This week, celebrate skating across the country, including January 21
Speed Skating Canada – Ottawa, January 17, 2017 – In the upcoming week, celebrate skating, one of the prefered physical activities of Canadians, by taking part in one of the events organized across the country, including these to be held Saturday, January 21.
Ten events across the country will be held by speed skating clubs and organizations, including: Burnaby, B.C., Calgary, AB, Charlottetown, P.E.I., Hamilton, ON, Kamloops, B.C., St. Catharines, ON, Quebec City, QC, Sherbrooke, QC, Victoriaville, QC, and Winnipeg, MB. These events will be held as part of ParticipACTION 150 Play List – the ultimate list of physical activities that make us Canadian! Throughout 2017, Canadians are being challenged to try as many of the activities on the list as possible in celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday.
Burnaby, B.C.
Saturday, January 21
Event: Introduction to short track speed skating (Burnaby Speed Skating Club)
A two-hour session to introduce participants to the sport of speed skating, specifically short track speed skating. The session is targeted at persons who have never tried the sport and who want to learn more about the sport, the equipment, the rules and the technique! Club members will help as equipment fitters, doing demonstrations of the sport and its techniques, and providing on-ice coaching.
3:00-4:15 pm: Participants arrive for equipment fitting and will complete a 20 minute off-ice briefing, explaining the equipment and the track, the basic rules, and safety considerations. Participants then complete a short (5-10 minutes) off-ice warm up and put on equipment.
4:15-5:15 pm: One hour of on-ice skating with coaches and volunteers. Focus on basic position, track layout, safety considerations (entering and exiting the track). Skaters will then take part in a basic relay race!
5:15-6:00 pm: Equipment return, snacks and hot beverages.
Where: Kensington Park Arena (6159 Curtis Street, Burnaby)
More details: https://sites.google.com/site/bbyspeedskating/ or https://www.facebook.com/Burnaby-Speed-Skating-Club-200020673378260/
Contact: Andrea MacIntosh (778-998-2639)
Calgary, AB
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Event: Free public skating from 2:00 to 10:00 pm (Olympic Oval)
Where: Olympic Oval (2500 University Dr NW, Calgary)
More details: https://oval.ucalgary.ca/node/1341
Contact: ryan.ohashi@ucalgary.ca (403-220-2213)
Charlottetown, P.E.I.
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Event: Try Speed Skating for free (hosted by Speed Skate PEI)
9:30-10:15 am: skate fitting
10:15-11:15 am: On-ice
11:15-11:45 am: Off-ice: wrap up and skate return
Where: Eastlink Centre (46 Kensington Road, Charlottetown)
More details: www.speedskatepei.ca
Contact: info@speedskatepei.ca
Hamilton, ON
January 22, 2017
Event: Family Time & Games Galore (Hamilton and Golden Horseshoe Speed Skating Clubs)
3:00-3:45 pm: Skating Fitting
3:55-4:45 pm: Free Skate
4:45-5:45 pm: Games Galore: crazy, agility, balance and coordination relays; fun races with prizes!
6:00-7:00 pm: National Skating Day Party! Celebrate National Skating Day with snacks and beverages, including award ceremony for Games Galore winners.
Where: F.H. Sherman Arena – 388 First Rd. E Stoney Creek (Hamilton)
More details: https://hamiltonspeedskating.wordpress.com or https://goldenhorseshoespeed.wordpress.com
Contact: Will Mason (905-719-1174)
Kamloops, B.C.
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Event: Winter Triathlon (Kamloops River City Racers)
The event will include a 1km snowshoe, 1km skate and 1km ski. There will also be longer courses for solo and team categories.
8:00-9:00 am: Registration at Stake Lake Day Lodge
9:00-10:00 am: Course open for warm up
10:00-11:00 am: Event begins (1km snow shoe, 1km skate, 1km ski)
11:00 am: Short course and long courses
12:30 pm (approx..): Draw prizes and awards
1:00-3:00 pm: Skating oval open to the public – River City Racers Club will have some speed skates available to try.
4:00 pm: Venue closed
Where: Stake Lake British Columbia (30 km SW of Kamloops)
More details: Polarthon.ca
Contact: Catherine Turnbull Spence (250 571-5342)
Kitchener-Waterloo, ON
January 21, 2017
Event: Learn to Speed Skate (KW Sertoma Speed Skating Club)
9:00-9:45 am: Speed Skate and Equipment Fitting
10:00-11:00 am: Free Public Learn to Speed Skate Session
11:00-noon: Watch our fastest competitive skaters practice techniques
12-1 pm: National Skating Day celebration – cake and a draw prize for all Learn to Speed Skate participants
Where: RIM Park, Lion’s Arena 2001 University Avenue East (Waterloo)
More details: www.kwspeedskating.com, Twitter & Instagram: @kwspeedskates, Facebook: KW Sertoma Speed Skating Club
Contact: info@kwspeedskating.com
Quebec City, QC
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Event: Open House and Skating Hour (Fédération de patinage de vitesse du Québec and Quebec’s area clubs)
12:00-1:00 pm: Skating Hour! Come and try to skate as many 400m laps as possible in one hour. Your laps will be count by an electronic chip at your ankle. You just have to skate! Cost: $35 (one person) or $45 (family or couple), including a donation of $25 to the Fédération de patinage de vitesse du Québec.
1:00-3:00 pm: Open House: Come skate for free with free hot chocolate and music! Participation prizes and come try long blades for free!
Where: Gaétan-Boucher Oval
More details: http://www.fpvq.org/fr/publication/nouvelle/le_21_janvier_je_chausse_mes_patins_pour_la_journee_nationale_du_patinage.html
Contact: François-Olivier Roberge (foroberge@fpvq.org or 418-651-1973, ext. 30)
Sherbrooke, QC
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Event: Open House-Bring a Friend (Sherbrooke Speed Skating Club)
Every club skater that is registered in the skating school will be invited to bring a friend. The event will include snacks.
11:00 am-3:00 pm: Skating
Where: Centre récréatif Eugène-Lalonde, 350, rue Terrill (Sherbrooke)
More details: www.cpvs.org and https://www.facebook.com/CPVSherbrooke
Contact: Sonia Proteau (819) 823-5194
St. Catharines, ON
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Event: Open House (Niagara Speed Skating Club)
7:00-9:30 pm: Open House, including dry land practice (7:30-8:15 pm), regular ice practice (8:15-9:15 pm) and promotion of the “tryB4ujoin”
Where: Jack Gatecliff Arena, 8 Gale Crescent, St. Catharines
More details: http://niagaraspeedskating.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/niagaraspeedskating
Contact: Wendy Holierhoek (905 321-3408) or www.niagaraspsk@gmail.com
Victoriaville, QC
January 21, 2017
Event: Try Short Track Speed Skating (Victoriaville Speed Skating Club)
During an inter-regional competition, people are invited to come and cheer on the skaters taking part in the competition, and then to register to try short track speed skating for free.
9:00 am-5:00 pm: Inter-Regional Competition
5:00-6:00 pm: Free to try short track speed skating blades
Where: Colisée Desjardins, 400 boulevard Jutras E. Victoriaville
More details: https://www.facebook.com/CPVV
Contact: Marie-Eve Hamel (819-960-9430)
Winnipeg, MB
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Event: The Manitoba Speed Skating Association’s annual Silver Skates Meet will take place from 10am-3pm. Post races an open house in celebration of National Skating Day between 3pm-6pm, including: Silver Shoe Race, Music, Prizes, Skating Combined Races as hockey players and speed skaters will do 50m races, Provincial Team Skating Demonstration, Learn to Skate Lessons from the Provincial Team, Free Speed Skate Rentals, snacks, hot chocolate and coffee, as well as attendance of Olympic medalist Susan Auch.
Where: Susan Auch Oval located at the Cindy Klassen Recreation Complex (999 Sargent Ave, Winnipeg, MB)
More details:
https://www.facebook.com/events/581298705408886/
https://www.facebook.com/mbspeedskating/
Contact: Elizabeth Williamson Derraugh (204-925-5657 or office@mbspeedskating.ca)
More details are available on Speed Skating Canada’s website at www.speedskating.ca.
About Speed Skating Canada
Speed Skating Canada (SSC) is the governing body for competitive long track and short track speed skating in Canada. Founded in 1887, the association is comprised of 13 provincial and territorial branches representing more than 14,000 individual members, and counting. SSC believes that sport is an apprenticeship for life and prizes respect for others, integrity, excellence of effort, as well as a safe, healthy environment. SSC recognizes and values its outstanding volunteers who give freely of their time and expertise. It also celebrates the 63 Olympic medals won by Canadian athletes since 1932, as well as the coaches, officials and other dedicated individuals who helped them on their journey.
SSC is proud to be affiliated with partners that share the same vision and values including our premium sponsors Intact Insurance and Samsung, as well as our funding partners, the Government of Canada, Own the Podium, and WinSport Canada.
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For information:
Patrick Godbout
Communications & Media Relations Manager
Speed Skating Canada
Email: pgodbout@speedskating.ca
Phone: 514 213-9897
Website: www.speedskating.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SSC.PVC
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SSC_PVC