November update from the Board
· Upcoming Key dates
November 26: Learn to race long track #2 at 8:30 AM – registration open – details sent seperately: https://icereg.ca/#!/events/parking-passes-skate-rental-other-2023-24
November 28: AGM to approve financial statements
December 7: Mini-meet at Seton (registration will open 10 days prior)
December 12: Photo day for all groups
· SkinSuits: Skinsuits have arrived! If you ordered one, please contact Madeline at vc.communications@calgaryspeedskating.ca to arrange for fitting and pick-up. We have ordered extras but priority will be given to those who ordered them first. Please e-transfer amount to info@calgaryspeedskating.ca and include the name of the skater as well as the size. It is $420 for the Kevlar (cut proof suit required for those 11+) and $200 for the lycra suit (non cut proof).
· Skate Sharpening Clinic by Ryan Hickman on Tuesday Nov. 21
Ryan Hickman is a very experienced coach and skate technician. He will be leading a skate sharpening clinic between 6:30 – 7:30 PM in Room 54 (next to the skate shop) on Tuesday Nov. 21. The clinic is free. All parents (skaters welcome too!) are strongly encouraged to attend, even if only for part of the session. Come and learn from the master. We will have spare jigs available to practice.
· Long track public skating for CSSA members: CSSA skaters are allowed to hop on the public ice after their ST session only if they abide by the public skating rules which are posted below as a reminder!
Some key rules to be aware:
1. do not use the skating aids
2. do not skate in trains
3. do not weave between public skaters.
These activities are not allowed on public ice. The main concern here is the safety component of all users on the ice. There are many people who don’t know how to skate, and to have someone come behind them in a train or weaving around them makes for a poor and scary experience.
This season the Oval has had some public members improve in skating to the point where they have been asked to switch to C ice as they are too fast for public ice. If CSSA skaters would like to use the long track ice, they are welcome on C-ice whenever it is available.
The Oval asks that CSSA athletes respect the rules according to the ice time that is occurring when they are in the building. If the athletes are not following the rules, the skate patrol will ask them to leave the ice.
· Personal Best Database: from Speed Skating Alberta (SSA) for short track results has been revived. The link is: https://speedskatingresults.ca/alberta-speed-skating-results/
Should you find any anomalies, please contact membership@aassa.ca. CSSA will also continue to maintain its own database for this season.
· Neo-Juniors (14-15 years) & Junior (16-18 years) Championships Nov. 9-12 at the Oval, Calgary: Congratulations to the athletes selected to compete as part of Team Alberta and to coach Ryan Hickman. In the Junior category and top 40 in Canada: Lewis Spence; in the Neo-Junior category and top 60 in Canada: Marek Chomin, Ana Monroy, Julianne Lazzari, Zimu Wang. Some outstanding performances by CSSA skaters, now in the Oval program: Prabhnoor Grewal, 3rd in the 1000 and the 1500; Maxine Volstad, 1st in the 500, Caleb van der Merwe, 4th in the 1000 and the 1500 as well as Osa Chomiak, who was 1st in the B Division for the 1000. A huge thank you to Marika Nadal for organizing the training, provision of Alberta team suits and coaching.
· Congratulations to National team athletes affiliated with CSSA: Laura Hall and Anders Johnson, who qualified for the World Cups in Japan, China, Norway and Poland. We wish them lots of success.
· Alberta Winter Games February 16-19, 2024 in Grande Prairie: There will be 12 athletes per zone, 3 males & 3 females aged 12-13 and 3 males & 3 females aged 14-15. Age is as of June 30, 2023. Athletes will be selected based on their best times in competition skated between August 1, 2023 and December 10, 2023. Athletes will be ranked based on their times for the 400m and 1000m for 12-13 years (400m + 1000m/2.5) and the 500m and the 1500, for the 14-15 years (500m +1500m/3). More information is available on www.albertawintergames.ca or from the Zone Sports Reps are: within Calgary city limits (Zone 3): Marika Nadal (Marika.Nadal@calgaryspeedskating.ca); outside Calgary city limits fall into Zone 2: Denise Wheelhouse (denise.wheelhouse@me.com)
· Youth Championships (11 – 13 years): Long-Track will be in Quebec City Feb. 9 – 11. Qualifying event is in Red Deer Jan. 20-21, with ABLT on Jan 6-7 as a back-up (only if weather does not permit some events to be held in Red Deer). Skaters should consider attending the back-up qualifier (in case of weather issues). Plus, it also gives another opportunity to race a 500m LT and get fast times on the “Fastest Ice in the World”. Short Track will be in Medicine Hat on March 22-24. Qualifying events are Edmonton Nov. 11-12 (counts for 40%) and RU Fast Feb. 24-25 (counts for 60%). Skaters must attend one qualifying event to be selected. New this year, there are some minimum safety time standards participants must meet in order to attend short-track championships:
| Safety Time Standard (400m) for Short Track Championships Only | |||
| Gender Category | Age 11 | Age 12 | Age 13 |
| Girls | 53.3 | 50.9 | 49.4 |
| Boys | 50.4 | 47.9 | 47.4 |
· Competition Results:
Lethbridge Oct. 27-28:
Ability 1: Wynn Kondracki, 1st; Noelle D’Abadie, 2nd; Joshua Yung, 3rd
Ability 2: Jayden Cho, 2nd
Neo-Junior: Angus Hicks, 2nd; Owen Kay, 3rd
Youth 1: Ricky Lin, 1st
Youth 2: Grayson Beagan, 1st
Red Deer Nov. 4:
Division 2: Ricky Lin, 1st
Division 4: Joel Lough, 1st
Division 5: Skylar Li, 3rd
Edmonton Nov. 11-12
Ability 1: Wynn Kondracki, 1st
Ability 2: Jun Xu, 2nd
Ability 5: Jerome Xu, 2nd
Youth Female 12: Felicia Robert, 2nd
Youth Male 12: Ricky Lin, 1st; Matthew Wilson, 2nd
Youth Male 11: Jake Buitelaar, 2nd; Grayson Beagan, 3rd
Youth Male Group 2: Bradley Li, 1st
Youth Male Group 3: Toby Powell, 1st
Neo-Junior Male: Angus Hicks, 2nd
Neo-Junior Female: Kate Folmer, 1st; Katie Noseworthy, 3rd
Junior Male: Caleb Chan, 2nd
· Upcoming Competitions:
| SSA Competition Schedule: https://www.albertaspeedskating.ca/announcements-results-years/2023-2024 | |
| Oval Competition Schedule: https://oval.ucalgary.ca/speed-skating/competitioncalendar20232024 |
November 25: Lloydminster – Lime Series
December 2: Canmore – Lime Series
December 16: Edmonton outdoor long track
January 6-7: Alberta Long Track (CSSA) – Oval (Back-up CYLT Qualifier)
January 13-14: Western Long Track Open – Winnipeg
January 20-21: Red Deer Long Track Outdoor – CYLT Qualifier
February 3: Rocky Mountain House – Lime Series
February 3-4: Canadian Neo-Junior Championships – Fort St-John
February 9-11: Canadian Youth Long Track (CYLT) Championships – Quebec City
February 16-19: Alberta Winter Games
February 24-25: RU Fast (CSSA) – Oval – CYST Qualifier
March 22-24: Canadian Youth Short Track (CYST) Championships – Medicine Hat
· Next Casino Tuesday Dec. 26 & Wednesday Dec. 27: Our next casino is coming up! If you are available, please sign-up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/ACA59207. 6 volunteers are still needed, please sign-up if you are available.
· Speed Skating Alberta (SSA) Update: SSA has adopted a new Safe Sport Policy Manual. Over the next few months and into next season, there will be a gradual roll-out. An independent third party has been retained to act as a case manager for all SSA related Safe Sport matters. The adoption of the Policy brings about necessary changes to the SSA by-laws, which are currently in progress. On October 1, 2023, SSA began using a new logo which aligned with SSC’s branding. It will be used on new marketing and promotional items. The skinsuits will be replaced in a few years’ time.
· UR Store – CSSA Gear now available: Looking for jackets, hoodies, t-shirts, headwear, jackets, etc.? The new CSSA branded items are now available for purchase for kids, women and men 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.