Planet News Archive ... ... for the week of Feb. 5 - 11, 2006 Sunday
(Feb. 5, 2006)
'Inliners Love to Race!' -  Another newspaper story is taking note of inline's major contribution to the U.S. speedskating team. "Nearly half of the U.S. team has an inline background," coos the Miami Herald. In the story, U.S. long track coach Tom Cushman says inliners tend to succeed on ice because they develop great leg strength racing on pavement, and guts from racing in packs. "Inliners love to race, and a lot of them are great athletes," he says. ... One thing the story doesn't mention is the way the US Olympic Committee abruptly cut off funding for inline skating this year! (Go to Miami herald story.) (Go to Planet story about USOC funding.) Monday
(Feb. 6, 2006)
Inliners Poised for Their Olympic Moment - Rejected  as an Olympic sport, inline skating will nonetheless provide a subplot for the Torino Games, as commentators talk about the new-found strength of the inline-fortified U.S. speed skating team. (Go to the Planet story.) Talley and Yeh Lead the Way in Redondo - The  outdoor racing season opened Sunday in California with Brian Talley winning the Super Bowl Sunday 10K in Redondo Beach. Right behind him was the always competitive Howard Yeh. The two Southern Californians broke away midway through the race and finished about a minute ahead of the chase pack. (Go to race photo and storylet.) Tuesday
(Feb. 7, 2006)
Napa Marathon Set for June - There's something  fine about the Napa Valley Inline Marathon ... fine like a great wine, which isn't surprising given that it's held in the heart of California's wine country. This year's half and full marathon will be on Sunday, June 18th. It will be followed by a picnic, which will close a full weekend of fun, starting with San Francisco's Friday Night Skate and continuing Saturday with a wine tour and skate party. (Go to event web site.) (Go to more event news.) Publow Readies 2006 Mallorca SpeedCamp -  Skate coach and author Barry Publow is returing to the island of Mallorca this spring to lead another of his skate camps. This year's SpeedCamp (May 6-13) will be condensed into one week for skaters of all abilities. (Last year's ran two weeks: the first for beginners, the second for advanced skaters.) The camp includes social skates, tours, technical instruction and training. (Go to web site.) Wednesday
(Feb. 8, 2006)
Bont Unveils New 3-Point Boot - The wraps have  come off Bont's 2006 Vaypor 3D. The innovative new racing boot attaches to the frame at three points rather than the usual two. The extra mount allows the boot maker to use less carbon fiber, which makes for a lighter boot. ... Always thinking, Bont is releasing a version of the boot with a special fit for Asian feet. (Go to Bont announcement.) (Feb. 8, 2006) Thursday
(Feb. 9, 2006)
Young Chad: Sleeping on the Floor - It wasn't always  talk shows and glory for Olympic speed skater Chad Hedrick. The night before one of his first outdoor races, he slept on the floor next to the bathroom with skaters stepping on his head all night long. Don't believe it? (Go to the Planet story.) Friday
(Feb. 10, 2006)
Let the Games Begin!
 - The Sparks of Passion inline skate team was part of the spectacle today as the XX Olympic Winter Games opened in Torino, Italy. (Photo by Reuters.) Minnesota Skate Oval Needs Donors - Minnesota  skate promoter Mike Cofrin describes the John Rose Oval as the "point where inline and ice converge." But the oval has proved a financial drain on the city of Roseville. And now it needs help. (Go to the Planet story.) Watch Chad Race for Gold!  - Chad Hedrick will make his Olympic debut Saturday in the 5000 meters. The 50-time inline world champion is the favorite for the gold. Former inline skater KC Boutiette is also entered in the event. NBC's coverage starts at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. (Go to the Planet's Olympic Viewing Guide for showtimes by time zone.) Saturday
(Feb. 11, 2006)
Hedrick Wins First Gold -  Fifty-time inline world champion Chad Hedrick won the 5000 meters today to claim the first U.S. gold medal of the Torino Winter Games. Hedrick's time was 6 minutes and 14.68 seconds, .02 seconds off the Olympic record. The 5000 meters is considered the Texan's strongest event. But he has a shot at five medals. Two other former inline skaters raced in the 5000 meters: Italy's Ippolito Sanfrantello finished 12th; USA's KC Boutiette finished 17th. USA's Shani Davis posted the fastest times for the early laps of the race but faded to seventh place. ... Hedrick's next race, the team pursuit, comes Thursday. (Go to NBC results page.) Friday
(Feb. 17, 2006)
Olympic Viewing Guide: Week 2 - The second and final  week of the Torino Games promises lots of excitement, starting tomorrow with Shani Davis, Joey Cheek and Chad Hedrick doing battle in the 1000 meters. To make sure you don't miss any thing, we've posted Week 2 of our Olympic Viewing Guide. Once again, it's separated into four parts: one for each major North American time zone. (Go to the Planet's Olympic Viewing Guide.) New York 100K Is Back! -  One of the top U.S. ultra-marathons will roll back to life this year after falling off the race calendar in 2005. The New York 100K has been scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 26th, says Marcia Woodfield of Empire Speed, which puts on the event. The annual race in Prospect Park in Brooklyn was scratched last year when organizers were unable to get the necessary permits. (Go to the Planet event calendar.) Wisconsin Sprouts a New Marathon - The Upper  Midwest, already home to the highest concentration of inline marathons in North America, will host a new event this year: the Hayward Inline Marathon (Aug. 12th). Located in northeast Wisconsin, Hayward is best known for its 200 foot tall statue of a muskie. But it's only 150 miles from inline hotbed Minneapolis, making it prime turf for a marathon. The event is being organized by a new company, HAP Events, founded by Minneapolis skater Heather Prois. (Go to event web page.) | 
