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Desert Classic Meet

Day 2

I know it’s been about a week since updating my blog, but it’s been crazy getting stuff together in preparation for US trials.

Team Australia decided to pull out for some reason from the meet, and I think Team Russia pulled out to do some interview with a TV station. The races continued with the USA skaters + New Zealand. The most exciting part of the last day was seeing skaters either desperately making their cut off times for US Trials and/or make their American Cup Group 1 cut off times. Coaches and fans alike were screaming at the top of their lungs trying to give encouragement to the skaters on the ice trying to make their goals.

I have to admit the last race of day was by far the most exciting. Landon Hatfield from Virginia Speedskating had essentially ONE LAST CHANCE of qualifying for US Trials. He failed to do it during the time trials and he fell during his 1000m Quarters. In the last 1000m final of the day, the crowd at the rink along with the coaches was screaming their lungs out for him to get his time. Nick Frank helped pull six of the nine laps and at the end Landon came in at 1:29.734 to qualify his entry into US Trials!

Cut off times for US Trials for men is 1 minute and 30 seconds flat and women 1 minute and 38 seconds flat for 9 laps. Cut off times for the American Cups for men is one minute and 33.5 seconds, and women I believe is one minute 42 seconds for 9 laps.

Some of the racing I’ve seen so far is a preview of what’s to come for US Trials next week. It’s going to be crazy! I will start my US Trials Preview page soon with all the relevant information and also help people understand the format.

Here are some races from the Desert Classic.

Day 1

At the Desert Classic last year, we had Team Japan and Team Australia in attendance. This year, Team Russia, Team Australia, and Team New Zealand were in attendance. We definitely had some exciting races in the 1500m. In the women’s 1500m Final A, Kimberly Derrick and Katherine Ruetter literally could not be touched. The Russian women simply did not have what it took to keep up with them.

In the men’s 1500m Final A, it was a mostly USA affair with Simon Cho, Ryan Bedford, Robert Lawrence, Eduardo Alvarez and Jonathan Garcia. The only exception was Marc Jackson of New Zealand. At the end it was an exciting matchup against Simon Cho and Eduardo Alvarez with Eddy making an inside pass against Simon Cho but was disqualified for impeding with Cho getting the win. For those of you worried about Ryan Bedford, he’s ok. He just didn’t finish the race. I think he must have kicked blades with Garcia and he simply just stopped skating. Since the meet was not important, Ryan just stopped. None of the Russian or Australian men made it to the Final A.

JR Celski had an amazing performance during his time trials. He definitely could have broken the world record in his time trial if one of the Russian skaters trialing with him didn’t block his way. Some of the skating I’ve seen so far is getting me hyped up for Olympic Trials in September!

I also want to congratulate all the skaters that made their cut off times for Olympic trials during their time trials! All the hard work with training and practicing has paid off! For those that didn’t make it, tomorrow is their last chance at this meet.

Start of Day 1

Hello all.

I’m currently at the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns, Utah covering the Desert Classic race here. This meet is essentially the last chance for American skaters to try to make their times required to be allow to enter the US Olympic Trials. There is another time trial opportunity back in the east, but that is strictly time trials and not an actual race meet. Cut off time for 9 laps for the men’s is 1:30 (one minute and thirty seconds) and the women 1:38 (One minute and thirty eight seconds). This is the time needed to be allowed to be entered into the US Olympic Trials. I’m also talking about 1:30 FLAT and 1:38 FLAT. Not 1:30.0001111, or 1:38.0000001111111. It MUST be AT 1:30:00 or 1:38:00 or anything faster than that.

Skaters will have two opportunities to do a 9 lap time trial. There will be one chance today, another chance tomorrow if they don’t make it. If they don’t make it tomorrow with either time trials, skaters will have to make their times in the actual 1000m races. There are also 4 lap time trials.

Some of the Olympic hopefuls are participating in this meet for some racing experience just prior to the Olympic Trials. They are also skating the time trials to try to gauge their times. Some of them include JR Celski, Travis Jayner, Anthony Lobello, Eddy Alvarez, Jessica Smith, Kimberly Derrick, Allison Baver, Katherine Ruetter, and Alyson Dudek.

Races start at 9:15am.

Time Trial Results

1500m Final Results