Ohno Zone

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October 25, 2008

Day 2 results from World Cup #2 Vancouver

Complete results are available from Cyberscoreboard. The U.S. men were 2nd in their relay semi and will move on to tomorrow's final where they'll face Canada, Japan and Great Britain. With the DQ of the Japanese team and the advancement of the Dutch team, it looks like the U.S. ladies will race against only Bulgaria in tomorrow's relay B final, although it's not totally clear as Cyberscoreboard has not posted start lists.

Men's 1000m #1 A final
1. HAMELIN Charles CAN 1:28.741
2. LOBELLO Anthony USA 1:29.097
3. HAMELIN Francois CAN 1:29.795
4. KWAK Yoon-Gy KOR 1:29.939
DQ OHNO Apolo Anton USA

Travis Jayner was 3rd in the repechage A final.

Women's 1000m #1 A final
1 . WANG Meng CHN 1:30.598
2. LIU Qiuhong CHN 1:30.668
3. YANG Shin-Young KOR 1:30.735
4. JUNG Ba-Ra KOR 1:36.130

Kimberly Derrick finished 4th in the B final. Lana Gehring and Alyson Dudek were eliminated in the quarter finals.

Men's 1500m A final
1. LEE Jung-Su KOR 2:19.924
2. SUNG Si-Bak KOR 2:19.928
3. SIMON Jeff USA 2:20.266
4. CELSKI J.R. USA 2:20.486
5. TAKAMIDO Yuzo JPN 2:20.697
6. CONFORTOLA Yuri ITA 2:20.699
7. RODIGARI Nicola ITA 2:21.158
8. LEVEILLE Charles Ryan USA 2:21.593

Women's 1500m A final
1. ZHOU Yang CHN 2:21.578
2. JUNG Eun-Ju KOR 2:21.639
3. SHIN Sae-Bom KOR 2:24.234
4. REUTTER Katherine USA 2:31.478
5. BAVER Allison USA 2:33.618
6. KIM Min-Jung KOR 2:35.103

Maria Garcia was disqualified in Friday's opening round heats.

Posted by noelle at 9:49 PM | Comments (4)

Vancouver Day 1 Press Roundup

I'll summarize results after today's competition but feel free to check them out yourself at Cyberscoreboard. I'd love to hear how the men's relay heats turned out the way they did, but go Europe!

The first article (IMO) is super-interesting, worth reading the whole thing for sure!

Vancouver Sun | West set to break Quebec's short track dominance

In the 24 years since Speed Skating Canada began naming male and female short track skaters of the year - that's 48 honourees - only three have been anglophones.

"The sport of short track, I don't know if it was necessarily born in Quebec, but it was definitely one of the beginning hot spots where it was developed," says Michael Gilday.

Gilday, in his second year on the national team, was born in Iqaluit, Nunavut, grew up in Yellowknife, and currently trains in Calgary. So he's about as far from a Quebecer as you can get, even if he is bilingual, thanks to years in French immersion.

Quebec's domination of the national team is no surprise. The sport's infrastructure - from subsidized ice time to extensive coaching programs - is deeper than any other province given the Quebec government's significant largesse. And then there are the role models.

"I grew up watching [long track star] Gaetan Boucher and Marc Gagnon, Frederick Blackburn," says national team veteran Olivier Jean of Montreal. "There was a feeling, 'we can do it. I can be world champion.' And there are so many people involved. We have good coaches, lots of clubs, many kids going into the sport."

"The fact I couldn't speak French did make things difficult," [former national team member] Alanna Kraus said Friday. "I actually had to sort of demand the attention and then I got it.

"I had to talk to the coaches and say 'What's going on? I don't understand and I need to know. The problem for me was the meetings would be 45 minutes and I'd get the breakdown in five. So I knew I was missing something," she said. "At least now, there's a bigger group [of westerners] and it's different."

[Calgary-based coach] Jonathon Cavar says Kraus was a terrific role model in showing young skaters in Calgary that it was possible to make the national team.

Canwest News Service | Hewitt displays heart

Globe and Mail | Canadians on track in Vancouver

Posted by noelle at 8:48 AM | Comments (5)

October 24, 2008

Wow... it's a media explosion ahead of WC 2 in Vancouver! Happy reading...

Vancouver Sun | American Apolo Anton Ohno has success and so much more going for him

I'd swear I already posted this article but I can't find it anywhere on the page.

Vancouver Sun | Korean speedskaters a happy family

South Korean speedskating coach Jae-Mok Jeon, whose English seems good enough not to require the help of a translator, grins and turns to the earnest woman in front of him.

Oh yes, he tells the translator as he slips off his skates following a national team practice session at Pacific Coliseum, everyone is happy, everyone is training together.

That past conflict?

"It's no problem now."

Vancouver Sun | Successful speed skaters master art of deception

"Deception does play a big part," says Michael Gilday, a Yellowknife native who earned his way onto the Canadian World Cup squad this season. "It's almost like the art of war. You might have to trick someone into thinking you're going to accelerate really fast.

"There's a thing called the heat track where you just sort of go a little bit wider and it sort of cuts [another competitor] off a little bit, makes them dump a little bit of speed. They have to work a little bit harder. It's a cat-and-mouse game for sure."

Moncton Times & Transcript | Travis Jayner of Riverview has big weekend ahead

Jayner first joined the U.S. national team at a World Cup event in Quebec in 2004, which meant he was no longer eligible to compete for Canada. Nearly four years later, he said he has no regrets on his decision.

"It's not something I think about too much. I'm very happy with the way it's worked out and I think it would actually drive me crazy if I hadn't taken the opportunity. I would have always wondered 'what if,'" said Jayner, who will head to Beijing, China Nov. 28-30 for the next World Cup event.

"I'm having a blast and I can't imagine a better life for someone my age. It's just been incredible the opportunities I've got to experience through skating and I'm very grateful for living this dream."

The Province | Apolo Ohno on dancing, nature, fame

Q: Excuse the bastardizing of your name, but if you could have dinner with either Carl Weathers, who played Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies, or Yoko Ono, who would you choose?

A: Carl Weathers, absolutely. I'm a guy who likes guy movies. And he's one of the ultimate badasses.

Vancouver Sun | World Cup speed-skating race about more than athletics

The Province | Short track brigade has a message

Vancouver Sun | Speedskaters yet to warm up to Pacific Coliseum's ice

Early reviews are mixed for the venue that will play host to short track in 2010.

Vancouver Sun | Volunteers warm up for 2010 duties

24 Hours | 'Anything can happen' in short-track

Posted by noelle at 7:20 AM | Comments (2)

October 23, 2008

World Cup #2 Vancouver

Well that was fast. It's already time for World Cup #2 to get underway in Vancouver. Here's the official web site for the event: vancouvershorttrack2008.com. They'll have photos and results throughout the weekend, along with the site formerly and lovingly known as Cyberscoreboard.

Below is a rundown of the schedule for Friday through Sunday. Alas, Universal Sports won't be streaming video of the event this time, but you can still get real-time results at least from Cyberscoreboard.

All times Pacific
Friday October, 24th 2008
8:45
Ladies and Men 1500m heats
Ladies and Men 1000m (1) Preliminaries and heats

14:00
Ladies and Men 500m Preliminaries and heats
Ladies and Men 1000m (2) Preliminaries and heats
Ladies 3000m Relay Heats
Men 5000m Relay Heats
Saturday October 25th 2008

Saturday October 25th 2008
8:05
Ladies and Men 1000m (1) Repechage
Ladies and Men 1500m Repechage

14:00 World Cup Competition
Ladies and Men 1000m (1) Quarter-Finals
Ladies and Men 1500m Semi-Finals
Ladies and Men 1000m (1) Semi-Finals
Ladies and Men 1500m Final B
Ladies and Men 1500m Final A
Awards Ceremony
Ladies and Men 1000m (1) Final B
Ladies and Men 1000m (1) Final A
Awards Ceremony
Ladies 3000m Relay Semi-Finals
Men 5000m Relay Semi-Finals
Sunday October 26th 2008

Sunday October 26th 2008
8:05
Ladies and Men 500m Repechage
Ladies and Men 1000m (2) Repechage

14:00 World Cup Competition
Ladies and Men 500m Quarter-Finals
Ladies and Men 1000m (2) Quarter-Finals
Ladies and Men 500m Semi-Finals
Ladies and Men 1000m (2) Semi-Finals
Ladies and Men 500m Final B
Ladies and Men 500m Final A
Awards Ceremony
Ladies and Men 1000m (2) Final B
Ladies and Men 1000m (2) Final A
Awards Ceremony
Ladies 3000m Relay Finals
Men 5000m Relay Finals
Awards Ceremony

Posted by noelle at 8:35 PM | Comments (0)

More Susie pics from SLC

Jeff Simon waves to the crowd after the men's silver-medal relay finish

US men relay silver

Apolo 1500m #2 bronze

Posted by noelle at 4:09 PM | Comments (4)

October 22, 2008

Canwest News Service | Ohno set to dance back into Olympic spotlight

Some figure it's just his name that stays in your head: Apolo Anton Ohno.

Cool name. What sport is he in, again?

Others think the whole package - articulate, engaging, gifted, good-looking, with "that little moustachey thing" as Catriona Le May Doan called his soul patch Wednesday - has raised the still modest profile of short-track speedskating to levels it never could have achieved without a charismatic American to carry the ball.

Asked whether, in the larger context of the sport, the weird things that have happened in his career are above, below or about average, he smiled.

USA Today | Speedskating icon Ohno aims to dance into 2010 Games

"It seems like in this small chapter of my life that I'm coming full circle," he says. "It's got to have some type of meaning, whether I win again or I get a medal or I don't place. Whatever it is, I feel like there's another purpose for me coming and doing my third Olympic Games."

But, he adds, "I'd like to be known as one of the greatest speedskaters who have ever skated, as an American. In short track, that's a very hard task, because our sport is volatile."

Canadian Press | Skating in Vancouver like returning home for short-track star Apolo Ohno

"This competition is very important," said Ohno, a four-time Olympic medallist and the reigning world champion in the 500 metres. "It's going to be able to give me a mental mindset and I can drill myself with imagery.

"Everything from skating on the ice, being around this arena, going outside, seeing what the temperature is. I'm just making deposits in the bank. Hopefully, come 2010, I can make that big withdrawal."

Posted by noelle at 7:02 PM | Comments (1)

New SLC photos

Many thanks to Susie for sharing these awesome shots with us, along with some great commentary to go along with them as well!

Apolo's bronze-medal finish in the 1500M #2 race, World Cup #2 Salt Lake City, Utah, Oct. 19, 2008

An energized and united US mens' team enjoys their relay silver medal finish, October 19, 2008

One opinion that the fans were united on this past weekend: Apolo is happy, the team is happy, and there is a very positive, joyous vibe going on here. Negative thinkers need not apply. Team USA is out to win.

Canadian skater Olivier Jean takes a break outside the Oval and enjoys some of the clement Utah weather

I trailed after the intriguing and photogenic Canadian skater Olivier Jean all weekend like a little puppy dog. At times he appeared to tolerate my photographic attentions quite well, and at other times I earned an impressive scowl, LOL. Finally, Sunday evening, my friends and I decided to go stalk skaters (*no, scratch that*) eat dinner at the skaters' hotel. After one more impressive scowl, I worked up the nerve to approach Olivier. Communicating in a mixture of English and French, I found him to be soft spoken, charming and friendly. He said that after a year off from skating (due to a grievous injury,) he was feeling "one hundred percent." The fans can attest that his crazy-ass passing has not suffered in the slightest from his extended time off.

German team coach Eric Bedard ponders his options

Legendary Canadian skater Eric Bedard was all business while coaching the German short track team at World Cup 1 in Salt Lake City, but was quite approachable and friendly when I hailed him on the Oval's running track. He said, in flawless English, that he's very much enjoying his sojourn in Europe. He has an apartment in Dresden and appreciates his proximity to other European hot spots (he mentioned Prague and Berlin in particular) for leisure activities. He said that he communicates with his fellow coaches and the skaters in English, but that he is studying German twice a week. His earnest cries of, "Haupt, haupt, haupt!" to his German charges show that the lessons are taking root.

Posted by noelle at 6:51 PM | Comments (10)

Canadian short trackers in the news

Vancouver Sun | No short track to catch speedskating South Koreans

"What do you have to do between now and 2010 to reach Korea's level?" a reporter asks. The skaters, the coaches, the team media attache all look vaguely insulted.

"No, but the numbers ...," the reporter begins anew.

They don't want to hear 'em. "We think we're there," says national team coach Derrick Campbell.

Canwest News Service | Inauspicious beginnings for Olympic speedskating hopeful

This is a profile of Canadian World Cup team rookie Jessica Hewitt.

Posted by noelle at 7:17 AM | Comments (1)

October 21, 2008

More goodies from Jerry Search!

Posted by noelle at 7:07 AM | Comments (3)

October 20, 2008

Day 3 press roundup

Deseret News | Ohno pleased with podium finishes - once again, more photos at the link!

Apolo Ohno gets a push from teammate Anthony Lobello during the men's 5,000-meter relay during a short-track World Cup speedskating meet in Kearns Sunday. The American team finished in second place behind the Korean team, which set a world record. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)

Apolo Ohno anchored the men's 5,000 relay in the final event on Sunday at the short track speedskating World Cup and led his team to a second place finish behind the world-record pace set by the Korean team. It was the best finish for the American skaters, who were left trying to figure out a way to keep up with the powerful Korean team.

"I wouldn't call the weekend a disappointment at all," said Travis Jayner, one of the relay team members. "I think we were strong in almost every event. We didn't win like we wanted, but I think we did pretty well for this being the first meet of the year."

With a couple of laps to go, the American team slipped past Canada and held on for second with Korea well ahead of the pack. "I think we got slowed down a little by the Russians. We lapped them and they kind of got in the way," Ohno said. "If not for that, I think it might have been different. Judging from the split times, I think our boys weren't that tired and we could have caught them."

Salt Lake Tribune | Day after crash, Ohno helps Americans salvage decent World Cup

His skates were "destroyed" by his crash the previous day, and his coaches were up until the wee hours of the morning trying to fix them. They still didn't feel right when he needed them again, either. Yet Apolo Anton Ohno managed so well, you'd never have known.

The five-time Olympic medalist finished third in the men's 1,500 meters at the Utah Olympic Oval on Sunday, and saved his most thrilling move for last when he vaulted his relay team to a silver medal and saved the Americans from an otherwise unspectacular final day of the first short-track speedskating World Cup meet of the season.

... He was thrilled to bounce back from the crash. "That's what it's about, man," he said. "When you get knocked down, can you come back strong the next day?"

Canwest News Service | Canadians glide to five medals

Canadian Press | Jung-su holds off Ohno in 1,500-metre final at speedskating World Cup

Posted by noelle at 6:18 AM | Comments (17)

October 19, 2008

Salt Lake World Cup day 3 results

My live feed had the stunningly bad timing to crapout in the middle of the men's b final for the relay. Aaargh!

Men's relay A final
1. KOREA 6:38.486
2. UNITED STATES 6:39.019
3. CANADA 6:39.322
4. RUSSIA 6:49.121

Women's relay A final
1. CHINA 4:09.480
2. KOREA 4:09.930
3. CANADA 4:16.201
4. UNITED STATES 4:26.993

Men's 1500m #2 A final
1. LEE Jung-Su KOR 2:17.941
2. LEE Ho-Suk KOR 2:17.966
3. OHNO Apolo Anton USA 2:18.522
4. PARK Jin-Hwan KOR 2:19.010
5. CELSKI J.R. USA 2:19.234
6. ZAKHAROV Ruslan RUS 2:19.801
7. JEAN Olivier CAN 2:20.462

Charles Ryan Leveille was 4th in the repechage A final.

Women's 1500m #2 A final
1. SHIN Sae-Bom KOR 2:21.030
2. ZHOU Yang CHN 2:21.053
3. SUN LinLin CHN 2:21.273
4. BAVER Allison USA 2:21.488
5. JUNG Eun-Ju KOR 2:21.778
DQ REUTTER Katherine USA

Kimberly Derrick skated in the B final, where she finished 2nd.

Men's 500m A final
1. SUNG Si-Bak KOR 41.161
2. HAMELIN Charles CAN 41.220
3. TREMBLAY Francois-Louis CAN 41.296
4. FUJIMOTO Takahiro JPN 41.417
5. HAMELIN Francois CAN 42.184
6. FAUCONNET Thibaut FRA 42.238

Anthony Lobello was disqualified in the semis. Travis Jayner was also dq'ed in the heats, as was Jeff Simon in the opening round prelims.

Women's 500m A final - new world record for Wang
1. WANG Meng CHN 43.125
2. LIU Qiuhong CHN 43.282
3. GREGG Jessica CAN 43.838
DQ FU Tian Yu CHN

Alyson Dudek finished 2nd in the repechage A final to move onto the medal round quarter finals. She finished 3rd in her quarter and did not move on. Maria Garcia won the repechage B final. Lana Gehring was disqualified in the heats.

Posted by noelle at 6:27 PM | Comments (3)

Day 2 press roundup

Deseret News | Rough day on ice for Americans (Lots of photos from the Deseret News at the link!)

Apolo Anton Ohno skates between Korea's Jung-Su Lee and Ho-Suk Lee before falling in the 1,000 meter men's World Cup speedskating competition at the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns on Saturday. (Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)

Jeff Simon turned a strong move past China's Sui Bao Ku with two laps remaining into the first podium finish of the weekend for the Americans in the men's 1,500. "I've had several fourth places," Simon said. "Too many to count as far as I'm concerned. So to get up there (on the podium), I'm pumped."

In the relay semifinals, the U.S. women finished second behind China, which set a world record in the 3,000 relay.

Salt Lake Tribune | World Cup Speedskating

On a night that was dominated by Korea and China, two USA skaters medaled for the first time in international competition. Jeff Simon took home the bronze medal in the men's 1,500 meters, while Kimberly Derrick bronzed in the women's 1,000 meters. Neither had challenged for medals before Saturday night. Both were ecstatic to compete on such a high level.

"This is a big improvement on last year," Derrick said. "This is definitely a big step for me and I'm very excited with the results. I have to improve even more now because the rest of the world knows that I'm here now. But I'm very happy to be on the podium for the first time."

AP | Ohno falls in World Cup opener

Speed Skating Canada | Silver medal for Hamelin at Short Track World Cup Opener

Posted by noelle at 6:59 AM | Comments (3)