Timaru makes up a third of skating team

STU PIDDINGTON

The South Canterbury Roller Skating Club has supplied 14 speed skaters to the 41-strong New Zealand team competing at the Oceania championships in Timaru over Easter.

It gives the club the biggest representation in a team expected to win plenty of titles and medals.

The Oceania Skating Federation is made up of Australia and New Zealand but the championship is open to other countries as well, so Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and a sole skater representing the United States are also competing.

The 12-strong Indonesian team have been in Timaru for more than a month preparing.

There are also three Timaru-based sisters – Laura-Madeleine, Lisa-Sophie and Marie-Christin Kuepper– representing Germany.

Kiwi world 15,000m champion Peter Michael has returned from his Colombian training base to compete and is impressed with the new surface.

It will be the former Tour of Timaru champion’s first outing on the new $400,000, 200m track and he is likely to dominate the senior men’s races.

Nicole Begg, a former world champion, will be absent however as she still tries to get a definitive diagnosis for her breathing problems.

Picture: MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/Fairfax NZ

READY TO ROLL: South Canterbury has supplied plenty of skaters to the New Zealand team to compete in Timaru at the Oceania Invitational Speed Skating Championships. Front row (from left) Leah McDonald, Sophie Lowen, Cailee Autridge-Patrick; middle row (from left) Samantha Michael, Gary McDonald, Nick Frame, Dana Penty, Tyla Smith; back row (from left) Emily van der Heyden, Annaliese Le Roy, Michael Clarkson, Finlay O’Connor and Cassidy Oldfield.

Read more: http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/sport/6689115/Timaru-makes-up-a-third-of-skating-team

Derby City Roller Girls: A Transformation From Show to Sport

by Devin Katayama on April 4, 2012

Roller derby has existed for over seven decades, but in the last several years the sport’s leagues, popularity and personalities have grown.

Louisville’s Derby City Roller Girls have played to packed crowds since 2006 and the game is often misconstrued as an act rather than a sport. Roller derby does has the feel of an old WWF wrestling match; the announcers are bold and loud and the players skate to background music, some with painted faces and fishnet tights, being cheered on by long-time followers and first-time fans.

But comparing roller derby to a televised wrestling match is a big mistake, said Melissa Allgeier, player name Mel O”Drama, “jammer” for DCRG.

“I think a lot of people still have the vision of the old roller derby on the track where they were throwing elbows and punching people and we don’t do any of that. It’s a sport with rules. If you did any of that stuff they did back then you would be ejected from the game,” she said.

Roller derby has taken several forms since the 1930s. Both women and men knocked each other around like pro wrestlers, and in some cases the teams even knew the outcome of matches before they started, said Mel O” Drama.

Read more: http://www.wfpl.org/2012/04/04/derby-city-roller-girls-a-transformation-from-show-to-sport/

They are hoping to give residents a safe, inviting place to have fun with their new business venture SK8ERZ Family Fun Center.

The Halls, who also own and operate Roebuck Family Skate Center, have reopened the previously abandoned 24,000-square-foot roller skating rink at 415 Sha Lane next to Harley Davidson of Spartanburg near Exit 78 at Interstate 85.

They have spent the past five months renovating the building and adding new attractions, including an indoor playground, five birthday party rooms and an arcade.

“We’re very excited about this,” Dina Hall said. “We’ve been in Roebuck now for about 10 years, and things are going well for us there. People have been telling us for some time that there is little to do on this side of town and that we need to reopen this skating rink. So here we are.”

By Trevor Anderson

trevor.anderson@shj.com

Picture: Dina and Ray Hall are the owners and operators of SK8ERZ Family Fun Center in Spartanburg.Buy Photo ALEX HICKS JR/alex.hicks@shj.com

Read more at: http://www.goupstate.com/article/20120402/ARTICLES/204031001

They have set themselves the challenge of travelling by skates/cycle from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. On the way, they will be sleeping in hammocks. There is no huge budget as they are raising money for the kids of the Baan San Fan Orphange.

2 girls – 10 wheels – 15 days – Chang Mai to Bangkok- 1000 km All for the kids of the Baan San-Fan Orphanage. The tour will begin in the center of Chiang Mai and end in the center of Bangkok. Anja will be inline skating and Kelli will be bicycling from Chiang Mai until together we reach Bangkok . They aim to get to Bangkok 15 days later without using any other forms of transportation but inline skates and a bicycle. The goal is to fundraise a minimum of 1000 Euro/$1,500 for the Baan-San-Fan Orphanage to support them with their great self-sustainable projects.

Read more: http://skatecyclechallenge.wordpress.com/

Skegness wants a roller rink

Published on Thursday 29 March 2012 10:52

OVERWHELMING enthusiasm has been expressed by the Skegness community in support of plans to re-establish a roller skating rink in the town.

A facebook group called ‘Skegness Wants a Roller Skating Rink!’ set up to gauge interest in the proposal was joined by almost 2,000 people in a matter of days.

Recreational roller skater Matthew Coutts created the group after moving to the area and discovering to his disappointment that the Skegness did not have a rink.

After reading a story in the Standard in which Georgina Hammond expressed her intention to set up a Skegness roller derby team, he felt there may be sufficient demand in the town to warrant the creation of such a facility and together they began investigating the possibility further.

He said: “There are many people who seem to have very fond memories of roller skating when there was a rink in the town, which this group has revived.

“If it went ahead it would bring a multitude of extra recreational opportunities for residents and tourists alike.

“We’ve got the idea which would like to make happen now we are looking for people’s views on the matter and possible investors to come forward.”

Initially Matthew thought the former Kwick Save site on Old Wainfleet Road could be a perfect location for the rink.

However, after discussing the proposal with town centre manager Stefan Krause he learnt the commercial costs associated with such a site my be too high.

Mr Krause fully supports Matthew’s ‘inspirational proposal’ and has offered his advice on putting together a detailed feasibility study into the costs and venues to apply for funding to help him realise his aspiration.

Matthew would like to hear from potential investors or enthusiastic skaters who would be interested in operating the rink as some sort of community-run enterprise.

If you have any suggestions or would like to get involved with the plans email Matthew at skegnessskate@gmail.com

Peterborough players on a roll… all the way to Uruguay

A HOST of city talents have skated their way to international recognition.

Goalkeeper Sam Cayley (19) and technical player Michael Carter (17) have earned a place in the full England squad for the World Championships in Uruguay later in the year while fellow Peterborough Roller Hockey Club member Matt Stearn (a goalkeeper aged 18) and Oliver Johnson, who is 17 and plays as a shooting player, have been included in the national Under 20 party to play in a major tournament in France in September. Carter is also named in the Under 20 squad.

Peterborough coach Arthur Corr, who is also the England number two, said: “It is a terrific achievement for Michael to have been put forward for selection for the England senior squad.

“He also has the opportunity to live and play in Portugal which will help him improve his fitness, skill and speed levels.

“We at Peterborough aim to develop and improve players to give them the chance to play at national and international levels.”

Peterborough boast a men’s team in the Premier League as well as having younger sides who compete at regional level. Their Under 13 team are challenging for honours this season, currently sitting top of Division Two of the Eastern Counties Minor League.

The Premier League outfit are next in action at home to Letchworth in a match being staged at their Bushfield Sports Centre base on Saturday, March 31 (4.30pm start)

The club has received sponsorship Peterborough City Council (through the Community Leadership Fund) and Orton Longueville Parish Council.

That backing has allowed them to purchase three much-needed new kits and new equipment as well as covering the cost of hall hire.

The club is keen to recruit new members between the ages of seven and 11.

All equipment is supplied and training takes place on Fridays at Bushfield from 5pm to 6.30pm.

Further information is available by calling Iain Hall on 07540 737492 or Arthur Corr on 07767 870563.

Picture: Peterborough Roller Hockey Club, back from left, Ewan Cann, Shaquile Wilks, Graham Hancock, Calumn Hall, Jordan Pickering, Alistair Mortimer, front, Jake Hopkins, Jake Reed, Arran Hall, Shen Wei Lim, Josh Owen. Photo: Ben Davis/Peterborough ET (METP-16-03-12BD701)

Roller Dames bring no-holds-barred roller derby to Lakewood

By Joe Vaccarelli

YourHub reporter

LAKEWOOD — 

By day, Christina Ells is a mother of two, working for a local nonprofit organization. But, by night, she transforms into “Minimum Rage,” an alter-ego she chose for the no-holds-barred sport of roller derby.

Ells has been involved in roller derby for the past four years, but now she’s helping bring it to the west metro areas and is one of the founders of the Southside Derby Dames. Ells said most of the derby leagues in the area are either in Denver or on the north side of town in cities such as Broomfield and Brighton.

“I thought it was an opportunity to bring women together who were interested and maybe didn’t have the ability to drive that far,” said Ells, who serves as president of the league as well as being an active skater.

The Dames, who started organizing in October 2011, make their debut March 31 at Rocky Mountain Roller Hockey, 3606 South Independence St., Lakewood. Their first bout is against Detour Derby from Brighton.

While residents of the area may be familiar with roller derby teams such as the Denver Roller Dolls and the Rocky Mountain Roller Girls, Ells said this group is not as big as those, and they like it that way.

“It’s a do-it-yourself amateur league,” she said.

Southside Derby Dames, which Ells said is the name of the league, not a team, is applying for nonprofit status. She added she hopes to have as many as four teams as part of the league in the near future.

That would constitute about 80 women being actively involved. As of right now, there are close to 20.

For more information or to join the league, go to www.southsidederbydames.com.

Most of the women in the league who have experience got it skating for groups such as the Rocky Mountain Roller Girls, but as those leagues got bigger, it became harder to get skating time. Injuries also forced some of the women out of those leagues.

All skaters get to choose a persona for the practices and bouts after they have passed their skills test.

Each name is entered into a national database and it becomes their name from there on out. It’s a kind of rite of passage, Ells said.

But not just the players have a name.

“Everyone has one and you respect that persona,” said Wes Sakamoto, one of the Southside Derby Dames’ coaches.

Sakamoto goes by the name “Sum Sing Wong” when he is coaching.

Ells said that while she does not hope to compete with the larger leagues in town, she hopes the group can build a nice local following in the southwest metro area. The team has additional bouts scheduled in April and June.

“We have no delusions of grandeur,” she said.

Joe Vaccarelli: 303-954-2396 or jvaccarelli@denverpost.com

Picture: Members of the South Side Derby Dames, a new roller derby league in town, scrimmage during practice Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at Rocky Mountain Roller Hockey in Lakewood. (YourHub | Lindsay Pierce)

Source: http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20283464/roller-dames-bring-no-holds-barred-roller-derby

This has reduced the Wanganui team to just two for the Oceania Speed Skating Championships in Timaru over Easter Weekend.

Rebecca Smith and Nicole Travers will be the only locals on the New Zealand team after injury cut a swathe through the Wanganui squad.

Initially four Junior Girls (Under 19) were selected from the Wanganui squad with Dunedin-based Wanganui club member Judah Kelly in the newly-created cadet (Under 15) grade. However, injury has forced the withdrawal of three-time defending Oceania Champion Renee Nyman and speedster Jessica van Bentum.

Wanganui coach Gary Clark said this was a real blow to van Bentum who would have been a medal favourite coming off a highly successful Banked Track Nationals where she was the fastest New Zealand woman in the 300m time trial.

Nyman must also be deeply disappointed not being able to defend her title but being unable to train because of a back injury has withdrawn rather than risk letting her teammates down.

“Rebecca and Nicole have been training well leading up to the event and both performed well at last year’s Oceania Championship in Australia finishing in the medals including the silver and bronze in the marathon behind Renee,” Clark said.

“However, this year the two 15-year-olds will be up against it as the age group for juniors has now been amended to Under-19 from the previous Under-17.”

The girls, including Kelly, who have all won national titles this year, will take on an Australian team and a squad of Indonesian skaters who have been training in Timaru since Christmas, but expect the strongest opposition to come from their fellow New Zealand team members, especially recently-selected NZ World’s Team members Stephanie Challis of Valley Inline and Emily Van der Hayden of South Canterbury.

Smith in particular is keen on another crack at the Indonesians after being part of the Wanganui women’s team that narrowly lost an epic relay battle with the Indonesians at February’s Banked Track Nationals.

The racing will be on the new international specification 200m Banked Track in Timaru with the marathon at Levels raceway.

Picture: THEN THERE WERE TWO: Rebecca Smith (left) and Nicole Travers – the only Wanganui skaters in the New Zealand team – in training at Mitre 10 Mega for the Oceania Speed Skating Championships in Timaru at Easter.

Source: http://www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz/news/injury-hits-teams-hopes/1321606/

The prize money purse has increased from $10,400 to $11,220, with $3,000 going to the men’s and women’s winner. Registration information is available at northshoreinline.com.

Last year’s NorthShore Inline Marathon had 2,031 entries as the largest 26.2-mile inline race in North America. Accompanying events this year are an inline half marathon, roller ski marathon and first-year running half marathon.

For more info, visit: http://northshoreinline.com/

Original report: http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/226882/group/Sports/