Unfortunately due to lack of funds, we have no scheduled ice time this summer.

Hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather. Here is some news:

1. Please let me know if you are willing/able to volunteer at the Portland Bridge Pedal August 9. We need at least 12 volunteers - this is a major fundraising activity so we can afford ice time in the Fall. We also may be putting together a crew for the Seattle to Portland ride on July 11.

2. Here is some information from Sue Ellis on her Summer Camp:ELLIS EDGE SUMMER CAMP

Richmond, BC, August 12 - 16
Ultimate Acceleration – Ultimate Power!
Discover the newest secrets to maximum speed!

As skating technique has continued to evolve so have we! We are continually
working with new concepts and new drills to help reinforce the feeling of
powerful, easy skating. Discover some of the newest secrets to speed!

There is a limit of 25 skaters per camp so register early!

Short Track Camp
Age 10 and up 500m time under 1.10
The camp will be geared towards novice to advanced intermediate level skaters

Cost: $325 + GST

Richmond Ice Center
14140 Triangle Road
Richmond, BC V6W1B1

For more info visit:
http://www.ellismethod.net/Camps/BC/BCinfo09.html

or visit our web site at www.ellisedge.com

Hi everyone,

The March 20 Speedskating practice session has been cancelled, and there will not be one on March 27 either.

Unfortunately we are not in a good position financially to be able to afford any more practice sessions at Mountain View Ice Arena for the time being. We have received our invoice for the two February sessions, and until we initiate some fundraising activities, this will more than eliminate the current balance of our bank account.

I want to thank everyone for hanging in there and showing up for the limited number of sessions we had this season. The rink management now informs me that we will have to pay for our ice time in advance from now on.

Please note that the rink is not going to put summer drop-in sessions for us on their schedule. So hopefully we can meet up for some public session skating, inline skating outdoors or at PIR on Mondays beginning in May, or some dryland training.

There are public sessions at the rink which are quite often not very crowded at all, especially the Mon. & Wed. 12:45-1:45pm sessions which Jim sometimes attends.

Check out Puget Sound Speedskating Club’s practice schedule - might be worth a drive to Tacoma:
http://www.pugetsoundspeedskating.org/

Stay tuned for emails from Ken about volunteering at the Seattle to Portland finish line on July 12, a much-needed fundraising activity for our club.

Happy Spring!

Here is the information from the entry form. If you would like to receive an entry form and waiver, please email me (linda{at}mountainviewspeedskating{dot}org).

Puget Sound Short Track Speed Skating Challenge
HOSTED BY: Puget Sound Speed skating Club

Date: December 14, 2008(Sunday) from 11:00 a.m. until ~ 4:00 p.m.
Location: Puget Sound Hockey Center,
1918, Stewart Street, Tacoma, WA, 98421
CHECK IN: 10:00 am ~ 10:40 am (2nd Floor)
WARM UP: 11:00 am ~ 11:30 am
RACING: 12:00 pm ~ 4:00 pm
ENTRY FEE: $30 per skater ($70 maximum per family)
ENTRY DUE DATE: December 8, 2008 (Monday before the competition.)

All skaters must be members of U.S. Speed skating or Speed skating Canada. NOTE: This is NOT a U.S. Speedskating sanctioned competition.

Meet Director: Chang Ho Lee (Club Coach)

We are planning on the following practice sessions:

Fridays, 6:30-7:30pm:
Oct. 24
Nov. 7
Nov. 21
Dec. 5
Dec. 19

We are paying dearly for this ice time so PLEASE put these dates on your calendar and plan to participate! Thank you - and extra HUGE thanks to everyone who came out to volunteer at the course setup for the Portland Marathon on Oct. 4th!

Sept. 17 update: The rink has not yet posted their October schedule, it should be available next week. No word yet on our sessions.

There is one last drop-in session, Sept. 21, this Sunday from 11:45am - 12:45pm. The session on 9/28 has been cancelled.

Stay tuned for the new Fall schedule. The proposed ice times for Fall are Fridays, 6:30pm-7:30pm, Saturdays, 5:15am-6:15am, or Sundays, 5:45am-6:45am. Please email me with your preferences.

Thank you for all who have registered to help out with our annual fundraiser - setting up the course for the Portland Marathon on Saturday, October 4th. We need your help if we are going to be able to pay for our ice sessions this season. Bring a friend!

Skaters,
Hopefully you are all enjoying a wonderful summer! I hope to see you all back on the ice soon. We will be checking in with you over the next few weeks to determine participation levels for Fall 2008 so we can schedule our ice time with the rink. Keep an eye out for an email.

~Linda

The rink has scheduled other events for the next two Sundays - so hopefully everyone can enjoy the outdoors for the next two weeks. See you on Sunday, June 22, 11:45am-12:45pm!

As of Sunday, April 5th, our practice sessions are now 11:45am - 12:45pm. Please plan on arriving early to help with the pads.

Look for an email soon.

As of April 3, there will be no more Thursday 5am practice sessions. There has been little or no participation the past few weeks. We are waiting to hear whether the rink has any other time slots open for adding another drop-in session over the Spring and Summer. Keep checking back for updates. For those of you who did occasionally skate at that early hour, enjoy the extra shuteye!