Wanna Get Pumped for Worlds?

If you missed Indoor Nationals and the introduction of TEAM USA, you will want to take a moment to see how much TEAM USA can pump up a crowd!

With the help of announcer Bob Justice, 32 athletes took the floor with t-shirts and the like from their sponsors which helped set off the evenings' final events.

Twenty-four athletes will represent the United States at the World Championships in Cali, Colombia, August 17th - August 24th, 2008. The additional 8 athletes are alternates and must attend residency to be considered should another skater become unavailable to go to World's.

New DVD-A Tribute to Our Pan American Skaters

Check out this new DVD compiled by Antoinette (Toni) Wood. Once again giving homage to all of the skaters who work hard, Toni showcases Joey Mantia, Brittany Bowe, Jessica Smith and Jonathan Garcia. There are a few locals in there and you don't have to look hard to find them. Brian Talley of Southern California takes top honors for allowing me to video him while getting his road rash taken care of at World's last year!!

ARE YOU SICK ??

I just have to ask... how many of you became ill while at Indoor Nationals? And what did you have? How about after you came home?

Why do I ask? Many people that I have spoken to were pretty sick near the end of Nationals or as they were coming home. I know that I went to the doctor the day after I came home and was told that I had an upper respiratory infection along with two ear infections (not always do both ears become infected!). Kim Eger came home and was also visiting the doctor on Monday, receiving antibiotics for the same type of stuff. We had other skaters and parents who were quite ill and have missed most of their work week. Now I understand that a couple of the Jr/Sr World Team members have come down with "stuff" and are trying to battle it while they are training and at that altitude.

The only thing that I can come up with that ALL of us had in common was that we were in the auditorium. Not everyone stayed at the same hotel. Not everyone went to the SEND THE BEST DINNER (can you believe that??) and not all of us ate food there or flew out all on the same day.

So give me your best story... and your best guess. What happened to all of us?? And will the artistic skaters come across the same thing that we did?? Stay tuned... Linda

RETURNING HOME

Have you ever thought about your return home from a skating trip or vacation? Sometimes returning home can be just as hard as the trip itself. Oh sure I had a great time at Indoor Nationals. All of the incredible skating. Records being broken for some skaters while others had broken hearts or broken bones, but there was never a dull moment. This year we were lucky. The bed we slept in the first night sagged in the center. I am always pushing Pete "over", but when we both woke up in the middle of the night and we were stuck in a hole and couldn't get out, we knew we needed the hotel to at least turn the mattress over! Some people had mold in their bathroom or could smell mold coming from the air-conditioner. How about those "full kitchens"? I really enjoy having the option of a full size refrigerator, stove, microwave and utensils, but I cooked as often in the hotel room as I do at home. Which is a big zero. But the extra space was great for the empty suitcases.

So that's when I know it's time to come home. When things aren't quiet as fun any more. Like getting up early and staying late. When all I see after I lay down and close my eyes are skaters whizzing by and hawking. One hawk after another. I never really see faces, just legs, skates, wheels and hawks. I don't even know who wins.

Finally, you know you're coming home when you have repacked your suitcase 5 times and it still does not fit everything. Even though you didn't buy one thing! Except a sweatshirt and a new set of wheels and you just had to get some stuff signed at the SEND THE BEST dinner!

Waiting in the airport is another experience. They seem to always cancel or delay the first flight of the day. We haven't had much sleep to begin with and we have gotten up early to return the rental car, rush into the airport only to stand in line for an hour and a half as they try to rebook everyone. But in the back of your mind you know you are going home!

Once you have landed and waited for your luggage (how come your luggage never gets lost when you're going home?) in the car you go. As you drive back from the airport all you can think of what it will be like when you see the front door, you walk into the house and see your kitchen, your living-room and then reality hits you!

You have tons of dirty laundry to do. Probably six or eight loads. You need to unpack all of the suitcases and then you will need to find a place for the items that you took with you. These items had a specific spot before you left but somehow that spot mysteriously filled up with other things while you were gone. I have never understood that part! Oh and don't forget that huge pile of mail. Or should I say BILLS. It's never anything good, just lots of paper telling me to hurry up and pay for last months trips.

And let's not forget how tired you are. All you want to do after your "vacation" is sleep! The lawn needs to be mowed. The kid who was supposed to water your plants forgot and now you have to spend extra time trying to get them to stand back up. And what happens when your lawn doesn't get watered but the kid mows it? Clippings are on the right...

And finally the biggest question of all. Should I put those suitcases away right now because I am going to need them again in two weeks??!!

That's what it is like for me when I return home, how about you?

Linda

Train Wrecks and Other News from Omaha

Injury couldn't keep Johnny Ristine away from Indoor Nationals for long. The morning after his crash, he was back at Civic Auditorium, wearing a cast and coaching his team from a wheelchair. He said he had been diagnosed with a fracture of the fibula (the smaller outside bone in the lower leg) below the boot line. He was told he would need surgery on his return to Philadelphia. But due to the injury, he was "grounded" from flying until at least Monday.

Mary Allmond was a bit luckier. She suffered a concussion and some internal bruising and also needed a few stitches to close a tear. When she arrived at the auditorium, she looked pale and was walking slowly. But the next thing I knew, she was out there on the floor warming up for a division final.

I approached her, somewhat dumbfounded, to ask her what she was doing.

She said she “needed" to skate the race for the points. To win her division, she needed to win the race. ... And she did! She started slower than usual. But once she got up to speed, she was like a locomotive and reeled in the skaters that had beaten her off the line. She took the lead, but on the last of seven laps, Kathy Ream from Team Extreme (WA) passed her. However, Mary fought back to take the win with Kathy a close second. And that's how the ladies finished overall: Mary, first; Kathy, second. (That's Mary with husband Buggy at the Send the Best dinner two days later.)

Relays

Of all the various relays, one would stand out in my mind: the Master Two-Lady relay. Susie Jackson and Mechele Busby from Triad Racing (my team) were in the relay. Susie fell twice during the event. Both times she got back up and kept skating. But the second time, the skater who fell along with her, Jennifer Simmons (co-owner of Simmons Racing Boots), did not get back up. As the women came back around the floor, Jennifer was still lying there and we could hear her cries, even through the intense yelling of the crowd.

Finally, the referees blew their whistles to stop the race, and sports-medical trainer Lori Brandon flew across the floor to check on Jennifer. We weren't able to figure out what happened until we reviewed the race photos by Mark Virtue, a professional photographer from Washington, and the video my husband, Pete, shot. (It was Mark's photos that helped us piece together how my son, Joshua Wood, dislocated his shoulder at last year's Outdoor Nationals. See photo below.)

(Those of you with weak stomachs may want to skip ahead to the next paragraph.) ... Mark's photos showed Jennifer leading the pack with another skater close behind her. The next shot shows Susie Jackson right behind Jennifer in the second position. The third photo shows Jennifer alone. (Susie had already fallen by this point.) Jennifer was standing on her right foot with her left leg off the ground. Her hip was forward, her thigh was forward, her knee was forward, but her skate was pointed nearly 180 degrees around (the front of her skate was pointing backward). This meant that something below the knee had broken. After reviewing Pete's video, we pieced together the following sequence of events: Jennifer was leading. Susie made a late pass into second place, very close to Jennifer (so close that she was coasting). Jennifer stepped onto her left foot pushing with her right foot. As Jennifer crossed her right foot over (we can see the start of the left push), the skater in third rolled right into the line of Jennifer and Susie’s feet. It appears that Jennifer must have pushed back into Susie’s left foot which caused Susie to fall. Then Jennifer fell to the ground and slid into the wall. She did not appear to hit the wall with her left foot, ankle or leg.

(Welcome back to some of you) … As the ambulance attendants wheeled Jennifer out, a young skater standing near the action fainted. Instantly Lori Brandon was back on duty. Rumors started circulating immediately that the young skater had fallen from the balcony above. But that was untrue. Skaters just have overactive imaginations!

My team went on to win the Master 2-Lady relay, I couldn’t tell you who got 2nd or 3rd or if it was even a record breaking event. My thoughts were with Jennifer. Last I heard, she was having a rod and pins placed in her leg to mend a broken tibia and fibula. (This is secondhand information.)

We wish Jennifer a speedy recovery and our thoughts and prayers are with her and Dave, her husband. Knowing Jennifer, she will be back next season if her leg will allow it! Either way we will continue to see Jennifer side-by-side with her husband running Simmons Boots.

All in all there were many records broken at this national championships. The floor got faster each day and the wheel of choice for the meet was Matter. There were many vendors, some new, some old; one was returning for their 37th year.

The second-annual Send the Best dinner attracted 300 guests. Like last year, guest speaker, Olympic Gold Medalist, Derek Parra, reminded us how it takes a whole skating community to create a champion. He also advised the young (and old) skaters to follow their dreams, no matter where they take you.

Ross Creveling, the DJ at the dinner, had things hopping with “Dance with a World Team Member” and had us laughing with those brave enough to do Karaoke (watch for my YouTube of Senior Word Team member, Justin Stelly singing “On the Bayou”). And this year there was plenty of food.

Finally, a very, very special thank you goes out to Martha and Steve Polston of New Jersey (Frenchtown Speed Club) for EVERYTHING. Without the two of them, Send the Best would not exist!

Continue to watch for stories, pictures and video on individual skaters. As always, thanks for reading. Linda Wood

Long Distance Races

I expected Sprint Night to be exciting and fast, and it was. I never dreamed that the long distance races would raise the athletic bar and the crowd’s enthusiasm to such heights!

One of the most electrifying races was the Freshman Girls 1000-meter finals. Possessing the passing skills of elite pros, these young women were constantly moving in and out of the pack, back to front, and around and through the racing line. From the gun, the race was controlled by five of the six finalists: Sara Thrall (Team Extreme, WA), Haley Leech (Fast Forward, PA), Allyssa Franklin (Stardust, FL), Domenica Mejia-Clavijo (Synergy, VA) and Courtney Grzech (Stardust, FL).

There had been a few falls in earlier races and I would have bet the farm — good thing I don't own one! — that one of these girls would be going down due to their high speed and intensity. But they remained upright. Shoulder to shoulder, side-by-side, Haley, Courtney and Sara would enter turns together, so tightly packed that it seemed they were only using enough space for one skater.

Nearing the end of the race, I knew the five leaders were tiring and that their legs couldn't endure much more. Sara dropped back to fourth. She had fought Haley several times and looked as though she had given up. This allowed the Synergy skater, Domenica Meja-Clavijo, to move up along with Allyssa. Then with a little over one lap remaining, Sara found a second wind and kicked it into high gear. As she started passing up through the girls, the crowd got louder. Some cheered for Haley to keep going, others for Domenica to move up; then the Washington crowd got to its feet to urge the blonde, pony-tailed Sara to keep up her charge. Once she passed Haley, she continued to accelerate, never looking back.

She would end up with the overall win with Haley Leech second and Domenica Meja-Clavijo, a surprising third.

I have watched the video of that race at least ten times now and each time I get chills down my spin. All of those girls are top notch skaters and will be heard from in the future!

Posting Challenges

Posting stories from Omaha has proved a challenge. Once again, we stayed at an Extended Stays hotel. (We also stayed at one for Outdoor Nationals.) And once again, the internet connection was frustratingly slow. The only time it worked well was when everyone was gone during the day, which was no help to me since I was also gone.

Another challenge has been the schedule at Indoor Nationals. With the doors at the first race on the line by 6 a.m., we have had to get up at 4:15 a.m. each day to get ready. Although breaks have been scheduled (usually an hour, maybe two), that is not enough time for us to return to the hotel, eat, write an article, wait while it is sent and get back in time for the evening session. Once we are back in the building, as a coach, I am either down on the floor with my skaters or videotaping. We have been leaving the auditorium each night at about 10:30 to 11:30. We drive the 20-30 minutes back to the hotel, shower, charge batteries, change tapes, repack backpacks, and fall into bed around 1:00 a.m. to catch a few hours of sleep. The life of a coach is not glamorous But it can be very rewarding!
Linda

Opening Ceremonies & Sprint Night

Tonight was beyond incredible. Skaters left everything they had out on the floor ... and then some.

Johnny Ristine, coach, skater and father of three, was in the lead in the Grand Classic Men’s 500-meter sprint when another skater made a pass and they both fell.

Johnny slid into the wall and did not get back up. It was apparent that something was wrong. Within moments, our trainers were out on the floor. Later we heard that Johnny may have broken an ankle. (Knowing Johnny, his wife, children and sister, who were all there, he will be back in the building ASAP!)

The injuries didn't end there. Mary Allmond, who organizes one of the country's top invitationals (the Blue Ridge Challenge), was blazing through Lap 3 when she fell coming out of the first corner. She rolled several times and appeared to hit her head. She stood up looking dazed. But when the skater who had been behind her flew by and and fell down, Mary came back to life. She started sprinting and ended up finishing fourth in the race and earning five points for the overall standings.

As were were leaving the auditorium, paramedics were taking Mary to the hospital. That's a standard precaution after bad falls. (We'll keep you updated on her condition and also that of Johnny.)

Sprint Night lived up to its reputation for excitement. Skaters "ran" from the start to the finish line, only stopping to step on, over or around other skaters. (I have some video I will try posting later along with some more photos.)

Tonight also featured the opening ceremonies, during which they introduced the World Team (see photos.)

More later!

- Linda

First Day of Competition - Sunday

The day started bright and early at the Civic Auditorium in Omaha, NE. First up was a practice session for elite skaters.

When I arrived, I was disappointed with the condition of the floor. Rather than glossy, it was somewhat splotchy. I learned that it had been stripped to bare wood and only one layer of coating applied before we arrived. For a fast ("tight") floor, you generally need to apply at least three layers of coating. I'm not sure why that wasn't done. Probably because of the time and money involved. (Typically, it takes three to four hours to roll each coat of sealer and 12 hours, minimum, to dry.)

The good news is that everyone will be skating on the same floor. So, although speeds may not be as high as possible, the playing field will be level.

Sunday's competition started with the Tiny Tot boys and girls, ages 5 and under. The kids are amazing! Just think about it: they are still in pre-school and most can’t even tie their own shoes. Yet they can count their own laps, skate correctly on the outside of the pylons; and they know the difference between winning and finishing second.

After the Tots, the World Class women took the floor for the 100-meter individual time trials and the excitement started to build. Sixteen women competed in the event, rolling to the starting line one at a time to race around the pylons.

Mariah Richardson of High Point, NC, held the lead in the early heats with a time of 11.013 seconds. But six skaters later, Jessica Smith of Kearns, UT, took over the lead when she notched a time of 10.815.

Then came Brittany Bowe (photo, above), the 19-year-old speedster from Ocala, FL. When race announcer Bob Justice introduced her and recounted her record time from last year (10.75 seconds), the crowd went wild.

Brittany responded by putting on a show. With her eyes focused on the floor, she stepped up to the line and set her feet in the start position. Suddenly, the auditorium became absolutely, unbelievably quiet.

Then Brittany stepped back with her right foot, rocked backwards, and exploded forward in a burst of speed. The crowd screamed as she flew around the pylons and set a new national record of 10.551 seconds, a full two-tenths of a second off her old record.

In the end, it was Brittany Bowe, first; Jessica Smith, second; and Sara Sayasane of Milpitis, CA, third (10.862).

The World Class Men were just as exciting. Skating first was perennial former indoor champion Jeremy Anderson. The crowd grew silent when the popular racer (and 31-year-old father of two) rolled to the line. He posted a time of 10.266 seconds.

Next up was 16-year-old Chad Horne from High Point Speed. Chad is one of the young lions of inline speed skating. I've watched him over the years mature not only as a skater but as a person. He notched a time 10.204, which give him the lead, but was ultimately only enough for sixth place.

It was Joey Mantia who would once again bring the audience to its feet. After Brittany's performance, the audience hoped to see another national record. And who better for the job than Joey, the reigning track, road and marathon world champion, who, it seems, has a friendly rivalry with Brittany (his former Team Florida teammate) over who can win the most speed skating honors.

But the 21-year-old fell short of his own record. He hesitated slightly in the final turn and posted a time of 9.818 seconds, about 3 hundredths of a seconds slower than the record he set last year (9.789).

Nonetheless, he finished first in the competition and was the only skater under 10 seconds.

Second place went to Ben Carey of Frenchtown Speed in Pennsylvania (10.035); third place to Jonathan Garcia of Texas.

Stay tuned. There's lots more coming up all week. ... And thanks for reading!

Linda Wood

WELCOME....

As I sit here on the plane to Omaha, NE, the majority of the passengers are asleep, although not 4-year-old Abbi Eger, daughter of skater Kim Eger. I don't blame them, as it's only 6:30 am. My husband is snoring so I've put on my headphones and am pretending that I don’t know that guy!

This is just the beginning of our trip and our series of articles, which we hope will become one of the best sources for inside information about the 2007 World Inline Speed Skating Championships in Cali, Colombia (August 17- 24).

You are probably wondering why we are starting our “coverage” a full month before the championships. Having been a part of the last 7 championships in one capacity or another, I am very familiar with the many stories that are out there. The stories that you don’t always get to hear about. I want you to be a part of every smell, every sight and experience — the good and the not so good. It is such an exciting time. I have said many, many times before: If you have never been to the World Championships, there are no words to describe it effectively. The Championships are the most intense speed skating competition in the world. And I will do my very best to take you there with me!

The World Championships last only seven days and come around just once a year. But it takes countless hours and endless work to earn a place at the starting line. I hope to share some of the athletes' stories, and not just those of the winners, but those who will come home empty handed, who may have trained all year on broken concrete tracks or have been unable to afford proper equipment.

We will begin our coverage with the last major tune-up event for U.S. skaters: the USA Roller Sports Indoor National Championships, which start Sunday in Omaha, NE. Starting with the first day of practice, we will cover the entire competition including elite, world class and novice divisions. We hope to include video and photos. And if there are conflicts or falls, we'll have them, too.

I promise I will update the blog daily (although some days more thoroughly than others). So check back every day.

By the way, for those of you who don't know me, I am one of the coaches of the Triad Racing speed team in Citrus Heights, CA. The other coaches are my husband, Pete (the snoring man), Bob Stewart and Kevin Boyer. We've been at if for about 11 years. This year, we have 22 skaters at Indoor Nationals. I also work with Send the Best, an organization that raises money for the World Team.

Although I know I'll be very busy, I'm excited about this opportunity to share the stories of the World Championships with you. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Thanks for reading!

-Linda

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