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Post by lexi on Oct 2, 2007 20:00:27 GMT -5
From Ohnozone.com www.ohnozone.net/Midland Daily News | Bedford says MSSC will host fewer events in future "(The attendance) was what I expected without Apolo there," she said. "I think the people that came were speed skating enthusiasts who would have come whether or not Apolo was there. As far as the ones that might have come to watch Apolo for the celebrity side, there would have definitely been more people."
She said the [Midland Speed Skating Club] won't be hosting competitions so frequently now that the club has proved to the U.S. Speedskating organization that it knows how to host a meet. |
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Post by number1fan on Oct 2, 2007 20:08:42 GMT -5
2 questions...
saw shani taking 6th overall (something like that) and he made the team...
is this for the world cup competition or for the world championships?
is he a full time st skater again? 
sorry...i'm a bit lazy to go read for myself 
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Post by Lori on Oct 2, 2007 20:21:49 GMT -5
2 questions...
saw shani taking 6th overall (something like that) and he made the team...
is this for the world cup competition or for the world championships?
is he a full time st skater again?
sorry...i'm a bit lazy to go read for myself Number1, this is for World Cups 1 & 2 and (I think) for 3 & 4 as well. The Nationals in SLC in December determine the team that will go to the World Championships. I don't know if Shani's still skating Long Track, 'cause I don't follow that sport, but I do know he started out as a ST skater. I think I heard something that said he was inspired to try to win Olympic medals as both a LT and a ST skater... (anybody know where that came from?) |
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Post by number1fan on Oct 2, 2007 20:31:10 GMT -5
2 questions...
saw shani taking 6th overall (something like that) and he made the team...
is this for the world cup competition or for the world championships?
is he a full time st skater again?
sorry...i'm a bit lazy to go read for myself Number1, this is for World Cups 1 & 2 and (I think) for 3 & 4 as well. The Nationals in SLC in December determine the team that will go to the World Championships. I don't know if Shani's still skating Long Track, 'cause I don't follow that sport, but I do know he started out as a ST skater. I think I heard something that said he was inspired to try to win Olympic medals as both a LT and a ST skater... (anybody know where that came from?)
skated ST first but that the volatileness (word?) of ST is what made him
switch to LT instead. BOTH LT & ST??? whoa...wouldn't that be a huge
undertaking? but if he can do it...go for it!  |
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Post by Lori on Oct 2, 2007 21:07:57 GMT -5
BOTH LT & ST??? whoa...wouldn't that be a huge undertaking? but if he can do it...go for it! [/b][/quote] Yeah, if he can medal in Vancouver in ST it would be groundbreaking. LT in Torino - ST in Vancouver. He's already broken ground, though - for those who don't know, he's the first African-American to win individual gold in a Winter Olympics... go Shani! |
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Post by jennaceeta25 on Oct 3, 2007 8:48:06 GMT -5
BOTH LT & ST??? whoa...wouldn't that be a huge undertaking? but if he can do it...go for it! [/b][/quote] Yeah, if he can medal in Vancouver in ST it would be groundbreaking. LT in Torino - ST in Vancouver. He's already broken ground, though - for those who don't know, he's the first African-American to win individual gold in a Winter Olympics... go Shani![/quote] That's amazing! I bet Apolo is so proud of him! ;D |
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Post by Ghest II on Oct 3, 2007 11:58:35 GMT -5
lori...thanks! i thought it was for world cup comps too...and i knew shani
skated ST first but that the volatileness (word?) of ST is what made him
switch to LT instead. BOTH LT & ST??? whoa...wouldn't that be a huge
undertaking? but if he can do it...go for it! Is it true that he switched because of the danger in the sport? From what I've heard, he loves ST first and foremost, but he's a much better LT skater than ST, which is why he trains more for LT than ST. It's pretty hard to do both, since the seasons coincide and competitions can happen on the same weekends... |
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Post by number1fan on Oct 3, 2007 15:44:51 GMT -5
lori...thanks! i thought it was for world cup comps too...and i knew shani
skated ST first but that the volatileness (word?) of ST is what made him
switch to LT instead. BOTH LT & ST??? whoa...wouldn't that be a huge
undertaking? but if he can do it...go for it! Is it true that he switched because of the danger in the sport? From what I've heard, he loves ST first and foremost, but he's a much better LT skater than ST, which is why he trains more for LT than ST. It's pretty hard to do both, since the seasons coincide and competitions can happen on the same weekends...  please keep us posted of your findings. |
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Post by ST fan on Oct 4, 2007 12:51:34 GMT -5
Ghest II is right - Shani's first love is ST but LT is where he excels. Most years he competes in the first ST trials and most years he earns a spot on the WC team, but he generally doesn't end up using that spot due to conflicts with the LT competition calendar. This year follows that pattern. Jp Kepka, who finished 7th at American Cup 1, will take Shani's spot on the fall World Cup team.
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Post by number1fan on Oct 4, 2007 13:58:28 GMT -5
Ghest II is right - Shani's first love is ST but LT is where he excels. Most years he competes in the first ST trials and most years he earns a spot on the WC team, but he generally doesn't end up using that spot due to conflicts with the LT competition calendar. This year follows that pattern. Jp Kepka, who finished 7th at American Cup 1, will take Shani's spot on the fall World Cup team.
because he loves it and he can, and will later switch back to LT because
he's better at that.  |
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Post by jennaceeta25 on Oct 4, 2007 14:05:00 GMT -5
Ghest II is right - Shani's first love is ST but LT is where he excels. Most years he competes in the first ST trials and most years he earns a spot on the WC team, but he generally doesn't end up using that spot due to conflicts with the LT competition calendar. This year follows that pattern. Jp Kepka, who finished 7th at American Cup 1, will take Shani's spot on the fall World Cup team. ST fan, I had no idea that Shani was good at LT..I didn't even know there even was a LT..I don't know much about either sport but I'm trying. |
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Post by mtnme on Oct 4, 2007 15:03:22 GMT -5
Jenna,
You just probably heard of LT (long track) as just "speedskating". Think Eric Heiden, Bonnie Blair and Dan Jansen. There are usually only 2 skaters on the ice at a time and they are skating against the clock, not each other (although I'm sure that helps)- the fastest guy wins. Long Track is what Shani won his gold medal in at The Torino Olympics.
ST - (short track) usually has a "Pack" of skaters on the ice and the fastest guy doesn't always win- because there is so much "strategy" that has to play into it as well. Knowing when to hang back and conserve your energy and knowing when to strike and move forward is a big part of the race. Being able to "read" openings in the pack at such high speeds is key. That is what makes Apolo so amazing. He manages to squeeze through openings so small, I almost believe he just temporarily de-materializes. The explosive speed he passes with is stunning -especially at the end of a race when you know the skaters are getting tired.
Hope this info clarifies it more for you.
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Post by st fan on Oct 4, 2007 15:37:40 GMT -5
Hey all, I may have misspoken about Shani not skating the ST world cups. He's skipped them in the past due to LT conflicts but his web site indicates he's planning on skating them this year. USS posted on their website that JP is going instead of Shnai, so it isn't clear at the moment, but i would look for shani to switch back to LT by mid-season in any case.
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Post by jennaceeta25 on Oct 4, 2007 15:41:28 GMT -5
Jenna, You just probably heard of LT (long track) as just "speedskating". Think Eric Heiden, Bonnie Blair and Dan Jansen. There are usually only 2 skaters on the ice at a time and they are skating against the clock, not each other (although I'm sure that helps)- the fastest guy wins. Long Track is what Shani won his gold medal in at The Torino Olympics. ST - (short track) usually has a "Pack" of skaters on the ice and the fastest guy doesn't always win- because there is so much "strategy" that has to play into it as well. Knowing when to hang back and conserve your energy and knowing when to strike and move forward is a big part of the race. Being able to "read" openings in the pack at such high speeds is key. That is what makes Apolo so amazing. He manages to squeeze through openings so small, I almost believe he just temporarily de-materializes. The explosive speed he passes with is stunning -especially at the end of a race when you know the skaters are getting tired. Hope this info clarifies it more for you. Thanks mtnme, that clarifies everything! Apolo is amazing! He's that good.  |
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Post by elsa on Oct 4, 2007 17:16:16 GMT -5
I feel sorry for them, trying to get more spectators despite Apolo not being there, but it gave me a thrill reading how important they KNOW he is -- ST's rock star, like Rachael said. And probably solely because of Apolo, they have that Korean super-coach Jae Chun or whatever his name is, who made a huge difference in Canada -- but not only him, they've got Daignault and Thibault, who were also really big deals in the Canadian program. And Jae clearly said his goal was to develop depth -- and Apolo has talked about the US needing depth time and time again. I bet he's feeling better about ST than he has in a long time.
Though does anybody know if he liked the little female Chinese coach? She said when Apolo won his gold in Torino it was his SPIRIT that won that race. I loved that comment. And I believe the first person he went to and hugged was her, yelling "We did it!" (correct me if I'm wrong.) So I assume they got along o.k.? But maybe she wasn't a tough enough task-master for the others (besides Apolo, of course, who's his own toughest task-master.) Or maybe he liked her fine and she just decided to leave.
BTW, that Simon boy is really an up and comer, sounds like! Isn't he young - like maybe 16?
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~Lori
