2023 Spring & Summer CSSA Programs:
Details will be coming soon as we are just finalizing our bookings and pricing with the Oval. The Teen groups will begin May 15th and end on August 25th, while the Youth groups will begin June 1st to August 25th. There will be options to join for the whole summer or 1-2 months depending on your holiday plans. In addition, Guy Bushell will be leading Spring and Summer programs for the adults, starting May 1st. Details will be emailed out to the adult skaters within the next couple of weeks, or they can contact Guy at britfit@shaw.ca.
Technical T-shirts were distributed in February/March:
Every CSSA registered athlete should have received a black technical T-shirt. If you did not receive yours, please come pick it up at skate rental return on March 21st.
Skate Rental Return on Tuesday, March 21st between 6:00-8:00 PM:
The skates will need to be returned to Greg at the Oval North Storage area. Please make sure your skates are sharpened before returning! If you cannot make this time work, please contact Greg Kendrick at vc.equipment@calgaryspeedskating.ca to make alternate arrangements. We also need a few volunteers to help with skate return, please sign-up at:
Canada Winter Games:
Congratulations to CSSA skaters for their top performances at the Canada Winter Games:
In long track:
Women’s 500m: Maya Lueders, 2nd
Men’s 500m: Jalen Doan, 1st; Yankun Zhao, 2nd
Women’s 1000m: Maya Lueders, 3rd
Men’s 1000m: Jalen Doan, 1st; Yankun Zhao, 2nd
Women’s 1500m: Isabelle Champagne, 1st
Men’s 1500m: Jalen Doan, 1st
Women’s 3000m: Isabelle Champagne, 1st
Men’s 5000m: Daniel Hall, 1st
Mass Start: Isabelle Champagne, 3rd
Mass Start: Jalen Doan, 2nd
Team Pursuit: Isabelle Champagne, Tatiana de Vlieg, Maya Lueders, Zoe Lueders, 3rd
Team Pursuit: Jalen Doan, Daniel Hall, Andre Erasmus, Yankun Zhao, 3rd
In short track:
Women’s Relay: Elise Prpich, Lewis Spence, Prabhnoor Grewal, 4th
Ice Removal at the Oval:
The Oval will begin removing their ice on March 20th. It will be put back in for July 10th.
CSSA Awards Gala Friday, April 14th:
The End-of-Year CSSA gala is booked for Friday April 14 at the Calgary Winter Club (4611 – 14th Street NW). Each group will be giving awards to their top skater, most improved and best sportsmanship. In addition, the Junior World & Canada Games Teams will be honoured. They will be dressed in Team Canada/Alberta gear and will be signing autographs and taking photos with CSSA members. Additional details will be coming soon.
Officials Corner:
With some important events happening around the country, some CSSA officials were lucky enough to get plum assignments:
Arctic Winter Games – Wood Buffalo:
Scott van der Linden – Chief Track Steward
Paul Chateau – Chief Starter
Canada Winter Games in PEI & NS:
Scott van der Linden – Chief Track Steward
Jacky Shoebridge – Chief Referee
Julia Bozhedomova – Chief Manual Timer
Andrew Cross – Assistant Starter
2023 End of Season Report Cards:
Report cards will be sent out for the Youth C – F groups over the next few weeks. It will also include recommendations for what summer program is appropriate for the skaters. For Group A and B skaters, they will be receiving a personal best card (both LT and ST) and the coaches will set up debrief sessions with the skaters. More details to follow.
UCalgary Camps and CSSA Partnering at Skating Camps this Summer:
UCalgary Camps & CSSA will be partnering to offer Try Speed Skating during skating camps, for Grades 2 to 3 as well as Grades 4 to 6. There are 4 weeks of skating camps: July 10th, 17th, 24th & 31st. A Try Speed Skating session will be presented at the end of each week. CSSA members and families are welcome to register:
https://active-living.ucalgary.ca/programs/ucalgary-summer-camps/skating-camp
Active Living Skating Camp Leaders and Instructors Needed!
To apply for a position, please visit the following link:
https://active-living.ucalgary.ca/about-us/job-opportunities
Annual General Meeting AGM will be on Tuesday, April 18th at 6:00 PM:
Please save the date. We will be electing the 2023-24 Board of Directors at that time.
Final Try Speed Skating Sessions on Sunday, March 26th from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM:
We will be hosting two Try Speed Skating sessions for all skaters that participated in a Learn to Skate program with the University of Calgary Active Living programs.
UR Store – CSSA Gear now available:
Looking for jackets, hoodies, T-shirts, headwear, etc.? The new CSSA branded items are now available for purchase on:
https://urstore.ca/calgary-speed-skating-association_527601
Order and pay by credit card and your items will be delivered directly to your home.
Speed Skating Alberta (SSA) Performance Badges:
SSA Performance Badges will be distributed in March for competitions in December through to early March. If you do not receive yours, please come pick them up at skate rental return on March 21st. Please see link for an explanation of the program as well as the short-track and long track time standards:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TBm-MDpl-X1oSuync_IQ3HuZVIBgDB35/view
Alberta Winter Games February 2024:
After a four-year hiatus, the Alberta Winter Games will be back in Grande Prairie in February 2024 and will feature short-track speed skating. Age groups and events will be confirmed over the summer.
Athletes selected to the Canadian Youth Short-Track Championships (West) which will be held in Saskatoon on March 25th-26th:
Congratulations to CSSA athletes who are part of Team Alberta. They will be accompanied by Marika Nadal, Head Coach for the team.
Female 11: Félicia Robert
Female 12: Charlotte Perkins, Sadie Neil
Female 13: Kate Folmer, Katie Noseworthy, Maxine Volstad, Osa Chomiak
Male 11: Jiaqi (Ricky) Lin, Mathew Wilson
Male 12: Connor Craig, Henry Zhang
Male 13: Angus Hicks, Madden Thomson
Note that Cara Byrne & Dean Lavoie qualified but were unable to attend.
Competition Results: Congratulations to our CSSA top finishers
RU Fast on February 25-26, 2023
South Rink (Hockey Rink)
Division 1: Male: Jake Buitelaar, 1st
Division 2: Male: Jun Xu, 1st; Lucas Brown, 2nd
Division 4: Male: Lucas Kroczak, 1st; August Tobman, 3rd
Division 5: Female: Saoirse McAdam, 1st; Grace Schmidt, 2nd; Ella Migliaccio, 3rd
Division 5: Male: James Moran, 1st
Division 6: Female: Alexa Jessee, 1st; Ali Gilbert, 3rd
Division 7: Female: Anchita Maji, 1st; Male: Gareth Roberts, 1st
Division 8: Female: Amelia McAdam, 1st; Male: Lucas Wan, 1st; Skylar Li, 2nd
Division 9: Female: Sabrina Jordan, 1st; Male: Bennett Brovald, 2nd; Lochlan Ravlich, 3rd
North Rink (Speed Skating Rink)
Juniors + Division 1: Female: Chloe Cameron, 1st; Male: Caleb Van der Merwe, 1st; Marek Chomin, 3rd
Juniors + Division 2: Female: Maggie Breedlove, 2nd; Male: Caleb Chan, 1st; Justin Aasen-Courtemanche, 2nd; Nash Loster, 3rd
Juniors + Division 3: Female: Zimu Wang, 1st; Julianne Lazzari, 2nd
Youth 1: Female: Maxine Volstad, 1st; Male: Jiaqi (Ricky) Lin, 1st
Youth 2: Male: Angus Hicks, 2nd
Youth 3: Female: Cara Byrne, 3rd; Male: Ian Im, 1st; Mathew Wilson, 2nd
Youth 4: Female: Ana Monroy, 1st
Youth 5: Male: Toby Powell, 1st; Adam Rudakewich, 2nd
Edmonton Spring Fling – March 4-5, 2023
Junior Females: Julianne Lazzari, 3rd, Elizabeth Bewski, 4th
Youth 13 Female: Maxine Volstad, 1st; Osa Chomiak, 3rd
Youth 11 Female: Félicia Robert, 1st
Youth 12 Male: Henry Zhang, 3rd
Youth 11 Male: Jiaqi (Ricky) Lin, 1st; Mathew Wilson, 3rd
Ability 1 Female: Noelle d’Abadie, 4th; Male: Nicholas Wang, 2nd; Joshua Yung, 4th
Competition Schedule
March 25-26: Canadian Youth Short Track Championships (CYST) – Saskatoon, SK