FAST

2008-07-01T09:55:00.000-07:00

Taking the FAST track

Fort Myers team prepares for inline skating championships

KEVIN JOHNSON

kkjohnson@bonitanews.com

Memory can be a powerful motivational tool. Just ask Steve Hanna.

All it takes is a skate down memory lane to make Hanna recall when his speed skating teammates displayed such little confidence in him and his wife/skating partner, Becky, as they prepared to compete in their first national championship races.

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Roller sports hope to be in the Olympics by 2016

2008-06-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

The Colorado Springs resident will get his chance at the 2016 Summer Games if roller sports are ratified as Olympic sports during an International Olympic Committee assembly in October 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

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Katelyn Horning

2008-06-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

Katelyn Horning secured a spot on the U.S. World team with her performance this week at the Outdoor National Inline Speed Skating Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Horning, a rising senior at Salisbury High, finished third in a 200-meter time trial and fifth in a 20K elimination race Tuesday. Wednesday she finished fourth in the 500 meters and fifth in a 10K points race.

Horning finished the competition among the top six and will represent the U.S. at a competition in Spain in December.

My New Olympic Dream

2008-05-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

When I was about 9 years old, I put on my first pair of skates. A neighbor who was on our local in-line speed skating team -- yes, they exist -- and I persuaded my mom to let my brother and me join the team. For $2 a week, I could skate with the team during practice and then during the public session afterward. When I describe to people what it felt like to start racing, I put it this way: It's like what God meant for me to do. Now I don't mean that I was a phenom; far from it, in fact. But I was always good enough that I could envision myself being the best, and when I worked harder than anyone else, I was.

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San Franciso Inline Marathon

2008-05-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

Full marathon features $3,100 cash for top male and female finishers in pro division. Make sure to stick around for post-race activities, including catered lunch from Outback Steakhouse. Inline skating world champion Joey Mantia is participating, so expect some serious competition in the pro division.

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Inline skating phenom

2008-04-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

Ohno grew up here, an inline skating phenom before transferring to ice. At 14, he moved first to Lake Placid, N.Y., to train, then to Colorado Springs, Colo., until speedskating moved its headquarters outside Salt Lake City last year. Ohno's training base is there, but he maintains ties in Seattle, where his father has run a hair salon for years.

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The need for speed

2008-04-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

f you can put wheels on it, people are going to want to race it. Anyone into racing will agree that man invented the wheel for one reason: to go fast. The growing popularity of speed roller-skating in Southwest Virginia is giving speed junkies young and old an outlet for that urge.

"It's one of those sports where if you like it, you'll be hooked for life," said Eric "Porkey" Spain, coach of Ultimate Speed, a local competitive skate team. Spain's team is open to skaters of all ages and skill levels.

Competing under the rules of USA Roller Sports, speed roller-skating looks very much like its counterpart on the ice. Apart from the lack of ice and replacing blades with wheels, the basic elements remain. Skaters must navigate a 100-meter oval track while avoiding contact with the other racers. Competitors wear streamlined body suits to reduce drag and aerodynamic helmets for safety.

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Seneca family cheering on talented speed-skating duo

2008-04-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

His sister has been a speed skater for numerous years, but her early skating did not involve ice skates but inline skates, as she competed in one race after another, mostly in the southern United States. Her room is full of trophies representing those years of skating.

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2008-04-03T11:06:00.000-07:00

It's like running a marathon -- only you're on skates
4/2/2008 7:43 AM
By: Veronica Castelo

Road Rash in Round Rock last year.
Q: You can trade in your sneakers for some inline skates this weekend in Round Rock for the Texas Road Rash and here to tell us more about it is Terri Waggoner, with the City of Round Rock, and Richard Littrell, the president of Hill Country Inline Club. And, Richard, this started five years ago. How did this get started?

Richard Littrell: I had been traveling around the country doing different events and I went to the City of Round Rock and proposed this inline marathon to them and it fit right in with their new campaign of being the sports capital of Texas. And they loved the idea and we ran with it – or skated with it. It’s grown ever since.

Q: Now, obviously, here in Austin and surrounding areas, a very fit community, a lot of runners, what sort of fitness level should you be in if you’re going to do a half marathon or marathon skating?

Richard Littrell: Well, certainly, this is not an event for a person who has never been on skates before. They do need to prepare for it. Aerobically and conditioning wise, it’s pretty equivalent to a half marathon. So, if you can run a half marathon and you know how to skate, then you can pretty much skate a full marathon. The last person, it’ll take them about three hours and fifteen minutes – will be the longest they’d be out there.

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Ready! Set! Skate!

2008-03-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

Tampa, Florida – From bumps to bruises to broken bones, there are few injuries too great to stop some of the world’s best speed skaters.

On Friday morning, hundreds of them converged on United Skates of America on North Armenia Avenue in Tampa for the 30th Annual Tampa Classic Speed Skating Invitational.

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Feel The Need For Speed

2008-03-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

Greensboro, NC -- We all wish we had more time to do the things we love, but sometimes life just gets in the way. Photojournalist Mike Lee caught up with a Triad athlete who despite her hectic schedule finds time to pursue her dream.

For most people, working fulltime and rasing a child would easily fill up a twenty four hour day. Throw in the mix a hectic training schedule and you might have a glimpse of what it's like to be Brandy Clark.

Currently, Brandy is training for Outdoor Nationals. If she makes the team she will compete with other inline speed skaters from around the world.

Source: WFMY News 2

Copyright: 2008 digtriad.com

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Local officials hope to realize Olympic dreams

2008-03-05T09:40:00.001-08:00

Local Olympic hopes were boosted after Monday's announcement that Peoria will host the 2009 USA Roller Sports (USARS) national championships in inline speed skating and figure skating for 25 days at the Civic Center. USARS is recognized as the national governing body for competitive roller sports by the U.S. Olympic Committee and is pushing to have outdoor speed skating included as a future Olympic activity.

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Skaters will glide into Peoria

2008-03-04T06:24:00.000-08:00

USA Roller Sports will hold championships in Peoria, providing big influx of tourist dollars

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

By John Sharp

of the Journal Star
PEORIA - Thousands of skaters will visit Peoria for 25 days next year during the national championships of two roller skating events expected to generate strong business for regional hotels.

USA Roller Sports, recognized by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for Competitive Roller Sports in the United States, is estimated to bring about 3,000 skaters to Peoria for its national championships of inline speed skating and figure skating from July 16 to Aug. 10, 2009, at the Civic Center.

"This again goes toward that reputation Peoria has as kind of an amateur sports mecca," said Brent Lonteen, president/CEO of the Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, referencing national amateur softball championships held in East Peoria. "This is something unusual. It's a big event. It's here for 25 consecutive days."

Lonteen said the biggest boon could be for area hotels. In past USARS championship events held in Omaha, Neb., and Lincoln, Neb., anywhere between 10,000 to 12,000 hotel nights were used by visitors, he said.

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Q&A: Speed Skater Wayne Bowles

2008-03-04T06:09:00.000-08:00

By DAVID MANN
David.Mann@newsandtribune.com

Wayne Bowles makes a living as a training officer for Metro Louisville Corrections. But he’s also training local youngsters and adults on a few other skills as well.

Bowles — a former competitive speed roller skater who recently took over ownership of Skate Odyssey Family Fun Center — is in Clarksville coaching the next generation of competitive skaters. As a part of its weekly Q & A series, The Evening News and The Tribune recently sat down with Bowles.

He talked about his days as a competitive skater, his young team and turning around the Clarksville skating rink.

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Hawke, Mahoney pursue Winter Olympic glory at the Pettit

2008-02-10T18:30:00.000-08:00

Bob Fenn, Mahoney's coach, knows all about long-shots making the Olympics. He coached KC Boutiette, an inline skating champion who made the 1994 U.S. Olympic team after just six weeks on speedskates.

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Cheyenne Chapter of Rocky Mountain Racing Wins 29 Trophies At Wichita Speed Skating Classic

2008-02-08T14:36:00.000-08:00

Cheyenne 2-7-08 - 6/4/2007

(Set/Whistle)
THEY HAVE MADE LARGE STRIDES...
"The Wichita Classic was our first meet last year as a club," said Coach Anthony Bannon.
(C'mon Ladies All-the way!)
... AND TURNED MANY CORNERS...
"We quadrupled our numbers this year in trophies and success."
AND AT THE WICHITA SPEED-SKATING CLASSIC... THE CHEYENNE CHAPTER OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN RACING... WHISKED BY THE COMPETITION.
"When they called that we got the High-Point Award, everybody started screaming from our team because we didn't know that we were going to get it," explained 10 year-old Brianna Bocox. "We have less skaters than most of those people."
"I was happy we got the first place trophy overall and I was happy for everybody else," added 12 year-old Blake Nichols.
(Ben) In the time it would take for me to put on these skates, the entire team could probably go around the rink not once, not twice but thrice - and that's if I was hurrying. They know something about success - this past week in Wichita, the team won a total of 29 trophies!
"Just to see the looks on their faces - and the Awe in the other people's eyes from other skating rinks and teams that we came with a vengeance this year - It was just awesome," recalled Bannon.
"For them to go off to an actual invitational and do so well is pretty impressive," said Coach Eric Fountain.

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Speed skating: Denton's Malone looks to finish strong

2008-02-08T10:27:00.000-08:00

08:59 AM CST on Friday, February 8, 2008

By Todd Jorgenson / Sports Editor

Jordan Malone is happy to be back on home ice for the finale to his individual World Cup circuit race season.

The Denton native will compete beginning today in the Samsung ISU World Cup short track speed skating event at the Utah Olympic Oval in Salt Lake City.

Malone, 23, has been training in Salt Lake City, which hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, with the United States national team for the past year after the squad moved from Colorado Springs in 2007.

He said this weekend’s meet is critical because it represents one of the last opportunities of the season to determine individual and team rankings.

“It’s the most important,” Malone said. “The world rankings are very important.”

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Area skating coach draws an international crowd

2008-01-28T06:33:00.000-08:00

BY C.J. RISAK
STAR-BANNER
OCALA - It's been kind of busy for Renee Hildebrand. And it doesn't look like it'll let up anytime soon.

Hildebrand is a coach. The sport she specializes in: inline speed skating. Her successes have been numerous, on a local, national and international scale, and the more success she brings the more she's in demand.

The Belleview resident has coached Ocala's Brittany Bowe and Joey Mantia for 11 years. Last August, the pair combined to win 10 gold medals, each setting a new world record, at the Inline Speed Skating World Championships in Cali, Columbia. That came a month after each had captured 3 gold medals apiece at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Certainly Hildebrand could be proud of their success, but there was more for her to relish. She had been hired to coach the Belgian team at the World Championships, and her impact was immediate.

"They hadn't won a gold medal at the World Championships in 11 years," Hildebrand said while waiting for three of her proteges to complete their training session at Greenway Trails Park. "Last year in Cali, they won 2 golds, a silver and a bronze."

Hildebrand will continue to coach the Belgian team for two more years (at least), but that won't be the limit of her duties. The three athletes she waited for at Greenway Trails had a multinational background; only Jacob Richardson, a 15-year-old seeking to succeed on the junior stage, called Ocala home.

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U.S. Speedskating Championships: Former inline skater makes mark

2007-12-29T19:53:00.000-08:00

By Michael C. Lewis
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 12/29/2007 02:03:45 AM MST

KEARNS - Barely a year ago, speedskater Justin Stelly was stepping onto the ice for the first time. On Friday, he was stepping to the starting line poised to qualify for the World Championships.
"It was, 'Either I do it, or I don't,' " Stelly said. "Simple as that."
And do it, he did.
Knowing he had to beat junior world champion Trevor Marsicano by nearly two seconds in the penultimate pairing of the 10,000 meters at the U.S. Speedskating Championships at the Utah Olympic Oval, the 20-year-old former inline skater from Louisiana put on a burst of speed in the final mile to secure his place among the most promising young American skaters heading toward the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

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U.S. speedskating: Dominating performance

2007-12-28T07:03:00.000-08:00

Davis leaves Hedrick behind in winning the 500- and 5,000-meter races at Olympic Oval
By Michael C. Lewis
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 12/28/2007 02:04:53 AM MST

KEARNS - Speedskater Chad Hedrick is still "paying for" the majority of a year he took off from his sport after the 2006 Turin Olympics, gradually trying to return to top international form with a new coach and a new training regimen.

U.S. SPEEDSKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At the Utah Olympic Oval
MEN
500 - 1. Shani Davis, 35.42; 2. Chad Hedrick, 36.57; 3. Kreg Greer, 36.81
5,000 - 1. Shani Davis, 6:17.48; 2. Chad Hedrick, 6:29.30; 3. Justin Stelly, 6:29.94.

WOMEN
500 - 1. Maria Lamb, 40.45; 2. Catherine Raney, 40.87; 3. Mia Manganello, 41.18
3,000 - 1. Catherine Raney, 4:08.70; 2. Maria Lamb, 4:12.86; 3. Nancy Swider-Peltz Jr., 4:20.46

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U.S. Short-Track Championships - Move pays dividends

2007-12-27T08:04:00.000-08:00

Decision to leave home at 14 pays off for Vegas native Simon, who makes U.S. World team

By John Renshaw
Special to The Tribune

He wanted to jump-start a new career, from in-line skating to speedskating, but the transition proved difficult as he moved away from his parents at just 14 years old.
"I was pretty good at [in-line skating], but realized there was no future in it," he said. "I always knew I wanted to be part of the Olympic experience, so I decided to take that passion and begin training with some of the speedskating coaches in the country.

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Milpitas runner competes among state elite

2007-11-29T10:14:00.000-08:00

by Jeff Gire
Article Launched: 11/28/2007 02:24:02 PM PST

The girls team was led by junior Nastassia Hamor with a time of 20:22.

"She is a really hard worker," Hall said, adding that the junior would regularly head directly from practices and meets to high-level inline speed skating competitions and workouts.

Read Entire Article...

Top tuition available to SC skaters

2007-11-27T10:37:00.000-08:00

GIVING BACK: World champion speedskater Nicole Begg, left, is to give free coaching lessons every Sunday up until Christmas as a way of saying thanks to the people of South Canterbury who have supported her. Also helping out will be her mother Cheryl, centre, also a former world champion, and German international Tina Struver, right.

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Skaters have need for speed

2007-11-24T10:26:00.000-08:00

Skaters have need for speed
Gulf Coast Speed Skate Club members gain discipline, dedication through their participation

By Chris Umpierre
cumpierre@news-press.com
Originally posted on November 22, 2007

John David Emmett/news-press.com
Members of the Gulf Coast Speed Skate Club work out at the Palace skating rink in North Fort Myers. The club trains four times a week and has members ranging in age from 5 to 43.

LOOKING FOR SPONSORS
• The Gulf Coast Speed Skate Club is looking for public and corporate sponsors who would like to support its inline skaters. The team also has a Air Miles Club Sponsorship Program that helps in reducing some of the financial responsibilities placed on skaters and families. To help, contact Lynn Danko at 823-8326 or dankodsly@comcast.net.

Lynn Danko wishes more parents knew about the benefits of inline speed skating.

As treasurer of the Gulf Coast Speed Skate Club, she has seen many children gain discipline and dedication through the sport. Her team practices five days a week at either the Palace in North Fort Myers or Dunbar High School.

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Women On Wheels

2007-11-20T07:52:00.000-08:00

"That same week I signed a contract with a new team, Verducci/Breakaway. We're an all-women's track team comprised of American Theresa Cliff-Ryan, Australian Jessie Maclean and myself. It's a pretty stellar cast of characters. Each of us has a rainbow of credentials: Jess as a Junior World track champ, myself as a Masters World track champ, and Theresa as a 29X Inline Skating World Champ. No matter how you cut it, that's kind of cool."

Read Entire Article....

The Rocky Mountain Racing Inline Speed Skating team

2007-11-15T16:29:00.000-08:00

"The Rocky Mountain Racing Inline Speed Skating team, which trains at Wagon Wheel Roller Rink in Brighton, won three bronze medals and one silver medal from the USA Roller Skating Championships In Omaha."

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Speed skating: Malone climbing ranks

2007-11-07T17:34:00.000-08:00

Malone, 23, has been competing in short track for less than four years after switching over from inline racing, but already has become one of the top ...

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Star skate pro sets up world-class team

2007-10-11T07:35:00.000-07:00

SKATING
Manawatu and New Zealand star skater Kalon Dobbin is setting up a world-class professional team with two other Manawatu skaters to race around the world.

Based in Switzerland, he plans to have Manawatu's new world stars, Peter Michael and DJ Nation, and two Colombians on the roster.

Dobbin, 29, is getting it together with help of his Swiss-based German team, Powerslide Phuzion, a wheel company soon to go global.

He is working back from an inflamed hip-socket and groin injury suffered at the world championships in Cali, Colombia. But Michael and Nation took the skating world by storm in their first season on the World Inline Cup circuit this year.

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Malone thrives in speed skating despite multiple injuries

2007-10-03T11:12:00.000-07:00

Before transitioning from inline skating to short track about four years ago, Malone -- arguably the second-best U.S. short track skater behind Apolo Anton Ohno -- suffered a broken jaw during an inline meet.

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PROUD MOMENTS: Bartlett 2nd in 10K masters

2007-09-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

By Michelle Wilson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 09/13/07

John Bartlett of Marietta finished second in the men's masters division at the U.S. 10K Classic road race in Marietta. He finished in 33:54.

Richard Korir of Marietta won the men's 20-29 age group title in 30:58. Richard Ondimu of Marietta was third in 31:56. In women's 30-39, Patrina Hayes of Marietta was first in 37:16, Tamara Karrh of Marietta was second in 41:06 and Karen Shinkins of Marietta was third in 42:08.

In women's 50-59, Susan Breeding of Marietta was first in 46:39, Kate Bothwell of Marietta was second in 48:46 and Sally Boyd of Marietta was third in 51:07.

Susan Comstock of Marietta was second in women's 60-and-over in 59:21. In men's 60-and-over, Joseph Lenahan of Roswell was second in 45:32 and Tommy Eberhardt of Roswell was third in 49:05. Jeff Southard of Alpharetta was third in 14-and-under boys in 44:53. Kayla Smith of Alpharetta was third in women's 15-19 in 46:38.

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Brodie Somerville wins points title

2007-09-17T11:22:00.000-07:00

Local in-line skater Brodie Somerville won the overall points race in the summer-long Roller Sports Ontario (RSO) Points Series.

Somerville competed in the senior men's division and ended with the highest points accumulated over a series of races held across the province. At this level, Somerville was racing against senior men, including athletes who had qualified for both the world championships and the Pan American Games.

A member of the Ottawa Skating Club, the Brockville teenager is coached by Gavin Thulien.

The 17-year-old Somerville also finished second overall in indoor competition, missing the gold medal by only two points.

He raced in the 500-, 1000- and 2000-metre events. He was fourth overall in outdoor sprints (100-metre to 100-metre events) and third in long distance (10- and 20-kilometre events).

Some of the events Somerville competed in over the season were the provincial championships, junior world class division, in Harriston in May, and the Canadian In-line Speed Skating Championships in Ottawa in July.

In Harriston, Somerville placed third overall in sprints, distance and overall championship points.

Somerville is now preparing for the speed skating season with the Ottawa Pacers.

He is in his fifth year with the Ottawa club and will compete in the intermediate division this season.

Exceptional Racers at North Shore Inline Marathon

2007-09-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

No matter what you think, you don't have to be Captain America to finish the Northshore Inline Marathon.

"It's an event just about anyone can do and enjoy," said Executive Director Chuck Carlberg.

Carlberg says that's exactly what makes this marathon so fun. He gets to see all kinds of people outside and having fun--no mater what their age or skill level.

Eyewitness News Reporter Cassie Limpert skated the half-marathon, but was nervous she wouldn't be able to finish it. She says the best part was the people she met along the race. She met people who have faced tremendous obstacles, and still never lost faith that they could cross the finish line.

Like 79 year old Steve Chantelois, for example. Steve has been skating the inline half marathon for nine years. He says its tough to do at his age, but well worth it because he is setting an example for younger people.

Perhaps even more impressive is the blind man who traveled from Norway to skate the inline marathon for his tenth time.

"Anything is possible as long as you want to do it," said Tore Henreksen. He looks past his disability and focuses on the sport he loves. He says being blind is not going to hold him back.

Read More...

NYC Skate jacket deadline extended!!!

2007-09-06T07:59:00.000-07:00

The Deadline for the free Jacket for The New York City Skate
Marathon & NY 100K, the prices have increased after august 30th, but
at least you can still get the free jacket.

TO REGISTER NOW GO TO:
http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1399651

Elite and casual athletes in Cobb's U.S. 10K Classic

2007-09-02T23:05:00.000-07:00

By MICHELLE HISKEY
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 09/03/07

In a scorching summer for runners and walkers, thousands likely will get another holiday reprieve today in metro Atlanta's second-largest 10K race.

The U.S. 10K Classic expects more than 13,000 entrants from at least 48 countries to run, walk, pedal, skate and push wheelchairs 6.2 miles along U.S. 41/Cobb Parkway.

The only bigger event is The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race on July 4, also run in relatively mild heat.

"The weather's cooling down, which is great," organizer Don Whitney said.

A forecast around 80 degrees is a gift to athletes who have trained through many 100-degree days since the Peachtree.

In its 14th year, the U.S. 10K will again bring in some of the country's top distance runners and cyclists on track to peak for next summer's Olympics. Here, another incentive are lucrative purses such as $10,000 first prize for the top male cyclist, decided after 100 kilometers. The race also doubles as the National Inline Skating Championship.

Read More...

Speed skating family sticks together with in-line wheels

2007-08-30T20:45:00.000-07:00

Kirsta Lopes and her four children learn teamwork, discipline on Puyallup skating team
Roxanne Cooke / of the Herald
Published: August 29th, 2007 12:34 PM
For one Puyallup family, in-line speed skating is both a good workout and a family bonding experience.

The family – a mother and her four children – have been members of Tiffany’s Speed Team in Puyallup for about two and a half years.

“I like that we can do it together,” said Kirsta Lopes, mother of the family.

Being on a team together fosters teamwork and discipline, said Lopes, 39. Those skills will carry over into their adult life, she added.

It also keeps her involved in her children’s lives – they spend a lot of time together at practices, meets and other competitions.

“Anything that can keep you close during this time is a good thing,” Lopes said of the teenager years.

Her two daughters, Nikol and Kaila, are 14 and 12; her sons, Dominick and Mitch, are 8 and 9.

Lopes roller skated when she was a teenager in Florida, but stopped when her family moved to California. She didn’t pick it up again until Nikol, who was 12 at the time, started in-line skating at Tiffany’s Skate Inn in Puyallup.

When Nikol was fast enough, she was invited to join Tiffany’s Speed Team. At that point, Lopes thought it might be fun to join her daughter. Considering that the team’s coach was close to her age, it didn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary, she said.€

Read More...

Disney Marathon May Be Cancelled

2007-08-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

To Those Who Are Concerned,

Please be aware that the Disney Marathon may be canceled. If you want
to write an note to Disney Dean has supplied a link to do so. If you
sit back and do nothing do not complain if there are no races to go
to. The first link is info on the hyper board and the second is the
link to Disney. Thank you in advance for you time on this mater.

Jim Blair

http://board.hyper-race.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1718&posts=7&start=1

http://disneyworldsports.disney.go.com/dwws/en_US/action/detail?name=ContactUsInfoDetailPage&bhcp=1

Ottawa Inline Skating Festival - September 2nd

2007-08-19T11:54:00.000-07:00

The Ottawa Inline Skating Festival is moving to new pavement! The festival is being held on Sunday, September 2nd. Please pass on the word to any skaters you know!

More Information...

Roseville skater is hell on wheels

2007-08-19T11:53:00.000-07:00

Inline speed skating is commonly believed to be on ice when in reality it is done on wheels.

Ricky Blas from Roseville started skating about 12 years ago. He was skating at the roller rink in Milpitas before he was asked by the speed team coach to come check out the practices. He was immediately hooked after attending a practice.

Blas has traveled all over the country for skating. Some competitions take place in California, and others, like national championships in Pensacola, Florida, take place in other states.

He has competed in both indoor and outdoor races. Indoor competitions take place on a 100 meter track and range from 500 meter sprints to 5000 meter races. Outdoor competitions range from a 200 meter sprint to a 26.2 mile marathon. Blas prefers the marathon races.

He recently competed in the San Francisco Inline Marathon and took fourth place out of 30 pro men.

Read More...

Hagerstown sisters keep each other 'inline'

2007-08-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

By ERIN CUNNINGHAM erinc@herald-mail.com

HAGERSTOWN

North Hagerstown High School seniors Devan and Sabrina Zeger will be skating to school in about two weeks.

The morning route will be one of the only times the Hagerstown twins have to practice inline speed skating. The 17-year-olds have been nationally competitive for years and said they were introduced to the sport about six years ago.

They say places to practice are few in Hagerstown, and most of their training takes place in the parking lot of Fairgrounds Park, which is near their home. That makes skating to school in the morning and home in the afternoon an important part of their day.

"That was the only skating we got last year," Devan said.

Read More....

Top Skaters Coming to Hayward In-Line Marathon

2007-08-09T13:11:00.001-07:00

Sawyer County Record
Last updated: Thursday, August 09th, 2007 02:00:13 PM

Inline skaters from across the Upper Midwest will test their endurance this Saturday as they race for top awards in the second annual Hayward Inline Marathon and Half-Marathon.

The event starts at 7:30 a.m. in front of Scheer's Lumberjack Village on Highway B.

Nearly 60 of an anticipated 220 skaters will be participating in the 39-mile Inline Challenge, a new event this year. Another 120 will skate the 26-mile marathon, with the remainder skating one lap of the 13-mile course.

Top contenders for the new Challenge title include Bont-sponsored skaters Mike Anderson of Minneapolis and Randy Plett of Winnepeg. Hayward skaters Fred Scheer and Dave Bartz are expected to finish in the top five. Last year's women's winner, Rebecca George of Baxter, MN., is a favorite for the women's title.

Kara Peterson of St. Paul is expected to win the women's marathon. Her husband, Tom Peterson, and James Kauth of St. Paul, are contenders for the men's title. In the half-marathon, last year's top men's finisher, Bill Gabos of Minneapolis, will defend his title.

Registration is still open for the event. In-person registration will be held from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at race headquarters in the Lumberjack Village on Highway B.

2007 World Speed Skating Championships

2007-08-08T16:40:00.000-07:00

Team USA

Official Site

2007 USA Roller Sports Indoor Speed Skating National Championships - Results

2007-08-08T16:39:00.000-07:00

View Here

Skater's dedication takes him to nationals

2007-08-08T16:28:00.000-07:00

Skater's dedication takes him to nationals

BY JOE GRAY
VOICE SPORTS EDITOR

Brian Miller could have given up.

After all, the 13-year-old Clay Township resident didn't win a race during his first few years as an inline speed skater. But he didn't quit and that perseverance paid off this past season as he qualified for the USA Roller Sports Speed and Figure Skating National Championships in Omaha, Nebraska, July 15-21.

"I was excited, but more than anything, I was nervous," said Miller, who attends Anchor Bay Middle School North. "You skate against the top people in the sport. There are 500 people in the stands cheering for you. There are judges there.

"I did a lot better than I thought I would."

He finished fourth in the 300 meters and fifth in the 700 meters in the three heats. He didn't make it into the finals round but he was proud of his performance and proud that he made it to the national level.

Read More...

Hayward In-Line Marathon ready to roll this Saturday

2007-08-08T11:14:00.001-07:00

Sawyer County Record
Last updated: Wednesday, August 08th, 2007 10:11:30 AM

Every skater, novice to elite, has a chance to bring home prizes from the second annual Hayward Inline Marathon, Half-Marathon and 39-mile Inline Challenge, which will be held this Saturday morning starting at 7:30 a.m. at Scheer’s Lumberjack Village on Highway B in Hayward.

Two lanes of Highway B will be closed from Lumberjack Bowl to Chippewa Trail from 7-11 a.m. on race day. Cones and barrels will mark the course and officers will direct traffic at intersections. Racers will skate on a 13.1-mile loop of blacktop roads east and south of town and finish at the same spot they started from.

The course traverses Chippewa Trail to Bender Road, crosses Highway B and goes on Highway E to Williams Road, Williams Road, Highline Road, Fun Valley Road and Olker Road, then loops back to the finishing area in front of Lumberjack Village.

Dozens of prizes, from race frames to bike jerseys to gift certificates from local merchants, will be awarded to the winners of hill “prems,” mini-races within the race.

Read More.....

FAU's Bowe golden at Pan American Games

2007-08-08T09:42:00.000-07:00

By Mario Sarmento
SPORTS EDITOR

This summer has been golden so far for Florida Atlantic University sophomore Brittany Bowe, who won three inline-roller skating events at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janiero last week.

Bowe captured the 300-meter time trial, the 1000m combined and the 500-meter combined despite the fact she and the other competitors skated on a wooden, pieced together surface rather than the cement track they are accustomed to.

“The issue was going to be to grip and skate around the corners as hard as you can,” Bowe said.

Her preparation for racing on a different surface wasn’t any different from her preparation before all those other races on the cement track.

“I was calm, but focused,” she said.

Read More...

Estes up-and-coming star on inline skating circuit

2007-07-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

By DAVID BOCLAIR
boclair@dnj.com
— David Boclair, (615) 278-5167

It has taken Angel Estes one season of competitive inline speed skating to formulate what she believes is a sound race strategy.

"Angel's theory is to get out front so you won't have to worry about passing people," her mother, Kim Curtis, said.

Meet after meet, the 14-year-old who will be a freshman at Siegel this fall did exactly that.

The last time was two weeks ago at the USA Roller Sports Indoor Speed Skating National Championships in Omaha, Nebraska. There she won the 300-meter title in the freshman novice division and finished third in the overall rankings for her class. That performance capped a rookie campaign in which she traveled to four different states, collected two dozen medals (more than a third of them gold) and cultivated the sport as an outlet that suits her dual passions for skating and competition.

"I want to go fast," she says.

Read More...

Local skaters seek gold medals

2007-07-24T06:41:00.000-07:00

BY C.J. RISAK
STAR-BANNER
The lineup has been altered and the surface is unfamiliar, but those manipulations won't change the overall confidence both Brittany Bowe and Joey Mantia will take with them into today's opening events in inline speed skating at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro.

"They wouldn't be anything less than gold," was Bowe's reply when asked what her expectations were.

Bowe and Mantia are both from Ocala, Bowe a 2006 graduate of Trinity Catholic who plays basketball for Florida Atlantic and Mantia a 2004 Vanguard grad who recently relocated to Olympia, Wash., to train for speed skating on ice.

They are also favorites to capture just what Bowe believes is within their grasp - the gold medal.

Read More...

Bremerton Speed Brings Home Hardware

2007-07-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

kitsap sun staff
Saturday, July 21, 2007

Omaha, Neb.

Bremerton's Andrew Woolfolk did his part to bring home medals from the USA Roller Sports Indoor Inline Speed Skating National Championships last week.

Woolfolk, 8, who competes on the Bremerton Speed out of Skateland, won three medals at the week-long championships that drew 50 teams and about 900 skaters from around the country.

The Speed's Logan Owen, 12, also won a gold medal in the elementary men's novice division. Overall, Bremerton earned two gold medals and two bronze and finished tied for 22nd overall.

Woolfolk earned a bronze in the primary boys event, then teamed with fellow 8-year-old JaPrea Pedesclaux to win the primary boys relay, beating Aidan Murphy-Booth and Jacob Anderson of Shelby, N.C. Woolfolk and Pedesclaux also set a new national record in the relay. Woolfolk then joined with teammate Madeline Virtue, 7, to capture a bronze in the primary mixed relay.

Read More...

Live Coverage - 2007 Indoor Speed Skating National Championships

2007-07-19T04:38:00.000-07:00

by Michael Stieb
July 18, 2007

Welcome to the 2007 USA Roller Sports Indoor Speed Skating National Championships! USA Roller Sports is excited to offer Live Video Coverage of this year's Championships!

Read More...

Aurora inline skating team enjoying success

2007-07-19T04:36:00.000-07:00

Tri-County X-Treme Speed is in Omaha, Nebraska this week competing in the USA Rollersports Indoor Speed National Championship.

Fourteen skaters will represent the team after qualifying at the Great Lakes Regional in Watertown, Wisconsin on June 16-17.
» Click to enlarge image
A Tri-County X-Treme Speed Inline Skating Team member makes a turn during a recent practice at the Aurora Skate Center.

Nine-year-old Julia Rizopoulos of Oswego, right, catches up on some gossip with Emily Crumpton of Naperville, 12, before the start of a recent practice at the Aurora Skate Center while 12-year-old Katelyn Rizopoulos laces up her skates.

The team, which practices at the Aurora Skate Center, is comprised of 42 people of different ages, abilities and commitments.

Read More...

Nation's Top Skaters Roll Into Omaha

2007-07-15T15:36:00.000-07:00

OMAHA, Neb. -- National athletes roll into Omaha on Sunday for the 2007 USA-Rollersports Championships.

It is the first time Omaha will play host to the speed and figure skating national championships. The 22-day championship will host 3,5000 athletes from all over the United States at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.

Officials said they expect the event to bring $7 million to the metro.

The speed skating championships start Sunday and end Saturday, July 21.

Figure skating starts July 22 and runs through Aug. 5.

To watch it costs $10 for daytime events and $10 for nighttime events. Children under 7 are free.

Copyright 2007 by KETV.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,

Read More...

Asheville referee hopes to build skating complex

2007-07-15T15:35:00.000-07:00

by Jason McGill, jmcgill@citizen-times.com
published July 15, 2007 12:15 am

ASHEVILLE — Asheville resident Joe Robinson has some friends in high places. Refereeing at 16 national inline skating championships will do that.

Robinson, 45, has befriended skaters like Olympic gold medalist Derek Parra and world champions Jennifer Rodriguez and Darlene Kessinger, who has lived in Greenville, S.C., throughout a lifelong skating career.

Read More...

World-Herald Video: A history of roller skating

2007-07-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

BY ERIN HARTIGAN
WORLD-HERALD VIDEOGRAPHER

Cick to View Video

Roller Skating: Competitors are tops on wheels

2007-07-15T07:24:00.000-07:00

BY MIKE PATTERSON
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

While a hockey team has abandoned the Civic Auditorium, a much larger group of skaters will be rolling in Sunday.

That's when the USA Roller Sports National Championships will begin its 22-day run at the arena. The event comes just a few months after the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights announced that the franchise would be relocating to the Quad Cities.

"We're excited about coming to Omaha," USA Roller Sports spokesman Brock Kuester said. "It's a big event and one that we hope people will come out to see."

The competition will be split into two parts. The speed skating portion will be Sunday through July 21, and the figure skating events will be July 22 to Aug. 5.

Read More...

Inaugural Chicagoland Inline Marathon

2007-07-09T12:18:00.000-07:00

The Inaugural Chicagoland Inline Marathon and 10 Miler Rolls Out On July 21st, 2007

This inline skating event is presented by Team Rainbo and All Community Events, Inc. The event runs on a 5-mile course, which is relatively flat and features roads in great condition. The race is open to all who wish to participate from the recreational level to the elite ranks. Young and old are invited to participate in this event, which is perfectly tailored for family fun. Don't want to skate? Please consider signing up as a volunteer; it’s another great way to get involved.

http://www.chicagolandinlinemarathon.com/

City athletes Pan-Am bound

2007-07-09T08:41:00.000-07:00

By: David Winer

July 6, 2007 - Several Mississaugans hope the number 13 will bring them good luck later this month in South America.
Thirteen city athletes are among 470 members of the Canadian team that will compete at the XV Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from July 13 to 29.
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) officially announced the team, which also features 272 coaches, team leaders and support team members, on Friday.
Mississaugans are well represented across the board in many of the 33 sports being contested among the 5,500 athletes representing 42 countries from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean.
The most experienced and decorated Mississaugan competing is weightlifter Akos Sandor. A seven-time Canadian champion, the 29-year-old Sabaria Weightlifting School member captured gold at both the 2006 and 1998 Commonwealth Games.
Sailor Mike Wolfs is also no stranger to international competition, having won a silver medal at the Summer Olympics in Greece.
This is the second-largest delegation of Canadian athletes at any multi-sport competition. At the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, 618 Canadians competed.

Read More ...

The Ottawa Inline Skating Festival - Sunday September 2, 2007

2007-07-05T07:44:00.000-07:00

Latest News

* Pricing same as last year
* Added value with a Family pass for the 5k and 10k events
* Early registration prizes awarded weekly between July 1 and Aug 26
* Check out the fabulous prizes and gifts provided by event sponsors!
* Fully searchable 2006 results
* Photos, Stories and Reviews on our 2006 Reports Page

A Family & Community Event

Inline Skating Fun for the whole family - featuring 5 different events for both recreational and competitive skaters of every level. Last year's event was a fabulous success, winning rave reviews from all participants.This year will be even better as we introduce our "Family pass" for the 5k and 10k events. Join us as we continue to grow this day of fitness and fun on wheels.

Note: Our event is designed to allow for participation in multiple events. Additional events cost just $15 extra to cover the cost of custom race bibs and medals.

Read More ...

GT Speed to Head to National Inline Skating Championships

2007-07-05T07:41:00.000-07:00

By Laurie Bernstein

Many people around Columbus don't know what "GT Speed" is, but they should. It is the local inline speed skating team.

Out of 35 skaters in the club, seven qualified for the national inline speed skating championships this year, in Omaha, Nebraska.

GT Speed Coach, Yamill Collazo, says, "We have a big age difference, we have a seven year-old all the way to a 58 year-old. We're a hot team, we've been a hot team for about 15 years now, we represent Columbus well."

The youngest on the team, at seven years-old, is Allison Pierce, a 2nd grader at St. Luke School. At last years championships, she broke speed records in the 100, 200, and 300 meter races.

Her mother Rhonda Pierce says, "She was six and she broke three national records. I did not realize how nerve racking it could be but it was wonderful seeing her do it."

Read More...

There will be four inline speed skating athletes representing Team USA at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro

2007-07-04T08:36:00.000-07:00

Sports Features Communications™ - Sports Newsfeeds 24/7: "Roller Sports: (June 22) There will be four inline speed skating athletes representing Team USA at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from July 12 through July 29, 2007. The athletes are Joey Mantia (Olympia, Wash.), Jessica Smith (Kearns, Utah), Brittany Bowe (Summerfield, Fla.) and Jonathan Garcia (Houston, Texas). (June 22) Two veteran roller figure skaters will be representing Team USA at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from July 12 through July 29, 2007. Jennifer Orcutt(Fremont, Calif.) and Joshua Rhoads (Everett, Wash.). For more information, log on to www.usarollersports.org.
"

Louisiana Lightning

2007-07-04T08:34:00.000-07:00

The Daily Advertiser - www.theadvertiser.com - Lafayette, LA

Louisiana Lightning
Kaplan speedskater following amazing career path
Kevin Foote
kfoote@theadvertiser.com

Unlike most youngsters in South Louisiana who watched the Olympics growing up, Kaplan's Justin Stelly wasn't glued to the television for basketball or track and field in the summer.

It was the Winter Olympics that caught Stelly's eye, and more specifically the speedskating events.

Begg's speedskating bronze sees her still in title hunt

2007-06-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

BVy STU PIDDINGTON - The Timaru Herald | Tuesday, 26 June 2007

Timaru speedskater Nicole Begg is continuing her resurgence in the World Inline Cup with a third in Sursee, Switzerland.

The 20-year-old also kept her key opponents for the title behind her and gained valuable points to sit fourth overall.

Begg is within 70 points of WIC leader Laura Lardani, who skates for the powerful Sportvital Rollerblade team.

Read More ...

Inline skating marathon set to roll

2007-06-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

By Abby Wucherer, Daily Register

You've probably heard of running a marathon, but what about inline skating one?

On Sunday, one of Wisconsin's largest inline skating marathons will kick off at 8 a.m. from the starting line near Boeck Road on Highway O west of Portage.

The event is in its fourth year, and participation has been on the rise every year, according to Tim Allen, director of marketing and public relations for Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation. WSDC organizes the American Family Insurance Badger State Games, which includes the inline race in addition to other events in the Madison area.

"The main reason the race was put in Portage was that the individuals who came to us with the idea to stage an inline race were from the Portage area," Allen said. "The community is very supportive of it. The roads are nice, it's very scenic along the river, and it brings people into Portage to see what the community has to offer."

The race course is 26.2 miles long and follows Highway O until Peterson Road, where the course loops around and doubles back to the start, taking race participants up and down the Wisconsin River.

Allen was unsure how blocked the roads would be for the race. He said that either the roads along the race route would be completely barricaded, or they would be down to one lane.

"It is somewhat of an inconvenience, but it's really only for three or four hours that day, and people can come out and watch a pretty cool sport," he said, adding that he expects between 1,500 and 2,000 spectators to cheer on skaters.

Read More....

FAU's Bowe aims for speed skating gold

2007-06-22T09:22:00.000-07:00

By Mario Sarmento
SPORTS EDITOR

If basketball doesn’t work out, FAU’s Brittany Bowe has another career to fall back on.

Bowe, who just completed her freshman year as a basketball player for the Owls, recently won five individual titles at the U.S. Speed Skating Championships in Colorado Springs.

The result was a bit surprising to Bowe, who said, “Going into the championships, I wasn’t sure what kind of performance I would show.”

That’s because Bowe had only put on her skates “about a dozen times” during the school year. Between her studies and her duties as a shooting guard for the Owls (she averaged 5.4 points and 2.2 rebounds in 30 games), Bowe was much too busy to focus on skating.

But once the school year ended, she worked hard to get back into skating shape. Bowe found that her basketball workouts actually helped her cross train for skating.

Against skaters who train year-round, Bowe set a U.S. record in the 300-meters and won the 1,000, 500 and 500-meter road race and the 200 meters.

Her 300 time of 27.759 seconds broke the previous mark of 27.941, which Bowe had set last year.

Her reward is a trip to Rio de Janeiro for the 2007 Pan American Games July 13-29, then Bowe will travel to Colombia for the World Championships in August.

“I’m really excited to go,” she said. “I’m going with the best-caliber athletes.”

The irony is that Bowe always wanted to be a basketball player when she was a child. Her father Mike coached her at Trinity Catholic High in Ocala, and Bowe’s goal was to play college ball.

Speed skating literally came from nowhere.

Read More...

Brittany Bowe golden girl once more

2007-06-18T08:37:00.000-07:00

Brittany Bowe is at it again.
The Ocala native swept through the Speed Skating Outdoor Nationals last week at the Olympic Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., collecting five gold medals and setting new records in the 200 (18.49) and 300 meter (25.95) time trials. Bowe also snagged titles in the 500 (46.70), 1,000 (1:39.68) and took the overall title in the Junior World Class Ladies division with 20 total points.

Bowe, who plays basketball for Florida Atlantic University, completed her impressive run at outdoor nationals after an eight-month layoff from the sport during the fall and winter months.

"I don't want to say (I was) concerned (about the layoff), but I was very unsure about how I would perform," Bowe said. "I came home for spring break and trained a little bit. Then right after school ended in May I came home and wrote down my training schedule and tried to prepare myself for nationals, and it paid off. I think the combination of basketball and skating really helped because we do so much agility and speed work. I think (basketball) really complemented my skating."

Bowe prepared for outdoor nationals by entering various indoor events, which is normally where she thrives. After lackluster performances in those prep races, she began to hear rumblings from competitors about how she had lost her edge.

As the sharks began circling, Bowe turned the situation into added motivation.

"It did motivate me," Bowe said of the second-guessing. "I was getting third and fourths and I really wasn't even in the race at the end. I wasn't comfortable on my skates at all."

Bowe then took a trip to the World Inline Cup - a series of races in Asia and Europe - and got the first indication that her skating was back to par.

"One of those races was a 26-mile marathon in Korea that I won, which was amazing," she said. "I'm pretty sure the girls out there were like 'if we're gonna beat Brittany, this will be the year, because she hasn't

skated at all' and blah, blah, blah.
"So, yeah, I surprised myself."
Bowe got some more good news last week when the 19-year-old was selected to participate in the Pan American Games as part of the four member TEAM USA in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in July.

Read More ...

These kids are skating for the gold

2007-06-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

Donny Allen walked to the DJ booth and called the name of 7-year-old Jacob Anderson. "Two," said Allen as he motioned with his hand the number two.

"Give me two," Allen said.

Jacob proceeded to break away from his skating partner to skitter two laps around the rink with the haste of a roadrunner. And for good measure, he added a hop at the end.

When asked about his precociousness on the skating rink afterwards, Jacob looked blankly.

"It makes me feel happy," Jacob said with youthful innocence.

Jacob will be one of four members from his squad, South Carolina Speed, in the 7-and-younger division to compete for the gold medal on July 15 in Omaha, Neb. Donny Allen, the coach of S.C. Speed, is not assuring victory just yet.

Read More ...

High Point skaters make world team

2007-06-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

News-Record.com - Greensboro, North Carolina: Sports: High Point skaters make world team: "Eight members of the High Point Speed Team have been named to the United States inline speedskating team for the world championships this summer.

The skaters are Michael Cheek, Hank Galbraith and Mariah Richardson of Greensboro, Briana Kramer and Heather Richardson of High Point, Amber Yarborough of Archdale, Kimani Griffin of Winston-Salem and Chad Horne of Danville, Va.
"

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Inline skaters roll up for Oceania champs - Sport news on Stuff.co.nz

2007-06-07T16:01:00.000-07:00

Three young inline speed skaters are training hard for their first taste of international competition.

Glendowie College students Niall Ward and Jordan Ishigaki have been selected to represent New Zealand at the Oceania inline championships in Brisbane from July 8 to 13.

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Katie Wilson rolls back into action

2007-05-31T08:08:00.000-07:00

Forestview teen returns to competitive skating after taking year off
JOSH LANIER
Staff Writer

The next two weeks will be some of the greatest ever in the life of 17-year-old Katie Wilson. She will graduate from Forestview High School, turn 18 and return to competitive inline skating, something she hasn't done in more than a year.

Wilson, a Junior Olympics gold medalist and record-holder in the two-mix relay, won't celebrate her big moments just yet. She has something to accomplish first.

"I've been training for seven solid months," she said. "I've had to go back on a strict diet, work out almost every day and train nonstop. I know I'm ready for regional competition."

Her life has taken a backseat to her skating goals. She has skated with a broken vertebra and broken arm, received countless floor burns, and she occasionally missed out on being a teen because of her training.

Her next competition will be no different.

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He proves his mettle in skating marathon

2007-05-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

THE VILLAGES -- Bert Martin laced up his in-line skates, ready to glide through his terrain -- bricks, wood planks (slippery when wet), concrete, rough asphalt, and a sloping upward ramp -- 13.1 miles total.

Now, multiply that by 2. Martin took the gold medal in his division at the 2007 Walt Disney World Inline Marathon -- 26.2 miles -- last month. The official time was 2:01:14.

"I was glad to get it," Martin, 71, said of the gold medal. "It's not easy, let me tell you."

Martin, a member of the Rollerblading Whiz group in The Villages since 2001, came in fourth in the marathon last year.

"I decided I wasn't going to quit until I got first place," he said. "The first year I was green. You learn from one year after the other.

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Ladies and gentlemen ... Start your inline skates

2007-05-17T07:06:00.000-07:00

Road America Inline 20k and 13k event supports Special Olympics USA

By Frank Rigas
Sheboygan Press staff

If all goes as expected, the Road America Inline 20k and 13k will double in size in just its second year.

This year's inline skating event is scheduled for Saturday, June 2, in conjunction with the AMA Suzuki Superbike Doubleheader weekend at the Elkhart Lake racetrack.

The Road America Inline 20k and 13k, for both recreational and competitive skaters, supports Special Olympics USA.

"Last year there were 80 participants from ages 10 to 66 and from pure recreational skaters to near-Olympic level athletes," event organizer Peter Starykowicz wrote in an email. "This year we expect around 150 participants and already have some registered from as far away as California."

Road America is the only U.S. track to host an inline skating event, according to Starykowicz, who added that there are a few others at other tracks around the world.

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Nicole skates to top sports award

2007-05-11T15:32:00.000-07:00

Timaru speedskater Nicole Begg last night took out the prestigious South Canterbury Sportsperson of the Year award at a gala function at the SBS Events Centre.

Begg was not on hand to personally collect the award as she is based in Switzerland for the European summer.

However, the 19-year-old beat off some top competition to take the crown, up against the likes of three-time winner New Zealand cyclist Marc Ryan and New Zealand bowler Sean O'Neill.

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Skate of the Union Race -Times Community Newspapers - Business Briefs

2007-05-03T06:43:00.000-07:00

Times Community Newspapers - Business Briefs: "Skater's Quest, an inline skating company, is hosting their annual Skate of the Union Race on May 12, at the Fairfax County Police Department's Driver Training Facility, 3725 Stonecroft Blvd., Chantilly.

The competition, which takes place from 7 to 11:30 a.m. benefits Special Olympics Virginia, a nonprofit sports organization. It includes a half-marathon race, skate demonstrations by rollerbladers, and a free inline skating clinic.

Visit www.skatersquest.com or e-mail race@skatersquest.com for more information or registration fees .
"

Ledger-Enquirer.com | 04/29/2007 | Soldiers skate for speed

2007-04-29T10:04:00.000-07:00

Ledger-Enquirer.com | 04/29/2007 | Soldiers skate for speed

By day he is surrounded by the quiet of the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) library but after hours it's all about speed for Yamill Collazo. The information specialist and manager of the library is also the coach, teacher and mentor of GT Speed, an area inline roller skating team

Northwest Herald - Local News and Video for McHenry County, Illinois - Around Town: CL teen skates onto national stage

2007-04-23T10:12:00.000-07:00

Northwest Herald - Local News and Video for McHenry County, Illinois - Around Town: CL teen skates onto national stage

For Hailey Leech, winning a race during an open skate at X-treme Wheels in Crystal Lake when she was 8 provided a springboard into the world of competitive inline speedskating.

Leech received a speedskating lesson as a prize for the win. Now 13 and an eighth grader at Lundahl Middle School in Crystal Lake, she will train for a week this month at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs as a member of the U.S. National Team.

Inline marathon returns to Dome

2007-04-20T07:17:00.000-07:00

Some people might walk a full lap around the Metrodome's narrow upper concourse in search of a short bathroom line. On Saturday, though, laps around that concourse will have a much more official and pleasant purpose: the Metrodome Inline Marathon.

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Walt Disney World Inline Marathon Celebrates Fifth Anniversary

2007-03-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

Inline skaters from across the country will have the chance to experience the Walt Disney World Resort on wheels as part of the Walt Disney World Inline Marathon and Half Marathon on Sunday, Apr. 1 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

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ound Rock Welcomes Inline Skaters to the 4th Annual Texas Road Rash Inline Skate

2007-03-13T07:17:00.000-07:00

ROUND ROCK, Texas, March 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Round Rock and
Hill Country Speed will host the 4th Annual Texas Road Rash Inline Skate
Marathon and Half Marathon on Sunday, March 25, 2007, at 8:30 am in Round
Rock's Old Settlers Park.

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Inline skating: 'A great sport for kids'

2007-03-05T19:11:00.000-08:00

By JARED HASTINGS
jhastings@dnj.com
— Jared Hastings, 278-5167

Do you want to go fast? Get in line — or inline.

That's what more than 60 competitors from across the Southeast did Sunday, gathering at SkateCenter West on College Street in Murfreesboro for a USA Roller Sports inline speed skating meet.

Local club sets fast pace for young and old alike

2007-02-02T07:55:00.000-08:00

Gerald Tang February 01, 2007

As someone who enjoyed instant success in a deceptively demanding sport, Trey Coomes will be the first to admit he was no stranger to looking bad.

At his best, Coomes is barely more than a blur as he whips around corners and glides at maximum speed lap after lap. But competing against the top inline speed skaters in the state can make for some disheartening moments.

A world champion at 19 – for Nicole Begg it is a dream come true

2006-12-20T16:55:00.000-08:00

The talented speedskater has jetted her way home to Timaru with a fistful of medals.

The year, by her own assessment has "been amazing", capped off by taking out the senior women's 10,000m points-elimination race at the World Inline Championships in Angyong, Korea.

The race is considered one of the hardest track races but Begg had little time to celebrate or reflect. She was racing to a bronze medal in the 1000m just 30 minutes later.

"I have to admit the bronze medal seemed real but I struggled to think I was a world champion – but it is a dream come true."

Begg also scored a silver in the 42km road marathon to give her a complete set of medals.

The outstanding results made her second overall on the track, with the points from an athlete's best three track results tallied, and she went one better on the road, named champion.

Melvindale's Smith wins 500

2006-12-20T07:53:00.000-08:00

Melvindale's Jessica Smith -- one of the latest inline skaters to switch to ice skating -- won the women's 500 meters Tuesday in the U.S. Allround Long Track Championships in West Allis, Wis.

Smith won the race in 41.04.2 seconds, beating Maria Lamb of River Falls, Wis. (41.12. 3).

Locally, Smith skates with the Roseville-based Wolverines inline club.

A world champion for the U.S. inline team, she qualified for the U.S. speedskating team in October with an eye on the 2010 Vancouver Games.

"It's not that ice is more exciting than inline," Smith told InlinePlanet.com then. "I'm just ready for a new challenge. And this is a way to get to the Olympics."

Switzerland for skating's supercoach

2006-12-19T18:00:00.000-08:00

Bill Begg's career as an inline skating coach continues to blossom with his appointment as the Swiss national coach.

The 60-year-old Timaru man shows no signs of slowing down and will return to Europe in March having been at the helm of the German national team for the last two years.

Queen of Canadian sport

2006-12-12T06:54:00.000-08:00

Nash, Morneau, Thornton -- Winnipeg's Cindy Klassen beats them all to capture the Lou Marsh Award

Before that she was a member of the national women's junior hockey team, played field lacrosse as a demonstration event at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, and competed in the Winnipeg Pan American Games in 1999 as an inline skater. In 2003, she became the first Canadian in 27 years to win the overall title at the world speed-skating championships.

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Morrison donates her locks

2006-12-02T04:41:00.000-08:00

Micalah also is an avid inline skater, competing locally, regionally and nationally, finding success on the hardwood. She skates at Fun Zone in Harrisonburg with her skating club, OMNISpeed, a 501 C-3 organization. This summer, she traveled to Lincoln, Neb. to compete nationally.

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Teenage Seymour skater rolling to new heights, awards

2006-11-27T00:55:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to Seymour High sophomore Shauna McCullough, who is off to Spain to compete in the 2006 World Roller Skating Championships. The 15-year-old is a dedicated skater, and that is what is required for anyone to reach the world championships of any activity.

Shauna is competitive and driven, but not at the expense of being a normal teenager. Yet she understands what it takes to reach the top of her sport. She has been skating for 10 years, spending hours and hours to perfect her craft. But she couldn't have accomplished what she has unless she truly enjoyed it. She works hard at something she enjoys and at which she excels.

In Spain she will be competing against skaters from 21 countries. Since each country can send just two athletes for each event, Shauna had to finish in the top two spots at this summer's U.S. Roller Skating Championships. She has earned spots in the junior world class women's freeskating and the senior world class inline freeskating events.

Shauna McCullough has achieved something rare and exciting. Good luck in Spain and have fun.

South American skater blazes trail

2006-11-26T09:41:00.000-08:00

By GARY D'AMATO
gdamato@journalsentinel.com

Posted: Nov. 24, 2006

Thousands of miles from the sunny beaches of his hometown of Mar del Plata, Argentina, Jose Ignacio Fazio cuts a lonely figure as he glides around the 400-meter oval at the Pettit National Ice Center in a black skin suit bearing the letters "ARG."

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Inline Skating Super Hero

2006-11-18T07:28:00.000-08:00

A new super hero is on the scene. Skate Ranger, the latest weapon in the battle of good against evil, is taking America by storm. Starting with an already-popular remote control action figure toy that moves with inline skates on his feet, knees and hands. Skate Ranger is poised to become the next major super hero enterprise.

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