Results for all events [pdf] are now available! And keep reading below for an articles about the race, including photos.
Valley is warming up to the idea of speed skatingSteel Ice Center in Bethlehem, which has been around for 11 years, hosted its first speed skating competition on SaturdayBy Jeff Schuler of the Morning CallAs the pack of skaters came out of the far turn to head up the back straightaway, the legs came out from under one of them and he went crashing into the padding. "It's NASCAR on ice," said a smiling East Penn Speed Skating Club president Brian Hahl, giving his description of the short track speed skating competition on the Steel Ice Center's East Rink ice. "Go fast and keep turning left." The 11-year-old club in Bethlehem hosted its first-ever competition Saturday, the inaugural Lehigh Valley Short Track Open that attracted some 50 competitors of all talent levels from as far away as Ontario, Canada. Hence Bollinger, whose "addiction" to speed skating from childhood prompted her to cajole 1988 Olympian speed skater and Lehigh Valley resident Leslie (Bader) Corbett to help her form the club in 1997, said she hopes the event becomes an annual feature on the Lehigh Valley's fall sports calendar. Competition, however, isn't why the 48-year-old Hahl first laced up speed skates about 2 1/2 years ago. An avid road-and-dirt cyclist, the Stockertown resident turned to the ice to cross-train for his first passion. "It’s more fun than running," Hahl said. "Someone told me about speed skating, said it was a perfect way to strengthen your legs. So I rented skates about a size too small the first time and fell down a few times, but I stayed with it." "It really builds your leg muscles and it's a great cardiovascular workout," Hahl added. "After an hour and a half practice, you're pretty whipped." Bollinger said the club's structure easily accommodates the recreational skaters such as Hahl as well as those seeking competition and further training the sport. Corbett, an Olympic teammate of Bonnie Blair's in the 1988 Games in Calgary, finished seventh in the women's 1,000 meters and 10th in the women's 1,500 meters. She is one of five coaches listed on the club's web site (www.eastpennspeedskating.com). "We have all ages, from 5 to 'very mature,' and skill levels from novice to advanced," Bollinger said of the 30-or-so member club. "We can get you to a certain point and then send you to the next level." Two club members have already made the leap. Allison Baver was a 17-year-old from Sinking Springs who had become an elite in-line roller skater when a friend and club member convinced her to try the ice version in 1998. Four years later, she was on the U.S. Olympic team in Salt Lake City, competing on the 3,000-meter relay team that finished seventh. In 2006, in Turin, Italy, she was finishing seventh in the women's 500 meters and again was a member of the 3,000 relay team that in 2006 finished fourth. She is currently in Salt Lake City training for the 2010 Vancouver Games, where she may be joined by Kyle Carr, a 19-year-old from nearby Shillington. Carr, another former in-line roller skater, trained with East Penn before qualifying for the U.S. World Cup Team. "A lot of people from the in-line and biking community get involved with skating clubs like ours," Bollinger said. Saturday's event -- which also drew an appearance by Danny Weinstein, a 2002 Olympian and NBC's speed skating announcer for the 2006 Games -- was the culmination of a decade's worth of waiting and work for the club, Bollinger said. "It’s something we’ve always wanted to do, but you have to have a good core group of people behind it to set it up and run it," she said. |
Lehigh Valley Short Track Open, Hosted by East Penn Speed Skating ClubFormer Olympian Dan Weinstein serves as race announcer at Steel Ice CenterBy the Lehigh Valley Sports Extra(scan of original article, with photos) BETHLEHEM -- East Penn Speed Skating Club hosted the first Lehigh Valley Short Track Open at Steel Ice Center in Bethlehem. The event attracted 50 competitors of all levels from as far away as Ontario, Canada. Rubbin's racing is as true on the ice as it is on the automobile race track, and these events are all arms and legs inches apart on ice, as racers try to maximize the bite of razor sharp blades that carve through turns where occasionally they become entangled or get bumped and go crashing into the padding. The event enjoyed the presence of a very special person, Olympic speed skater and former U.S. National Champion Dan Weinstein, who served as race announcer to the thrill of all the competitors and spectators. Weinstein competed in short-track speedskating at the 1998 and 2002 Winter Olympics. At age 17 in Nagano, Weinstein was not only the youngest athlete on the U.S. speedskating team, he was also the youngest man on the entire U.S. Winter Olympics team. After the Nagano games, Weinstein was the reigning U.S. national champion in the 500 meter and 1000 meter competitions, and won the men's overall title at the U.S. Short Track Speedskating Championships. Raised in Brookline, Massachusetts, he began skating at age eight, after his parents saw an article about local speedskating in the Boston Globe. He completed his bachelor's degree at Harvard University in 2004 and is currently studying for his PhD at Dartmouth. Weinstein was also an NBC's speedskating announcer for the 2006 Games. Hence Bollinger formed the club in 1997 with 1988 Olympic speedskater Leslie (Bader) Corbett who now lives in the Lehigh Valley. Corbett, an Olympic teammate of Bonnie Blair's in the 1988 Games in Calgary, finished seventh in the women's 1,000 meters and tenth in the women's 1,500 meters. "Our club has about thirty members of all ages and skill levels from novice to advanced," said Bollinger. "The Lehigh Valley Short Track Open is a wonderful event, and we are delighted that Dan (Weinstein) was here." The purpose of the East Penn Speed Skating Club is to provide a safe and enjoyable opportunity for speed skaters of all ages and abilities, whether you are speed skating for recreation and/or exercise, or to competitively speed skate. The club is committed to assuring that every skater has an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from club activities while at the same time providing an environment in which competitive skaters can reach their highest potential. EPSSC is affiliated with the Middle Atlantic Speed Association. Selected results:
For more information visit www.eastpennspeedskating.com. |
Speed skating event is Dec. 1(scan of original article, with photos) Fans of the Winter Olympics will have a chance to enjoy the excitement of watching speed skating at the Lehigh Valley Short Track Open (LVSTO), a speed skating meet to be held at the Steel Ice Center in Bethlehem on Saturday, Dec. 1. The event, which is hosted by the Bethlehem's East Penn Speed Skating Club (EPSSC), will mark the Lehigh Valley's inaugural Short Track Meet. Speed skaters from all around the United States, Canada, Special Olympics and local athletes will participate. Open to the public at no cost for admission, the event will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will feature special guest announcer, Danny Weinstein, a member of the 2002 Olympic Short Track team and announcer for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino. In 1997 the non-profit organization, East Penn Speed Skating Club, was founded. Hence Bollinger had always dreamed of starting up a local speed skating club but didn't quite know how to begin. Bollinger discovered that 1988 Winter Olympian, Leslie Corbett (Bader), was living nearby and after several conversations -- and much persistence on the behalf of Hence -- Leslie, a mother of twins, was soon persuaded to join Hence in the creation of the organization. East Penn Speed Skating Club was formed, embracing new and experienced skaters, and in the early years was based at Lehigh Valley Ice Arena. EPSSC has produced several elite level skaters since then including 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympian Allison Baver from Reading, and current national team member Kyle Carr. In 2005, Allison Baver and fellow Olympian Apolo Ohno showed up at the Steel Ice Center to surprise EPSSC during the club's official first kick-off session at their home base. Today, East Penn Speed Skating Club is comprised of beginner, fitness, and elite competitive skaters ranging in age for six to sixty-five. New skaters are always welcomed, whether interested in speed skating for recreation and exercise, or interested in competitive speed skating, the club and it coaching staff provides equal opportunity for all. The East Penn coaching team includes; Corbett, former Olympian in four events; Hence Bollinger, Vince Morris and Alec Karros. The LVSTO is viewed as a "dream come true" for EPSSC members along with their founders, Hence Bollinger and Corbett. For more information on skating with East Penn visit www.easpennspeedskating.com. |
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