Inline Skating In The News

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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