US SPEEDSKATING WELCOMES SymbolArts AS OFFICIAL AWARD & RECOGNITION SPONSOR
Odgen, UT -Based Company to Debut Custom Award Design at 2012 U.S. Short Track National Championships
 

KEARNS, UT (January 3, 2012) – As the top U.S. short track speedskaters take the ice this weekend for the 2012 US Short Track Championships, athletes making it to the podium will be recognized and awarded with medals by SymbolArts, US Speedskating’s Official Award & Recognition Sponsor.
 
US Speedskating is also excited to debut a newly branded SymbolArts awards podium where US Speedskating athletes will be recognized and awarded with customized branded medals designed and donated by SymbolArts.
 
"The launch of an official Award Ceremony at the 2012 US Short Track Championships is an exciting addition to this and all of US Speedskating’s events. We are thrilled with the opportunity to recognize our talented athletes for their accomplishments," said Mark Greenwald, US Speedskating Executive Director.
 
“SymbolArts is known for producing high quality, creatively designed products. We are thrilled to be able to offer US Speedskating and their athletes with high quality medals and pins for their award ceremony. We also look forward to providing US Speedskating fans with a wide variety of logoed merchandise such as: pins, charm bracelets, key chains, fashion jewelry, coins, patches, lanyards, ribbons, badges and much more,” said Jon Brewer, CEO of SymbolArts.
 
SymbolArts was founded in 1986 by Utah-native, Mike Leatham, when he set out to establish a company that could provide both creative design and high quality finished products in the custom ring market. His efforts grew into a company that not only produces rings, but other types of high quality jewelry, badges, coins, patches, pins, key chains, collectible items, corporate goods and more.
 
In addition to joining US Speedskating as Official Award Sponsor, SymbolArts is now an Official Licensee. Please look for SymbolArts merchandise to be featured on US Speedskating’s online store (www.usspeedskatingshop.com) in the future.

SHORT TRACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS KICK OFF THIS WEEKEND IN SALT LAKE CITY

The 2012 U.S. Short Track Championships are coming to the Utah Olympic Oval this weekend, January 6-8, 2012. The top U.S. short track speedskaters will compete for the 2012 U.S. Championship title and a spot on the 2012 Winter World Cup and World Champion teams.

Athletes scheduled to compete include:
2010 Olympic medalist & 2011 1500m World Champion Katherine Reutter

2010 Olympic medalist & 2011 500m World Champion Simon Cho
 

2010 Olympic medalists: Alyson Dudek, Kimberly Derrick, Lana Gehring, J.R. Celski Travis Jayner, and Jordan Malone
 

2011 World Cup team members: Sarah Chen, Tamara Frederick, Jessica Smith, Emily Scott, Kyle Carr, Jonathan Garcia, John-Henry Krueger and Kyle Uyehara

Event Schedule:
Friday 1/6 - Ladies & Men 9 Lap/4 lap time trails
Saturday 1/7  - Ladies & Men 1500m and 500m
Sunday 1/8 - Ladies & Men 1000m, 3000m and Relays

Time: 9am-2pm daily (schedule subject to change)

Admission is free. If you can’t make it to Salt Lake City, tune in and watch online. The 2012 U.S. Championships will be webcast live here and follow results live on our Twitter feed and daily recaps on our Facebook page, website and in Up to Speed.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

How did you ring in the 2012? While it’s no surprise that our athletes enjoy cold temperatures, three of our hardy long track athletes – Petra Acker, Liam Ortega and Jilleanne Rookard -  decided to take the plunge in  the 30-degree waters of Lake Michigan

on Sunday as part of Milwaukee’s  annual Polar Bear Plunge. Could this be a new cross training workout? Rookard roller-skated to the lakefront then jumped in!

Long track skaters Petra Acker and Jilleanne Rookard took the Polar Bear Plunge in Lake Michigan on Sunday to ring in 2012! (photo courtesy of Jilleanne Rookard)

Speaking of workouts, do you know anyone looking for a new workout for 2012? Be sure to share this inspiring story from the Detroit Free Press on the Wolverine Sports Club.

US Speedskating extends our best wishes for a happiness, health and fast ice in 2012!
 

MARATHON SET

FOR MILWAUKEE, 2/11-12

Looking for a challenge in 2012? How about skating 25K (62.5 laps) or 50K (125 laps), or both? The Pettit National Ice center will host the 2012 U.S. National Marathon Championships February 11-12 in Milwaukee. Interested? Fees are $40.00 per race, or $50 for both races combined. An additional late fee of $50.00 will be added for all entries received after February 6, 2012. For registration and more information, please visit here.

CATCH THE 2012 SPEEDSKATING SEASON ON UNIVERSAL

SPORTS NETWORK

It’s going to be an exciting season for Speedskating and it’s all on Universal Sports.  But did you know that unless you have DIRECTV, as of 1/1/12 your TV Provider may no longer carry Universal Sports in your channel lineup?  If you want to keep watching all the speedskating action in 2012, call 1-800-55-GET-US & tell your provider you want Universal Sports in HD!  The 2012 schedule is below.  Don’t miss a race, call 1-800-55-GET-US, make your voice heard, and then tell your friends to do it too!  After you call, click the link to double your voice. 
 
World Cup Speed Skating from Salt Lake City, Utah
Watch 1/28/12 – 1/30/12 @ 10:00pm– 12:00am ET  
 
World Sprint Speed Skating Championships from Calgary, Canada
Watch 2/1/12 – 2/2/12 @ 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET
 
World Allround Speed Skating Championships from Moscow, Russia
Watch 2/22 – 2/23 @ 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM ET  
 
World Short Track Speed Skating Championships from Shanghai, China
Watch 3/12 – 3/13 @ 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM ET  
 
World Cup Speed Skating Final from Berlin, Germany
Watch: 3/14 – 3/15 @ 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET  
 
World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships from Heerenveen, The Netherlands
Watch: 3/26 – 3/27 @ 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM ET  
 
Schedule is subject to change

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

SHORT TRACK JUNIOR

NATIONALS UPDATE

We are pleased to announce that the 2012 Short Track Junior Nationals will now be held in the Washington D.C. area at the Prince William Ice Center (http://www.pwice.com/) in Dale City, VA January 27-29.

The Local Organizing Committee has been busy working overtime to plan and produce a world-class event for our junior athletes, but they need your help! If you plan to attend the event, or if you live in the Washington D.C. area, please consider signing up to volunteer for the event. For more information, please visit the event volunteer sign-up site here.

Discount hotel accommodations have also been secured. Please click here to make your reservation using group code: SPESPEA. Event attendees can take advantage of a 
special $79 rate for US Speedskating members. Reservations must be made by 1/17 to receive the discount rate. Or call: 703 497-4000 and ask for US Speedskating rate (Group Code: SPESPEA)

Thanks for your patience while we secured a new venue. We look forward to seeing athletes, families and friends in Washington D.C. next month.

REMEMBERING COACH, MENTOR AND FRIEND LYLE LEBOMBARD

Lyle Lebombard (left) celebrates his 90th birthday with Olympic champion Casey FitzRandolph (right) (photo courtesy of Casey FitzRandolph)

Legendary speedskating coach Lyle Lebombard, passed away peacefully on December 29, 2012 in Milwaukee. Coach, mentor and friend to many, Lyle worked with countless athletes over many decades on the ice.

Olympic champion Casey FitzRandolph fondly remembers training with Lebombard on many chilly, and windy workouts on the outdoor Olympic Oval in West Allis (now the Pettit National Ice Center).

“He would often have us do candy canes  - 200m drills – and he'd stand there on the sidelines in his big boots, parka and hat hollering out his famous Lyleisms ’” recalled FitzRandolph.

FitzRandolph began working with Lebombard when he was just 8-years-old and continued training with him until the age of 16. “ Lyle taught me the true technical aspects of the sport, and for that I am eternally grateful,” he added. “He also taught me to never rest on my laurels, but to look back on my races and learn from things I could do better.”

Lebombard nicknamed himself the “Old Buzzard,” but according to FitzRandolph he was anything but set in his ways. “While he kept to the basics, he was a creative thinker who often thought outside of the box on ways to improve, whether it be blades or skating technique.”

Long track junior skater Emery Lehman, 16, began training with Lebombard at the Pettit as a 9-year-old, and has fond memories of his coach. "He had a really good way in just watching you skate for a few seconds and then telling you how you could improve," said Lehman. Emery's mother Marcia agreed, "Lyle didn't tell you how to skate, but why you should skate that way, and in a way that a young skater could understand."
 
"Speedskating in the U.S. draws in very devoted people, and Lyle was no exception to that rule. His tremendous contribution to the sport will live on in the lives of the many skaters he impacted,” added US Speedskating Sprint Head Coach Ryan Shimbukuro.

“From what I saw, and from the skaters that he worked with, Lyle was one of our best technical skating coaches and stressed the fundamentals necessary to become a top skater.  He is responsible for the development of a lot of our top skaters over the years and will definitely be missed,” said Olympian David Cruikshank.

In addition to coaching, Lebombard lent his technical expertise to advise ice maintenance staff at the Pettit and the Butte (MT) Oval.

“The older he got, the wittier he became,” said FitzRandolph. “He was a lot of fun to be around.”
 

Editor's note: An extended profile of Lebombard will be featured in the winter edition of Racing Blade, publishing January 31, 2012.
 

SPEEDSKATING STARS ON

GOOD DAY LA
 

California State Champion and aspiring 2018 Olympian Lexi Bekele was recently featured on Fox 11's Good Day L.A. promoting the sport of speedskating by racing reporter, Bob DeCastro, around the rink. Lexi gave Bob a head start, but visit the link above to see who won!

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