Finally, An Update

Written by T Dobbin
Well it's been some time since an update has been posted on Shane's blog. This winter has gone by so fast it's hard to believe there are only two races to go and it's soon to be March.

Since the World Cup last November in Berlin, Shane has been progressing this winter and trying to make a step up from last year. It hasn’t been an easy step to make, but over the past month things seem to be coming together after a really good training period throughout December and January.

Hamar in November, the third World Cup of this season was a great step for Shane. He raced the 10,000 meter race and managed to set a new personal record, New Zealand National record, as well as finishing the World Cup with the fourth best time of the day. It was a great way to finish off the three first World Cups of the season and after his disappointment in the first two. After Hamar Shane was ready to head back to Salt Lake City and get stuck into hard training.

On Shane’s return to Salt Lake City, he was able to sit down with his Coach/father Roy Dobbin to lay out training for the remainder of the season and get back on track for the season’s goal, the World Single Distance Championships. Shane’s brother, Kalon Dobbin was in Salt Lake City upon Shane’s return and helped him with his sprint training as well as his general conditioning.

Over the month of December, Shane set new personal records in the 500 meter, 1000 meter and 1500 meter distances, as well as set a seasonal best in the 5,000 meter. The next step for Shane was to try to qualify for the World All Round Championships at the regional qualifier held in Salt Lake City mid-January. It was going to be tough for Shane as in the past has lacked a sprint, but Shane put together some good times at the regionals and ended up finishing in fourth place overall, setting another season’s best in the 5,000 meter as well a spot on the podium in second, and a personal best and national record in the 10,000 meter at the Regionals and winning the final event of the weekend. For full results of the Regional Qualifier go to: http://www.speedskatingresults.com/index.php?p=2&e=5760&s=14253 These superb results confirmed his spot to start in the World All Round Championships in Calgary in February, which meant he was able to set a time in Calgary for the World Single Distance Championships and not have to travel to Moscow, Russia for the World Cup there in late January.

The World All Round Championships were still another month after the Regionals so it was back into the training and use the All Round and the Final World Cup in Salt Lake City as stepping stone to prepare for the final part of the season. Luckily for Shane his coach/father was able to travel from New Zealand to Salt Lake & Calgary to be able to help with the final phase of his training. In Calgary, Shane had an unexpected successful weekend setting three new personal records and National records as well as finishing 5th in the 5,000 meter, 4th in the 10,000 meter and finally 9th overall. For full results from the World All Round Championships go to: http://www.speedskatingresults.com/index.php?p=2&e=6193&s=14253

From Calgary, we flew directly back to Salt Lake City where the focus was on the 1500 meter to try to confirm a position in this event at the World Single Distance Championships. Racing was on Friday and Saturday with the first event being the 1500 meter. Shane managed to skate yet another personal record and National record in a time of 1.46,19s, just slipping through the qualification status in 23rd and out of 24th places for the World Singles.

Finally racing Saturday morning, in the 10,000 meter Shane was pair with Norwegian Henrik Christensen. Shane skated his best 10,000 meter yet, skating a very “flat race” with consistancy each lap and once again, setting another National record and personal best time beating his time from last weekend in the 10,000 meter with a time of 13.04,36s which placed him the 6th best time of the day. For full results from the World Cup in Salt Lake City go to: http://www.speedskatingresults.com/index.php?p=2&e=6276&s=14253

This season Shane has managed to set new personal records in every event from the 500 meter to the 10,000 meter. Right now Shane is currently in Inzell, Germany where in less than two weeks the World Single Distance Championships will be held. Last Wednesday we arrived for one week training, before heading back to where it all started in Heerenveen, The Netherlands for the World Cup Finale 5,000 meter held on Friday the 4th of March. The very next day Shane will return to Inzell, Germany for the final week before the World Single Distance Championships starting on Thursday the 10th of March and finishing Sunday the 13th. We will be updating the results from the World Cup Finale and World Single Distance Championships so make sure you keep posted.
The program for the World Singles is as follows:

Thursday 10th March 2011
(Start Time Approximately 15:30)
1,500 meter Men
3,000 meter Ladies

Friday 11th March 2011
(Start Time Approximately 14:00)
1,000 meter Men
1,500 meter Ladies
5,000 meter Men

Saturday 12th March 2011
(Start Time Approximately 12:00)
1,000 meter Ladies
10,000 meter Men
5,000 meter Ladies

Sunday 13th March 2011
(Start Time Approximately 12:00)
500 meter Ladies (1st race)
500 meter Men (1st race)
500 meter Ladies (2nd race)
500 meter Men (2nd race)
Team Pursuit Ladies
Team Pursuit Men

For the official website for the World Single Distance Championships go to: http://www.inzell-wm2011.com