Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Final Week Of Training For The 2009-2010 Ice Season

Written by T Dobbin
With only one competition remaining for the 2009-2010 ice season this weekend in Thialf, Heerenveen it's Shane's final week of training for this winter. After this weekend is over it will be time to hang up the ice skates until later in the year when Shane returns to a new training venue and city for next winter. After this weekend Shane will take a short break from training and head back home at the end of March. After his break Shane will be back into training and be starting to prepare for next winter.

Friday afternoon is the first day of racing at the ISU World All-Round Championships. The first event of the day for Shane is the 500 meter sprint. Having only ever skated two previous 500 meter races it's not one of Shane's best distances as yet. Shane's best 500 meter time is 38.20 seconds set earlier this year in Calgary, Canada. The second distance of the day on Friday is the 5,000 meter in which Shane will be hoping the ice is much better than the conditions last weekend and hopes to beat his time set then. To win the World All-Round title, you have be the best skater throughout all distances over the weekend.

See below the race schedule for this weekend.

Friday 19th March 2010 - Start time 16.30
Men's 500 meter
Men's 5,000 meter

Saturday 20th March 2010 - Start time 14.00
Ladies 500 meter
Men's 1,500 meter
Ladies 3,000 meter

Sunday 21st March 2010 - Start time 13.00
Ladies 1,500 meter
Men's 10,000 meter
Ladies 5,000 meter

In both the men's 10,000 meter and ladies 5,000 meter, only the top twelve skaters in the All-Round overall take to the start in these final distances of the weekend. In total there will be 24 skaters racing the All-Round Championships consisting of 15 from the Europe, two from Asia and finally seven from the North America and Oceania region. Keep posted for results from Shane's first World All-Round Championships.