Speed Skating NEWS

The Festival of Wheels (Cycling) was held on Sunday, the 20th April, on Aughtie Drive beside Albert Park Lake. The event was primarily for cycle racing but ‘Speed Skating’ was put on the program to do demonstration races, being 500m Handicap heats and final. The four heats were contested by 6 skaters in each, with the first two going through to the final.
Please click here for Official results

Neil and Andrea from Bayside Blades kindly conducted a free ‘Learn to Skate’ session for the children and John Stanning performed an amazing freestyle demonstration.
This event was a great opportunity to give Speed Skating some much needed public exposure and we’ll definitely be involved with the event in 2009.
Here is the link to the Festival of Wheels website:
http://mfoc.com.au/speed-skating

Skaters comments:
“When the beep went to signal GO, I was thinking to myself C’mon, you can keep Mick, Angie and Craig, just catch Kelly. Yeah, just catch Kelly! Powering along that straight was scary! Hard, fast, faster and intense. When you hear something behind, you just wanna turn around but don’t because you know that you’ll fall. It’s worth it when you see and feel Mick flying past. IT WAS THE BEST EVENT EVAAAAAAA.” Harry Stogdale

“It’s just like a dream come true - racing against the top skaters in the country. It’s just what a skater wants” James Ke

“The chance to race in such an accessible location was brilliant. To be thundering down that long, long straight with some of the best skaters in the country chasing you down on a beautiful day, is the reason we train our hearts out!” Tony Court

Here is the link to a photo montage put together by members of the Caribbean Club:
http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2585698130103129949IezbNZ

On the 19th April, Brooke finished second in the Ladies 40k race at the ‘World on Wheels’ event at Domburg in Holland. Here is some footage:

http://www.skatepodium.com/video/TV/0000249

Here is a short interview that Brooke did:

http://www.skatepodium.com/video/TV/0000255

Congratulations Brooke.

click here for results

Grand Prix #2 is to be held this Saturday, 26th April, at Bayswater Roller City, between 5.30pm-7.30pm. The venue is at 37 Scoresby Road, Bayswater and is on Melways Map 64 G4.
For Senior A, B, C and Junior A & B there will be 500m, 1000m and 3000m races. For Junior C and Silver there will be 500m, 1000m and 1500m races. Mixed relays will also be held.

Here is information regarding the upcoming Speed event ‘Tour of Brisbane’, to be held over the weekend of the 3rd, 4th and 5th May, 2008.

Click here for info