The RSO Series was supposed to make a stop in Ottawa/ Aylmer on July 19th. However, a soccer group booked the field inside the 400-meter Aylmer track. As a result of this conflict, the RSO Series is postponed. A new date will be announce at a later time.

Click here for the results (zip file) from July 1st’s Canada Day Marathon & Half Marathon.

Roller Sports Canada held its annual Canadian Outdoor Speed Championships in Toronto. The competition was held this past weekend.

Skaters came from Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario to compete at the Father John Redmond 400-meter track. Skaters who use the track, which is located near lake Ontario, usually encounter windy conditions. Skaters faced very strong winds on Saturday. On Sunday, winds were weaker, but were shifting directions.

Despite the wind, many Canadian Outdoor Records were set, including Primary, Freshmen, Intermediate, and Senior levels.

These Championships served as a qualifier for Canadian skaters to represent Canada at the upcoming World Roller Speed Skating Championships being held in China this September. No skaters tried out for the World Team. This means Canada won’t be fielding at team at the World Championships.

The 2010 Canadian Outdoor Speed Championships will take place in Calgary in July. Dates & more information will be posted on the website.

• Click here for complete results (zip file)
• Day 2 pictures & report- from Peter Doucet
• Day 1 pictures & report- from Peter Doucet
• Report- Candy Wong- Encouragement
• Report- Candy Wong- Racing Without Expectation
• Pictures- From Flickr Photographer
• Pictures- From Marie Eve

Photo Peter Doucet, SpeedSkateWorld.com

Photo Peter Doucet, SpeedSkateWorld.com

Photo Peter Doucet, SpeedSkateWorld.com

Photo Peter Doucet, SpeedSkateWorld.com

Photo Peter Doucet, SpeedSkateWorld.com

Photo Peter Doucet, SpeedSkateWorld.com

The Canada Day Marathon & Half Marathon were held on July 1st in Cambridge. This year’s course featured newly paved sections of asphalt.

With a good turout of skaters from Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, and the USA, the race ended up being a success.

Featuring good levels of competition, an open-road course, and a BBQ, the Canada Day Marathon has become a main-stay on the Canadian roller speed skating scene.

Race organizer Jim Mallard and his team of volunteers put together a good event and were very appreciative of the support from local clubs & skaters.

Peter Doucet finished in the top positiong in the marathon after breaking away from an attack that featured Sergio Almeralla and Benoit Tremblay. Almeralla and Trembaly skated with a small group of skaters. The second and third steps of the podium were decided in a sprint, with Almerally claiming 2nd and Benoit Letrouneau coming in 3rd.

Morgane Echardour edged out Sarah Hopkins in a close sprint to post the fastest women’s marathon time. Dominique Lalonde finished in 3rd.

Click here to view photos and to find the preliminary results.

Otttawa’s Sergio Almeralla leads Calgary’s Alex D’mello and the rest of the marathon lead group- photo by Harry Wallace, from SpeedSkateWorld.com

The TBN Monthly Marathon was held yesterday at Hamilton Beach in Burlington. The weather was beautiful as a dozen skaters took to the lake-front trail in Burlington.

Read more & view photos here; Report- TBN’s Hamilton Beach Monthly Marathon.

Photo from Peter Doucet/ SpeedSkateWorld.com

Toronto’s Herb Gayle finished 3rd overall in the Baxter Inline Marathon.

It was a beautiful morning and a great day for racing in Baxter.  Thanks to Terry and Jeanne Holm for putting on a great race, as usual.

• Race results
• Baxter Photos from Andy Uttke
• Baxter Inline Race Results
• Baxter Awards Ceremony Photos

Herb Gayle- extreme right in green & white- in the finish for 3rd- photo by Andy Uttke, shared by InlineSkateMpls

Earlier today, the RSO Outdoor Series made its second stop of the year in Toronto.

The race was held at the venue that will play host to the upcoming Canadian Championships in early July. Click here for results & pictures.

The series’ next race is scheduled for July in Ottawa. Dates will be announced soon.

500-meters- Left to right: Nick Pelych, Shannon Ford Smith, Amanda Tickner, and David Rudniski- photo by Peter Doucet/ SpeedSkateWorld.com

Maintient du Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve pour l’entraînement des cyclistes / Keep Gilles-Villeneuve Circuit for Cyclist Track–

We, the undersigned, oppose the new devices installed on the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit to restrict the speed of cyclists. The Gilles-Villeneuve circuit is the only place in Montreal where competitive cyclists can train. This decision hinders the development of local athletes in cycling and in triathlon. Furthermore, this decision jeopardises the safety of road users and of these athletes because it forces them to relocate their training to busier roads or bike paths that are used by leisure cyclists.

Winnipeg’s Randy Plett was recently injured in a mountain biking accident. He suffered a broken neck (C 6 & 7). Thankfully he is expected to make a full recovery. He underwent surgery and is now in recovery.

Roller Sports Canada and the entire Canadian roller community would like to extend to Randy best wishes for a prompt recovery.

Read more using the following links-

• Randy Plett
• Randy Plett Injured in Bike Accident

Randy Plett- photo by Herb Gayle, shared by InlineSkateMpls

Sarah Hopkins and Peter Doucet set new Canadian records in the 15km elimination races at this past weekend’s Roller Sports Ontario Outdoor Speed Championships.

In the women’s 15km elimination race, Sarah Hopkins and Morgane Echardour traded leads and pushed the pace. Leaving the finish to a sprint at the end of the race, Echardour looked poised to take the win and the record, but Hopkins put enough pressure on Echardour so that the inside line would open up. Hopkins claimed the win and the record. Hopkins’ time was about 28-minute 40-seconds.

Sarah Hopkins was also part of the weekend’s record setting women’s relay team with Morgane Echardour & Dominique Lalonde.

Peter Doucet set the15km elimination race make by setting a fast speed from the gun. He pushed the pace & lapped the entire field. He came in with a time of 25-minutes 35-seconds.

The two-day weekend competitiong took place in Harriston at the Canadian Inline Training Centre. The RSO Outdoor Speed Championships served as Ontario skaters’ qualifier for the upcoming Roller Sports Canada Outdoor Speed Championships.

• Day 1 report, results, & pictures (SpeedSkateWorld.com)
• Day 2 report, results, & pictures (SpeedSkateWorld.com)

Travis Shaw leads Camilo Echeverri and Jade Pauley in the Senior World Class 500-meter heats. Echeverri and Shaw finished 1-2 in the heat as well as in the A-final- photo SpeedSkateWorld.com Peter Doucet

Race officials- photo SpeedSkateWorld.com Peter Doucet

Morgane Echardour leads Sarah Hopkins in the Senior World Class Women’s 10km points/ elimination race. Echardour and Hopkins traded wins in the long races, with Echardour winning the 10km and Hopkins winning the 15km- photo SpeedSkateWorld.com Peter Doucet