Lake Placid Skater

Figure Skating US Championships!

2012-01-22T22:23:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again.... the US National Championships for figure skating in San Jose, California began today.

I'd like to encourage my readers to root for former Skating Club of Lake Placid member and my friend Peter Biver, who will be skating Senior Pairs with his partner Rita Fehr. Rita and Peter are talented skaters, and I wish them the best of luck!

To watch the coverage of Nationals, visit www.icenetwork.com for a live feed.

LP SKATER

Updates

2012-01-13T18:25:00.000-05:00

Hi All,

It's been a busy few weeks....here's what was going on in Lake Placid:

*I reviewed Stars on Ice for the Free George- here's my review.

*Skate into 2012 was a great success; approximately 400 people skated into the New Year, and almost 1,000 dollars was raised for the food pantry. Thanks to the Lake Placid News for the post-event (and pre-event) coverage.

*ISI Championships is currently in town...for more about them visit their website.

*In honor of the holiday, Monday there will be special hours at the oval.

Saturday the 14th - Monday the 16th

10 am - 12 pm SPEED SKATING

1 pm - 3 pm PUBLIC SKATING

4 pm - 6 pm SPEED SKATING

7 pm - 9 pm PUBLIC SKATING

LP SKATER

OVAL HOLIDAY HOURS

2011-12-23T19:34:00.001-05:00

Here are the hours for the speed skating oval this holiday season:

Saturday December 24th-

10 am - 12 pm SPEED SKATING

1 pm - 3 pm PUBLIC SKATING

4 pm - 6 pm SPEED SKATING/PUBLIC SKATING

7 pm - 9 pm PUBLIC SKATING

Sunday December 25th-

7 pm - 9 pm PUBLIC SKATING

Monday December 26th - Saturday December 31st-

10 am - 12 pm SPEED SKATING

1 pm - 3 pm PUBLIC SKATING

4 pm - 6 pm SPEED SKATING/PUBLIC SKATING

7 pm - 9 pm PUBLIC SKATING

Hope to see you on the ice!

LP SKATER

LAKE PLACID ICE MARATHON

2011-12-19T14:08:00.002-05:00

We had a great marathon this weekend; after the ice was magically salvaged from swimming-pool conditions after Thursday's rainstorms, approximately 100 skaters glided around the Olympic Oval. For the first time, we had our 10k and 25k races at night, which made for interesting racing; Sunday's races were conducted under gorgeous blue skies and sunshine. Even better for the racers, there was no wind on both days!

Below, check out my link to photos from the 40K. If anyone has photos they would like to contribute, please email them to me at lakeplacidsk8r@gmail.com or contact me on Facebook @ Lake Placid Skater.

2011 LP ICE MARATHON ALBUM

LP SKATER

OVAL UPDATE

2011-12-14T19:43:00.001-05:00

Ice is being made on the oval...for more information, please keep watching www.lakeplacidoval.com.

LP SKATER

Weekend Update

2011-11-19T14:13:00.013-05:00

Hi All,

Here are some skating updates from the web:

Want to perform in a figure skating show while benefitting a worthwhile charity? Skate for Hope is a show in Columbus, Ohio that benefits breast cancer awareness and research. For more information, visit their website.

This video by an aspiring Olympic speed skater from Salt Lake City is truly inspirational. Just shows it's never too late to pursue your dreams.

Speaking of speed skating....only a little less than a month until the Olympic Oval opens! For more information and ice updates, visit www.lakeplacidoval.com.

I was very surprised to find out that Lake Placid Skater has been voted one of the Top 20 Sports Blogs by Shape Magazine! Check out the slideshow of all the Top 20 blogs here (LPS is slide 15).

LP SKATER

Stars On Ice Returning to Lake Placid

2011-11-09T11:26:00.003-05:00

I am happy to post this press release.....as previously noted, Stars On Ice is returning to Lake Placid with some new cast members and favorite previous skaters.

EMMY AWARD WINNING STARS ON ICE® TOUR

Kicks off New Season in Lake Placid, NY

Headlined by a Select Cast of Olympic and World Champions

The Premier Figure Skating Production

Will Usher in an Edgy New Year

At the Olympic Center in Lake Placid on December 30^th at 7:30 p.m.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW

(LAKE PLACID, N.Y.) – The world’s premier figure skating tour,Stars on Ice, is preparing a superstar ensemble of Olympic, World and National Champions from all over the globe for its 2011-12 season.

Stars on Ice has always showcased the unique combination of athleticism and artistry which is figure skating in a cutting edge premier entertainment spectacular. In 2010, Stars on Icehighlighted North American superiority in the Winter Olympics. Last year, Stars on Ice celebrated its 25-year legacy by bringing the world an unparalleled cast of legends past, present, and future. In 2012, Stars on Ice will present a limited engagement, command performance tour, that will visit 10 U.S. cities which have hosted sold out shows throughout the history of the Tour. For a complete list of tour dates and performance times please visit www.starsonice.com.

The Emmy Award-winning production kicks off at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, NY on Friday, Dec. 30, for a 7:30 p.m. performance, which will be made into a one-hour syndicated special “Stars on Ice presented by Smucker’s,” which will be shown on network affiliates across the country in the months of January and February. Visit www.starsonice.com or check your local listings for more details on when you can see the highlights of the 2011-2012 show!

Stars on Ice continues to be a pioneer in figure skating by offering fans the rare opportunity to witness some of the world’s most creative and cherished champions performing together in both individual and ensemble routines. This year’s tour features a stellar cast of world-renowned athletes, including Olympic Silver Medalist Sasha Cohen; Four-Time World Champion & Four-Time Canadian National Champion Kurt Browning; Two-Time Olympic Gold MedalistEkaterina Gordeeva (Russia); 1998 Olympic Gold MedalistIlia Kulik (Russia),World Champion & Six-Time U.S. National Champion Todd Eldredge; 2010 Olympic Bronze Medalist,Joannie Rochette (Canada); World Bronze medalists and three-time U.S. National Pair Champions Kyoko Ina & John Zimmerman; 2011 U.S. National Champion Ryan Bradley; and Two-Time European Bronze Medalists and seven-time British National Dance Champions Sinead & John Kerr.

Stars on Ice, founded and produced by Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton, is one of the premier touring entertainment events in the world. For the 2011-12 season, Kurt Browning has been added to the Creative Team as Co-Director and Choreographer. Upon accepting the position, Browning said, “I am thrilled and a tad intimidated with the opportunity to choreograph Stars on Ice. My relationship with this tour has been wonderful for over two decades and I want to give this new role with the show my best effort like I did, and still will, as a skater.”

The performance in Lake Placid, NY will be at the Olympic Center on Friday, December 30^thfor a show at 7:30 PM. TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW. Special on-ice seating is available upon request. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more. Tickets start at $25 and are available viatickets.com and the Olympic Center Box Office (518.523.3330). Please visit www.starsonice.com for more information as well as exciting show announcements.

About Stars on Ice

Founded in 1986 by skating icon Scott Hamilton, the Stars on Ice tour has played more than 1,000 shows for over a quarter of a century. Past tour performers include Olympic Gold Medalists Kristi Yamaguchi, Katarina Witt, Dorothy Hamill and Torvill & Dean. The Tour has won three Emmy Awards, one ACE Cable Award (Best Sports Special), and is recognized as the finest ice production in the world. Stars on Ice is produced by IMG, the world’s premier Sports, Entertainment and Media Company. For more information about the tour, visit www.starsonice.com. Keep in touch withStars on Ice on Facebook: www.facebook.com/starsonice and on Twitter: @starsonice, www.twitter.com/starsonice.

About The J. M. Smucker Company

For more than 110 years, The J.M. Smucker Company has been committed to offering consumers quality products that bring families together to share memorable meals and moments. Today, Smucker is a leading marketer and manufacturer of fruit spreads, retail packaged coffee, peanut butter, shortening and oils, ice cream toppings, sweetened condensed milk, and health and natural foods beverages in North America. Its family of brands includes Smucker's®, Folgers®, Dunkin’ Donuts®, Jif®, Crisco®, Pillsbury®, Eagle Brand®, R.W. Knudsen Family®, Hungry Jack®, Café Bustelo®, Café Pilon^TM, White Lily® and Martha White® in the United States, along with Robin Hood®, Five Roses®, Carnation® and Bick's® in Canada. The Company remains rooted in the Basic Beliefs of Quality, People, Ethics, Growth and Independence established by its founder and namesake more than a century ago. The Company has appeared on FORTUNE Magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in the United States 13 times, ranking number one in 2004. For more information about the Company, visitwww.smuckers.com.

The J.M. Smucker Company is the owner of all trademarks, except Pillsbury,the Barrelhead logo and the Doughboy character are trademarks of The Pillsbury Company, LLC, used under license; Carnation is a trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., used under license; and Dunkin’ Donuts is a registered

Stars On Ice Opening Date

2011-10-17T14:33:00.005-04:00

It's looks like the Smuckers Stars on Ice 2011-2012 Tour will be opening a month later than usual in Lake Placid. In past years, SSOI has been a Thanksgiving tradition, opening on Thanksgiving weekend. This year, it will be opening on December 30th. Tickets will be available soon.

LP SKATER

2 Events from the Ice Theatre of New York

2011-10-16T19:42:00.010-04:00

Exciting events are in store from the Ice Theatre of New York.

Ice Theatre heats up the ice with Argentine Tango

Listing Information: Ice Theatre of New York 2011 Home Season
Dates: Thursday, Oct 20-Sat, Oct 22, 2011 at 7:00 PM
Venue: Sky Rink, Pier 61 at Chelsea Piers (23rd Street & Hudson River). A/C/E to Eighth Avenue
Tickets: $25 General/$15 Students, Seniors and Groups of 10 or more
Purchase: Contact Ice Theatre at 212.929.5811 or visithttp://www.nycharities.org/events/EventLevels.aspx?ETID=4179

New York City, NY--Ice Theatre of New York (ITNY), the nation's premier ice dance ensemble inaugurates its 2011/2012 season with the 2011 Home Season on Thurs, Oct. 20 through Sat, Oct. 22. The Home Season features the company's new and classic repertory of dance on ice and performances by guest artists.

The Home Season will feature Tango Images, originally conceived in 1999 by acclaimed ballroom dance choreographer and Master Tango teacher, Peter diFalco, to music from the film “Tango Lessons”. The piece weaves in and out of sensual duets and dynamic group sequences, performed by national ice dance competitors: Eve Chalom, Jamie Silverstein, Brent Bommentre, Joel Dear and Michael Solonoski.

Other pieces that will be presented include Inner Eye by award-winning, Artistic Director of the Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble Jim May; the premiere of Falling Leaves and the re-staging of Transitions, both choreographed by renowned skating choreographer Douglas Webster; and the re-staging ofDraughtsman’s Contract by the internationally recognized, Elisa Monte.

US Champion Johnny Weir’s last scheduled performance in the NY area in 2011

Listing Information: Ice Theatre of New York Annual Benefit
Date: Monday, October 24, 2011, at 7:00 PM
Venue: Pier 61 at Chelsea Piers (23rd Street & Hudson River); Performance at Sky Rink | Gala at The Lighthouse. Train A/C/E to Eighth Avenue
Tickets: Benefit $350 and up
Purchase: Contact Ice Theatre at 212.929.5811 or visit
http://www.icetheatre.org/2011-benefit-tickets-now-available-to-purchase.html

New York City, NY --- Ice Theatre of New York (ITNY), the nation’s premier ice dancing ensemble, will host the company’s annual Benefit Gala and Performance on Monday, October 24th, at Chelsea Pier’s Sky Rink. Festivities include a performance featuring US Champion and two-time Olympian Johnny Weir at his last scheduled performance for 2011 in the New York area, at Sky Rink, Chelsea Piers. Skating legend, Aja Zanova, visionary ice show promoter, Tom Collins, and founder of Fireworks Sports Marketing, Tara Modlin, will Co-Chair a star-studded benefit honoring Johnny Weir at The Lighthouse in Chelsea Piers immediately following the show. Says honoree Johnny Weir,I'm so excited to be honored by Ice Theatre of New York because I have admired their commitment to the art and sport of figure skating for as long as I can remember. I’m also thrilled to have another opportunity to perform at my home base, New York City.”

“We honor Johnny Weir for being an enthusiastic supporter of artistic skating as well as someone who “dares to be different,”says Moira North, ITNY’s Artistic Director. Weir joins an esteemed list of ITNY honorees including Dick Button,Dorothy Hamill, Scott Hamilton, Nancy Kerrigan, Vera Wang, Paul Wylie, and Aja Zanova.

In addition to honoring Johnny Weir, ITNY will present the Ice Angel Award to Margarita Sears and the Will Sears Fund for their generous support of the creation of new works for the Company. Ice Rink Events, the leading manufacturer of modular ice technologies, will be recognized with the Arts & Business Partnership Award for supporting Ice Theatre of New York with quality ice surfaces for the proscenium stage.

About Ice Theatre of New York (ITNY)

Founded in 1984 by Moira North, Ice Theatre of New York has changed the face of figure skating by creating works that integrate the sensibilities of contemporary dance, music and art. Through its performances in both traditional and alternative venues, ITNY presents on-ice dances that challenge the perceptions and conventional definitions of figure skating. ITNY was the first ice dance company to receive dance program funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. In addition to building and performing works of artistic merit, ITNY also reaches out to the next generation of skaters and audiences through its exemplary education, community outreach and training programs. "Since its establishment in 1984, the Ice Theatre of New York has combined the best of ice skating, dance and theater to create cutting edge performances that represent the very best New York's creative community has to offer." - Mayor Michael Bloomberg

As the company begins its new season, ITNY will continue its tradition of collaborating with choreographers from both the dance and skating worlds, as well as exploring relationships with artists from theatre, music and new media disciplines. 2011-2012 season highlights include: ITNY’s 2011 Home Season at Chelsea Piers (October 20-22, 2011), free performances as part of the City Skate Concert Series at Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park and Queens’s World Ice Arena; New Works & Young Artists Series at Riverbank State Park in Manhattan, City Ice Pavilion and World Ice Arena in Queens to serve city school children; special holiday performances at Rockefeller Center, Riverbank State Park, Bryant Park, and Chelsea Piers, and the Winter Festival in Milford, PA. http://www.icetheatre.org& http://www.icetheatre.org .

Ice Theatre of New York is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. ITNY also receives funding from The Pioneer Fund, The Will Sears Fund and its generous private patrons. Make-up provided by MAC.

-LP SKATER

A Tribute to the Protopopovs

2011-09-05T20:05:00.006-04:00

I was so grateful to participate in the "A Tribute to the Protopopovs" show on September 3rd!

For photos, check out album 1 and 2.

Thank you to Kami Netri for the photos in album 2!

Enjoy!

LP SKATER

One More Day.....

2011-09-02T15:08:00.002-04:00

Until the "A Tribute to the Protopopovs" show!!

If you haven't already, RSVP on the Facebook event page.

Hope to see you there!

LP SKATER

Saturday Night Ice Show Photos and Adult Week Show Photos

2011-08-28T14:55:00.007-04:00

Check out photos from the Saturday Night Ice Show and the Adult Week Show on Saturday, August 27th.

ADULT WEEK SHOW ALBUM 1

ADULT WEEK SHOW ALBUM 2

SATURDAY NIGHT ICE SHOW ALBUM 1

SATURDAY NIGHT ICE SHOW ALBUM 2

Remember, the "A Tribute to the Protopopovs" Show is next weekend, September 3rd at 7 pm in the 1980 Rink! RSVP on Facebook if you plan to attend.

LP SKATER

SATURDAY NIGHT ICE SHOW PHOTOS AUGUST 20th

2011-08-25T17:39:00.002-04:00

Check out photos from last weekend's ice show here (ALBUM 1 and ALBUM 2). This week's guest skater will be Ryan Bradley.

SCLP Pays Tribute to the Protopopovs

2011-08-18T11:30:00.004-04:00

On September 3rd, the Skating Club of Lake Placid will host an ice show paying tribute to the legendary Protopopovs. Oleg and Ludmila Protopopov are the 1964 and 1968 Olympic Champions in Pairs Skating, and spend summer and most of the fall skating here in Lake Placid.

Despite Oleg's stroke last year, they are still skating and practicing pairs moves they created (such as the "Death Spiral").

Below are the details:

Join the Skating Club of Lake Placid for a very special evening dedicated to Olympic Pairs Champions Oleg and Ludmila Protopopov.

Skaters of all ages and levels will be skating, including the featured skaters listed below.

Special Guest:
1948 & 1952 Olympic Champion Dick Button

Featured Skaters:
1984 Olympic Bronze Medalists: Larisa Selezneva & Oleg Markarov

1980 Olympic Competitor & 3-time Canadian Ice Dance Champion:
Lorna Wighton-Aldridge

2007 Swiss Ice Dance Champion: David De Fazio

ADMISSION:
Adults (13-64) $10.00

Youth (7-12) $8.00

Sr. (65+) $8.00

6 & Under Free

HOSTED BY THE SKATING CLUB OF LAKE PLACID

Credentialed media interested in attending the event should contact the NYS Olympic Regional Development Authority Communications/Public Relations Department at 518.523.1655.

If you are on Facebook, visit this page to confirm your attendance!

LP SKATER

Interview with US Junior medalists Alex Aiken, Ashley Cain, and Josh Reagan

2011-08-18T11:26:00.003-04:00

Read the interview here.

LP SKATER

August 6th Saturday Night Ice Show

2011-08-10T13:02:00.001-04:00

Check out the photos here and here .

LP SKATER

Summer Reading: Champion Mindset by Scott Gregory

2011-08-02T12:30:00.007-04:00

Even though summer is almost over, most of us still have time to complete some summer reading. In between my various obligations, I was happy to read Scott Gregory's book and derive inspiration from his journey.

Scott was an American Ice Dancer who competed at the 1984 Olympic Games with Elisa Spitz. He also won the National Championships in 1987 and 1988 with partner Suzanne Semanick.

Growing up in Skaneateles, NY, Scott started skating at 8 years old on the pond by his house. At first, he pursued singles skating,but switched to ice dance when he was 17. It sounds like a normal skating story, no?

What makes Scott's story amazing, however, is his perseverance in the face of injury. He injured his back before his second Olympics, and despite the pain, chose to compete anyway.

This book is an inspiring look at competitive figure skating from a first person perspective....but it is more than that. Gregory's book aims to inspire everyone to persevere, do their best, and stand tall in the face of adversity. When Scott tells his story, you understand why he is a National Champion and two time Olympian.

For more information, visit the book's website.

LP SKATER

Interview with US Competitors Kloe Bautista and Tyler Harris

2011-07-29T20:28:00.004-04:00

Check out my interview for the Lake Placid News here.

LP SKATER

Lake Placid Ice Dance update

2011-07-26T13:56:00.005-04:00

The skaters have started to filter into Lake Placid for the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships, set to begin at 7:15 pm in the 1980 Rink. For more info, visit Lake Placid Skating.

For coverage of the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships, visit our friends at Ice-Dance.com. P.S.- they're looking for volunteers, so if you love skating and skating journalism, here's your chance to help out!

If you were watching the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, chances are you watched Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's beautiful gold-medal winning performance. Now there is a book about the Canadian ice dance champions. "Tessa and Scott- Our Journey from Childhood Dream to Olympic Gold" leads readers on a trip through Virtue and Moir's lives; from their early days as childhood ice dance partners, to their experiences on the world stage, and finally to the fulfillment of an Olympic dream on the ice in Vancouver. This is the perfect book for the ice dancer and figure skating fan; well written and with many photos of Virtue and Moir through their careers, it is truly the perfect addition to the skating aficionado's bookshelf. You can buy the book here.

LP SKATER

Johnny Weir News

2011-07-26T13:41:00.004-04:00

Here's the latest on Johnny from our friends at NY Mag.

LP SKATER

July 23rd Ice Show Photos and News

2011-07-25T17:43:00.004-04:00

PHOTOS FROM THE JULY 23rd SATURDAY NIGHT ICE SHOW

The Ironman race took place this past weekend.....check out my article on the race, including it's history.

Watch for my interview with guest skaters Kloe Bautista and Tyler Harris!

LP SKATER

Interview with US Pairs Silver Medalists Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig

2011-07-23T14:55:00.003-04:00

Check out the interview on my Lake Placid News Blog

Meanwhile, the Saturday Night Ice Show guest skaters will be US National Competitors Kloe Bautista and Tyler Harris.

LP SKATER

Interview with US Bronze Medalist Ross Miner

2011-07-18T15:56:00.003-04:00

Check it out!

INTERVIEW on my Lake Placid News blog

LP SKATER

p.s.- If you're looking for photos from this week's Saturday Night Ice Show, scroll down to the previous post. And if you're searching from photos/posts from previous ice shows, click the "photos" tag at the bottom of the previous posts...you will find photos not only from the shows, but also from other events!!

July 16th Ice Show Photos

2011-07-16T23:49:00.002-04:00

Enjoy!

PHOTOS

LP SKATER

Public Skating for All!

2011-07-11T21:21:00.004-04:00

There are public skating sessions at the Olympic Center this week.

TUESDAY July 12th: 7 pm until 9 pm.

THURSDAY July 14th: 7 pm until 9 pm

FRIDAY July 15th: 7 pm until 9 pm

All sessions are in the US Rink.

LP SKATER

July 9th Saturday Night Ice Show Photos

2011-07-09T22:56:00.003-04:00

Enjoy! Since this is a Facebook album, feel free to "tag" yourself or your friends.

ALBUM

LP SKATER

First Interview of the Summer skating season (and other content)!

2011-07-07T13:04:00.012-04:00

Check out the first segment of the Lake Placid Skater Interview Series- my Lake Placid News Interview with Ryan Bradley. There was an article posted in the "Sports" section of the website, but there were inexplicable typos in the content. This is the article I originally submitted sans errors.

Also, if you were wondering what other films were at the Lake Placid Film Forum this past year, read my review of "Raiders of the Lost Ark- The Adaptation". Yes, this movie was as awesome as it sounds. Best of all, there is a video of the Q+A session at the end of the post, which is both interesting and hilarious.

Finally, catch up on what's going on in Lake Placid these coming weeks with my Free George Top 10 list. Spoiler alert: there IS skating on the list (surprise)!

LP SKATER

Partial Results for 2011 Lake Placid Summer Figure Skating Championships

2011-07-07T12:28:00.005-04:00

My friend Sylvia at "Unseen Skaters" posted results from the Lake Placid Summer Figure Skating Championships- check it out! (Note, these are only partial results right now).

RESULTS

LP SKATER

Saturday Night Ice Show photos!

2011-07-02T23:08:00.004-04:00

The ice show just ended a few hours ago....and what a show!! Check out newly added photos:

ALBUM 1

ALBUM 2

LP SKATER

And the Saturday Night Ice Show Guest Skater is...

2011-06-30T13:43:00.004-04:00

Ryan Bradley, U.S. Champion, World Competitor. The show is 7:30 at the Olympic Center's 1932 Rink.

He is also giving lessons this week.....call 518-523-3330 for more details.

Watch for my Lake Placid News interview with him as well. A link will be posted after publication.

LP SKATER

"Rise"

2011-06-25T14:11:00.002-04:00

Hi all,

Last week, I was fortunate to review some films being shown at the Lake Placid Film Forum. Check out my review of the figure skating movie "Rise" for the Free George.

LP SKATER

Saturday Night Ice Show photos

2011-06-20T16:29:00.002-04:00

Check out these photos of the Saturday Night Ice Show on June 18th.....

Saturday Night Ice Show June 18th Photos

LP SKATER

"Rise" figure skating movie coming to Lake Placid

2011-06-16T12:16:00.002-04:00

In 1961, a tragedy struck the figure skating family when a plane carrying the entire US World Figure Skating Team crashed on the way to the World Championships. Now a documentary has been made to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the tragedy, offering a tribute to the skaters, coaches, and officials that perished in the plane crash. It also takes a look at the skating world after the crash, and how this tragedy gave "rise" to the sport as it is today.

The Lake Placid Film Forum will be showcasing Rise on June 17th at 6 pm at the Palace Theatre. Click here to check out the movie trailer.

Watch The Free George for their special Lake Placid Film Forum column, as well as my reviews of this movie and others!!

LP SKATER

Saturday Night Ice Show update

2011-06-14T13:58:00.005-04:00

Live from Lake Placid, it's Saturday Night! (Ice Shows).

Fresh off the Lake Placid Events Facebook Page, here's the lineup of guest skaters for this summer...please note a few dates in August are still pending.

June 18-- Melissa Gregory & Denis Petukhov, 4-Time U.S. Championships Silver Medalists
July 2nd – Ryan Bradley – U.S. Champion, World Competitor
July 9th – Ross Miner – U.S. Bronze Medalist, World Competitor
July 16th – Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig – 2010 Olympians, U.S. Silver Medalists
July 23nd – Jason Brown – U.S. Junior Champion
August 6th – Ashley Cain & Josh Regan – U.S. Junior Champions
August 13th – TBA
August 20th – TBA
August 27th – Ryan Bradley – U.S. Champion, World Competitor

Keep watching for my ice show coverage!!

LP SKATER

Coming Soon-Lake Placid Summer Camp

2011-06-10T13:47:00.002-04:00

Check out my latest Lake Placid News post about skating festivities in Lake Placid!!

LP SKATER

Inside the Conference Center

2011-05-21T17:06:00.035-04:00

It has been a busy week in Lake Placid; on Wednesday Governor Andrew Cuomo was here continuing his "People First" Campaign at the Lake Placid Conference Center, the Community Theatre Players' musical Chicago opened at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts opened (read my review here), and the Flo/Journeymen National Duals wrestling tournament continues at the Olympic Center.

Along with our many events, I had the good fortune to tour the newly-opened Conference Center with Arlene Day and Kim Rielly of the Lake Placid CVB/Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism. Luckily I took a lot of photos!

The center is working towards a LEED Certification, which is all about "green" and sustainable building. To read more about what a LEED certification is, visit their website. The tour guides were also very proud to say that the project was completed "on time and on budget" from funds granted by former Governor Pataki.

There is a staircase and two elevators, which will better facilitate the flow of patrons during busy events in both the Olympic Center and Conference Center. The meeting rooms are all equipped with projectors, heating and cooling that can be adjusted in each individual room, and there is wi-fi and hardwire available throughout the building. Not only is the building green, but a lot of the fixtures are as well; the chairs in the boardrooms, for example, will be made out of recycled material. As seen in the slideshow, there is a large ballroom, perfect for bigger conferences and events. A small boardroom, complete with an LCD television, was also added for meetings and/or for use as office space.

Perhaps my favorite feature was the kitchen, which features state-of-the-art appliances. There are special ovens which can cook 900 filet mignons in 8 minutes, and steamers which can cook 50 pounds of rice in 9 minutes. Perhaps the most interesting statistic presented was that the kitchen is so well equipped, it could feed the entire population of Lake Placid (approximately 3000 people) in two hours. Now that's a kitchen!!

The outside of the building (as shown in the post below) is paneled with zinc coated in copper, which will age from its new shininess to a brownish-green patina. The architect is from Vermont, and as such understood the unique climatic challenges of the North Country.

There is a balcony on the front of the building allowing a beautiful view of lower main street, the ski jumps, oval, and mountains (see slideshow photos above).

One of the most common questions I heard from my figure skating readers is, "What happened to the rest of the Lussi Rink?" You will all be happy to note that the old grey wall was recycled and reused in the conference center. More improvements will be taking place in the 1932 rink as well; plans are underway to panel the ceiling with sound-proof tiles to help improve the acoustics. The far left balcony in the rink will be converted into a glassed in room for functions. Lots of changes!!

For more info on the conference center, visit their website.

LP SKATER

Conference Center Up and Running (and more news)

2011-05-13T17:23:00.026-04:00

Finally school is finished until next semester, so I can get back to blogging!

Possibly the biggest news in Lake Placid is the opening of the new Conference Center, occupying the space in the Olympic Center where the Lussi Rink used to be. As you can see, the recently completed building is very shiny-

The center hosted its first event this week, the Child Passenger Safety Regional Technical & Training Conference.

For more information on the Conference Center, visit their website at http://www.meetingslakeplacid.com/.

What better way to see the Adirondack Park than from the top of Whiteface? The Whiteface Memorial Highway will be re-opening on May 20th, and will stay open until October 10th. For more info visit http://www.whiteface.com/summer/activities/hiway.php.

A non-ice sport is coming soon to the Olympic Center- wrestling. On May 21st and 22nd, top high school and youth athletes will compete on the 1980 rink for a national title. Visit this site for more information.

In other news....Tom Messner of News Channel 5 was filming content on the Olympic Oval today; events included luge and biathlon target shooting. The Lake Placid High School also played the Star Spangled Banner for the filming. If you live in the North Country you can watch their broadcast tonight and see Lake Placid- check out their website for more details.

LP SKATER

Unstoppable speed skating video

2011-05-02T16:38:00.007-04:00

EAS Sports, a sports nutrition company, had an interesting idea- why not host a challenge where an athlete participates in 30 different sports in 30 days? The result was the Unstoppable tour, where athlete and lieutenant commander Sam Tickle tried 30 sports in 30 days. One of those sports was speed skating, as you can see in the video below.

To watch more episodes and learn more about EAS sports and their line of sports nutrition products, visit their facebook page or website.

LP SKATER

P.S.- my post on my trip to Milwaukee will be posted shortly.

What's So Great about Figure Skating?

2011-04-11T15:14:00.002-04:00

My Skating Mall's "What's So Great about Figure Skating" video is now available- watch now!

LP SKATER

Lake Placid Update

2011-04-09T22:34:00.013-04:00

Hi all,

As noted by my diminished posts, things are starting to slow down in Lake Placid, and the slow season (also called "mud season") is almost upon us.

*If you've always wondered what winter sports athletes do during the off season, check out my Adk Almanack post on that subject.

*Exciting news in Winter sports- Women's Ski Jumping is now an Olympic event. Other sports added to the roster include a team luge event, biathlon mixed relay, a team figure skating event, men’s halfpipe, and women’s halfpipe. Read more about it here. Also, read more about the Team Figure Skating event from the Chicago Tribune's Phil Hersh here.

Have a good week, and enjoy the spring weather!

LP SKATER

Spring Break

2011-04-03T14:04:00.007-04:00

Hi All,

I was on spring break this past week, and have been trying to catch up on everything for the past few days. My trip to the Garden State and New York City was fun, (I skated on Rockefeller Center; that made the trip) and now it is time to work. Here's what has been going on:

*I am now writing for the Free George, which is "the online magazine and visitors’ guide of Upstate NY, covering things from Albany to Lake Placid, including Saratoga, the Lake George region and the Adirondacks".. My latest post was about my new favorite non-skating activity-hot yoga. Check out the post here.

*I also updated my Lake Placid news blog- click here for the new post.

LP SKATER

New Post

2011-03-19T19:25:00.006-04:00

Hi All,

Check out my latest Adirondack Almanack post on Lake Placid's rich figure skating history

LP SKATER

Oval Closed for the Season

2011-03-14T16:51:00.007-04:00

ORDA has just informed us that the oval is closed for the season. Thanks to all of you who participated in our races, skated for fun, or tried speed skating for the first time....it was a pleasure to see all of you. We hope to see you next year!

We hope to spend the spring and summer months expanding at Lake Placid Skate Shop, so we have more speed skating items for next season. We will be accepting orders for items in the meantime, just let us know. Also, we are happy to announce that we will be adding hockey equipment to our inventory soon.

It will be summer in a few months, which means we will once again welcome the figure skaters participating in the summer skating camp. Stop in and visit us!

Here are some links looking back at the speed skating season:

For Race Results, click here

Lake Placid Ice Marathon Photo Album 1

Lake Placid Ice Marathon Photo Album 2

Charles Jewtraw All Around Photo Album 1

Charles Jewtraw All Around Photo Album 2

Charles Jewtraw All Around Photo Album 3

LP SKATER

Just Skatin' in the Rain....

2011-03-11T22:59:00.007-05:00

...What a glorious feeling, I'm happy again. In keeping with my slight "Singin' in the Rain" obsession, and because it has been raining the past few days in Lake Placid, the theme of this post is skating in the rain, (that's what we've been doing the past few days at the oval)!

First, check out Kurt Browning "Skatin' in the Rain"....

Next, some of my speed skating friends might remember the Jack Shea Sprints in 2007; it was very similar weather to the past few days, very rainy and warm (high 30s and low 40s). Still, the race went on, and speed skater and "Zen and the Art of Speed Skating" blogger Andrew Love captured some of the skating, set to "Singin' in the Rain". (Note that the audio has been disabled, so you'll have to hum the song....but the video is still cool!).

In keeping with the theme, check out my latest Adirondack Almanack post, Rainy Day Fun in Lake Placid.

Finally, sessions are planned for this weekend at the Olympic Oval. For more information, watch ORDA's website and lakeplacidoval.com for ice conditions and news.

LP SKATER

Still Skating Away.....

2011-03-02T21:25:00.007-05:00

There was skating, skating, and more skating in Lake Placid this past weekend....Empire State Games were in town, along with the last in the Lake Placid Speed Skating Club racing series, the Jack Shea Sprints. I kept busy racing in the morning at the Jack Shea Sprints, watching/reporting on short track in the afternoon, and working with the accountants for figure skating at night. Needless to say, my weekend was very busy!

For a report on the skating action, check out my article on short track speed skating, and skater Kate Brindle's report on the figure skating events.

As a locally organized endeavor, the Games were a success and the Lake Placid weather cooperated with "wintry" weather (hint: we had snow on Friday. A lot).

For information about the Games, visit the Empire State Games website.

For our speed skater friends, we are waiting for the times to be posted on the Lake Placid Oval site for the Jack Shea Sprints....remember to keep watching the site for oval conditions, news, and the results of course! I will post an update on the main page when they are added to the "files" section.

The wintry weather continues, and skating is expected on the oval this week and possibly even next week. Keep watching Lake Placid Oval for ice conditions and news.

Weekend Happenings

2011-02-23T14:25:00.005-05:00

There's a lot going on in Lake Placid this weekend.....the Empire State Games will be returning as a locally organized endeavor (read this post for more information). Also, the last long track speed skating race of the season, the Jack Shea Sprints, will be happening at the Olympic Oval from 9am-12pm Saturday and Sunday. Check out my recent Adk Almanack post for more info about the Empire State Games festivities and the Jack Shea Sprints race.

Enjoy!

LP SKATER

President's Week Schedule!!

2011-02-20T19:52:00.005-05:00

Although not posted on the internet, the hours for speed skating this week are:

Monday 2/21- Sunday 2/27: 10am-12pm and 4pm-6pm

*Please note that there will be a speed skating race on the Saturday and Sunday 10am-12pm session. *

The public skating (figure and hockey skates only) sessions are as follows:

Monday 2/21- Sunday 2/27: 1pm-3pm and 7pm-9pm.

Happy Skating!

LP SKATER

Lake Placid Updates

2011-02-10T21:42:00.006-05:00

Hi All,

After a very busy week with the Eastern Synchro Championships in town (read my Adk Almanack post about that here) things are back to normal, and there is much less snow around town. It promises to be a busy February; here's what is happening:

Disney On Ice will return with an all new ice show, Disney On Ice Princess Classics. The show will be in Lake Placid from February 17th-21st; for more info, visit their website.

After that, the Empire State Games will return to Lake Placid under new administration by several local organizations including ORDA and the Lake Placid CVB. For more information, visit their site here.

On the same weekend, the Lake Placid Speed Skating Club will be hosting their last race of the season, the Jack Shea Sprints. For more information and to register, visit the Lake Placid Oval site.

Have a good weekend and a Happy Valentine's Day,

LP SKATER

Welcome Eastern Synchronized Skating Championships

2011-01-31T21:55:00.004-05:00

Good luck to everyone skating in the Eastern Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships in Lake Placid this weekend.....for more information, check Lake Placid Skating.

Also be careful on the roads- another winter storm is headed our way. Check out this website for Lake Placid weather (it's actually recorded in Lake Placid, used by the venues to watch the weather, and is often more accurate) or good old weather.com

Be safe!

LP SKATER

Random Photo of the Day

2011-01-23T18:35:00.006-05:00

While at the rink this afternoon, I spotted this interesting scene on the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena:

Although it's difficult to see very clearly, the woman with the white hockey jersey is wearing a veil. Apparently the wedding party's getting their photos taken on the 80 Rink! Unique setting for wedding photos....only in Lake Placid!!

I will be going back to school tomorrow after a month-long break, but will do my best to keep this site and lakeplacidoval.com (primarily used for oval ice conditions) frequently updated. Thanks for reading!

LP SKATER

ANOTHER UPDATE....

2011-01-22T15:52:00.003-05:00

Visit the Lake Placid Oval Site for another update on speed skating this weekend.

LP SKATER

SCHEDULE CHANGE FOR SPEED SKATING

2011-01-21T18:36:00.009-05:00

Hi all,

There is another schedule change for this weekend. Here it is:

Saturday January 22nd (same as usual):

10 am until 12 pm Speed Skating

1 pm until 3 pm Public Skating

4 pm until 6 pm Speed Skating

7 pm until 9 pm Public Skating

Sunday January 23rd:

8 am until 10 am Speed Skating

NORTHWOOD RENTAL

1 pm until 3 pm Public Skating

4 pm until 6 pm Speed Skating

7 pm until 9 pm Public Skating

LP SKATER

P.S.- If you are interested in skiing, check out my latest Adirondack Almanack post about the Nature Valley Freestyle World Cup this weekend.

Jack Shea Sprints Registration ONLINE

2011-01-18T16:31:00.006-05:00

The last of the Lake Placid Speed Skating Club Racing Series, the Jack Shea Sprints, will be taking place on February 26th and 27th. Skaters will race the 500 meter and 1000 meter race both days-the event will be on the same weekend as the Empire State Winter Games. For more info and to register, visit www.lakeplacidoval.com (please note we are accepting online registrations ONLY).

LP SKATER

P.S.- Also, check out my Adirondack Almanack post about the Charles Jewtraw All Around and Skiing.

Oval Schedule Change

2011-01-11T19:23:00.004-05:00

The Olympic Oval will have a different schedule this weekend for the holiday; please note that these hours refer to the dates of January 15th-17th only.

Saturday January 15th through Monday January 17th:

9 am until 11 am SPEED SKATING

12 pm until 2 pm PUBLIC SKATING

3 pm until 5 pm PUBLIC SKATING

5:30 pm until 7:30 pm SPEED SKATING

8 pm until 10 pm PUBLIC SKATING

LP SKATER

Speed Skating News

2011-01-09T19:27:00.005-05:00

Thanks everyone for a great race! The Charles Jewtraw All Around was a success and everyone had fun. For photos of the event, (thanks Eddie and Loretta Munoz for being champion photographers!) click the links below:

PHOTO ALBUM 1

PHOTO ALBUM 2

We have more good news- the Jack Shea Sprints have finally been assigned a date! The races will take place February 26th and 27th. Keep watching lakeplacidoval.com for more information and registration.

LP SKATER

Skating into 2011!!

2011-01-01T12:13:00.013-05:00

On New Year's Eve over 500 people rang in the New Year on the Olympic Speed Skating Oval during the 4th Annual Skate into the New Year party. Everyone had lots of fun, and we raised over 1,000 dollars for the food pantry. Thanks for skating with us....if you didn't make it to skate, there's always next year!

For event photos, click here.

To follow us on Twitter, click here.

LP SKATER

What's So Great about Figure Skating?

2010-12-26T18:36:00.004-05:00

Ryan Jahnke is asking you this question.......the founder of MySkatingMall.com is hosting a contest and wants you to tell him "what's so great about figure skating"!

Visit this website for more information; the winner will win a $100 gift card for any item on MySkatingMall.com or from our Partner Stores.

LP SKATER

The Oval Report-pre-Christmas edition

2010-12-23T14:56:00.013-05:00

Christmas is only 2 days away, and skaters most likely have visions of skating outside on the Olympic Oval dancing in their heads. Fear not, there will be plenty of ice throughout the Holiday season!

FRIDAY DECEMBER 24th:

1pm-3pm Public Skating

4pm-6pm Speed Skating

7pm-9pm Public Skating

SATURDAY DECEMBER 25th (HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!)

7pm-9pm Public Skating

SUNDAY DECEMBER 26th-SUNDAY JANUARY 2nd

10am-12pm Speed Skating

1pm-3pm Public Skating

4pm-6pm Speed Skating/Public Skating (split session, with speed skaters skating on the inner lane and public skaters on the outer).

7pm-9pm Public Skating

If you have a spare moment, pop over to the Adirondack Almanack, which keeps us updated on news and events throughout the North Country. Also, check out my latest post on the Almanack about the LP Ice Marathon and the FIBT Bobsled/Skeleton World Cup.

Enjoy your Holiday season!!

LP SKATER

Lake Placid Skater Review: Sugar and Ice

2010-12-21T15:50:00.013-05:00

With three days until Christmas, some of you may be scrambling to find a gift that would be appropriate for that skater or skating fan in your life. If that skater/skating fan happens to be a pre-teen/middle grade, I would recommend local author Kate Messner's latest novel, Sugar and Ice.

Life is sweet for Claire Boucher; skating on a pond, performing in the club's annual Maple Show, and serving pancakes at her parents farm, she is just a normal girl who loves to skate. But when she is spotted by a high level Russian skating coach and wins a scholarship to train in Lake Placid, she is drawn into the world of competitive figure skating. Training alongside competitive girls, some with a mean streak, she soon realizes that life as a competitive figure skater can be more complex than she realized. Can she still skate for herself amid the chaos of competition?

As a former competitive skater (now I just perform in shows, which is what I enjoyed the most anyway), I can identify with Claire and her struggles. How can one strike a balance between competition and skating for the pure enjoyment of the sport? How difficult is it to train when pressure to perform is added into the equation? Messner's character Claire tackles these situations and more, including jealous competitors and the immense sacrifices necessary to excel in a sport at a competitive level.

Even though I am not a pre-teen/middle grade reader, I still enjoyed reading Sugar and Ice. Some forms of media focused on figure skating often have the unfortunate tendency to be more unrealistic and not true to the actual sport, including their rules, elements, etc- Sugar and Ice is not one of these mediums. Being somewhat of a stickler when it comes to reading a book about my sport, I was pleased to note that the novel describes performances, jumps, and other skating-related situations accurately. No Pamchenko Twists here!

All in all, I highly recommend this book- anyone captivated by the sport of figure skating will enjoy it. Also, if you are from or have ever visited Lake Placid, it will be fun to read about the town, since most of the book takes place there!

For more information about Sugar and Ice, visit the author's website at www.katemessner.com. To purchase your own copy, visit the Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid!

LP SKATER

Lake Placid Ice Marathon Results

2010-12-20T19:42:00.006-05:00

Here are the results from the Lake Placid Ice Marathon:

Lake Placid Ice Marathon Page

Also, check out more photos of the event.....

FACEBOOK ALBUM 2

In other news, we are pleased to say that Yves Garneau, the racer who was hospitalized Sunday afternoon for hypothermia, is OK and promised to dress warmer and eat more before the race next time.

John Dimon, the founder of the Lake Placid Marathon, was also present to help at the race. Thanks so much to John, Joe Van Putten, Lisa Windman for being the referee, and of course the MSI team for timing and helping to organize the race. Looking forward to next year already!

LP SKATER

Lake Placid Ice Marathon....almost done!!

2010-12-18T19:48:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow is the last event of the Lake Placid Ice Marathon, the 40 k race (which is about 100 laps around the 400 Meter speed skating oval). While you psych yourself up for the race, check out the photos from today's events....or just relax at home and pretend you're racing! :)

FACEBOOK PHOTO ALBUM

LP SKATER

Getting ready......

2010-12-17T20:37:00.005-05:00

For the Lake Placid Ice Marathon! Starting tomorrow, the speed skaters will take the oval for a 10k and 25k race, followed by a 40k race on Sunday.

Skate fast everyone!

LP SKATER

Oval Update!

2010-12-12T14:01:00.003-05:00

The Oval is open for skating!

HERE'S THE SCHEDULE:

Monday:

4-6 pm speed skating

7-9 pm public skating

Tuesday:

CLOSED

Wednesday:

CLOSED

Thursday:

4-6 pm speed skating

7-9 pm public skating

Friday:

4-6 pm speed skating

7-9 pm public skating

Saturday:

10 am-12 pm speed skating

1 pm-3 pm public skating

4 pm-6 pm speed skating

7 pm-9 pm public skating

Sunday:

10 am-12 pm speed skating

1 pm-3 pm public skating

4 pm-6 pm speed skating

7 pm-9 pm public skating

LP SKATER

Olympic Oval Update

2010-12-09T23:10:00.007-05:00

Hi folks,

It finally stopped snowing here, and the Olympic Oval crew is busily preparing the oval to attempt to open this weekend. According to ORDA, the first public session might be held on Friday night, weather permitting. Depending on the ice conditions, speed skating may also be held this weekend.

There will be a free skating party from 6:30 pm until 8:30 pm in the 1932 rink of the Olympic Center tomorrow night as an activity for the Holiday Stroll.

I'll keep everyone posted when I know the schedule!

LP SKATER

Olympic Oval Update

2010-12-07T15:34:00.008-05:00

Hi All,

It's snowing here (no surprises there) and since I have no school today, (and therefore time to catch up on other things) it's time for an Olympic Oval Update!

The Oval is scheduled to open this weekend depending on the weather. To create ice, it needs to stop snowing long enough for the crew to start laying down water.

Improvements have been made to the oval:

Enjoy the snow!

LP SKATER

P.S.- Check out my latest Lake Placid News blog post- it features another Smuckers Stars on Ice review and info about the Olympic Oval.

25th Anniversary Smuckers Stars on Ice tour dazzles Lake Placid

2010-11-29T21:11:00.014-05:00

This year, Smuckers Stars on Ice skated into Lake Placid to celebrate their 25th Anniversary and once again lit up the Olympic Center. Skating stars past and present joined headliners 2010 Men's Olympic Gold Medalist Evan Lysacek and 2006 National Champion and Olympic Silver Medalist Sasha Cohen. Hosted live by Scott Hamilton, the show was a combination retrospective of the past and a celebration of the current. The show kicked off with skating icon Kurt Browning welcoming the audience and Scott Hamilton joining him on the ice. After fun repartee between the two, including Scott showing Kurt the footwork sequence from his "Walk this Way" program, the show started with the glamour and athleticism Stars on Ice is known for.

As always, the show started with an opening number featuring the whole cast skating to Enrique Englesia's "I Like It". There was a nice mix of different music genres represented throughout the show, from Frank Sinatra to Queen. Costume choices were innovative and stylish, and television monitors on each corner of the rink enhanced the skating programs and transitions. As always, there were props and one "very big prop", as Kurt Browning joked. The big group number at the end of the second act continued after the intermission, and seemed to be a compilation of 50's music; complete with a piano prop that was primarily "played" by Kurt.

My favorite performances of the night were by Kurt Browning; a true skating legend, he skated to an animated "Steppin out of my Mind" (Geoffrey Taylor) and a more mellow song, "Downstream" by Supertramp. Both performances were stellar, and demostrated why Browning is one of the most popular skaters of all time.

Also skating with the cast for all tour dates is Ekaterina Goordeeva, fresh off her win with Valeri Bure on the Canadian television show "Battle with the Blades" . Her skating was exquisite.

Other cast members included Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, Todd Eldredge, Michael Weiss, and Joannie Rochette.

The tour will resume on 2/18 in San Jose, California; for more information, visit http://starsonice.com/.

LP SKATER

Lake Placid Update

2010-11-23T13:44:00.011-05:00

*It's a busy November in Lake Placid; as you already know, the Stars on Ice tour is in town preparing for the first show of the tour on the weekend after Thanksgiving. This year is the 25th Anniversary for Stars on Ice, and skating stars past and present will be performing. For more information, check out the Stars on Ice website.

*Also, check out my latest Lake Placid News article about Evan Lysacek, who is headlining the Smuckers Stars on Ice 25th Anniversary tour with Sasha Cohen.

*Many skaters have also been waiting for what some consider to be the sign of the winter season in Lake Placid; the Olympic Oval opening for skating. We are hoping it will be open sometime in the beginning of December; for more information, watch this blog and orda.org.

*Our big news is that our business, Lake Placid Skate Shop, is MOVING! We are relocating up the street to the former Cobbler Shop. We finally managed to move "uptown" to the more convenient location across from the Olympic Center and Speed Skating Oval. We will be open at the new location December 4th.

*Be on the lookout for more "Lake Placid Skater Spotlights" and a Stars on Ice Review!!

LP SKATER

BREAKING NEWS: EMPIRE STATE GAMES BACK ON!

2010-11-18T14:09:00.003-05:00

A few days ago, I was very disappointed to read that the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation announced that the Empire State Winter Games, held in Lake Placid every February, had been cancelled due to elimination of fund allocation for the games in the 2011 Budget. But now it looks like the Games are back on!!

New "Skating Away" post

2010-10-31T20:23:00.005-04:00

Yesterday I updated my Lake Placid News blog with recent skating updates- check it out!

http://www.lakeplacidnews.com/page/blogs.detail/display/42/Skating-updates-October-November-edition.html

LP SKATER

Evan and Sasha to Headline Stars on Ice Tour

2010-10-21T13:13:00.009-04:00

The cast has been announced for the 2011 25th Anniversary Stars on Ice Tour- Evan Lysacek and Sasha Cohen will be headlining all shows!

Other cast members include:

Jamie Salé & David Pelletier, Kurt Browning,

Ekaterina Gordeeva, Todd Eldredge,

Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto, and more!

For more information, visit the Stars on Ice website!

LP SKATER

New Englands News+more interviews

2010-10-09T11:42:00.005-04:00

I just noticed that the title of this post rhymes. :)

Blogging has been sporadic because I am currently at the New England Regional Figure Skating Championships (accounting), so don't have a lot of time for posting. But I did find one of my articles on the Lake Placid News website about Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov. They were the last guest skaters in the Saturday Night Ice Show series this summer, so their article wasn't posted- until now! Enjoy!

Skating Couple mixes it up in Lake Placid

If you want to keep in touch with what's going on at New Englands, check out Ice Network's event page.

LP SKATER

Local Skaters compete at the 2011 North Atlantic Regional Championship

2010-09-30T12:34:00.007-04:00

Lake Placid has the honor of hosting the 2011 North Atlantic Regional Figure Skating Championships from October 1st through 5th. Many local competitors of all ages and levels will be competing.

Local 2011 North Atlantic Regional Championships competitors from the Saranac Lake Figure Skating Academy and Skating Club of Lake Placid.

Good luck skaters! For more information about the competition, visit lakeplacidskating.com

LP SKATER

Where to Shop: Local Color

2010-09-28T13:09:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite jobs ever (besides coaching skating) was working at Local Color, a fabulous little boutique on Main Street in Lake Placid. The only problem is I spent most of my paycheck on the clothes. :)

Located diagonally across from Starbucks, Local Color stocks fabulous in style fashions for much less than your average boutique.

Call them at 518-523-3006 for more information.

LP SKATER

What to Do: Travel Green!

2010-09-27T18:10:00.005-04:00

What could be better than touring Lake Placid in your car? Taking a ride in an e-cruiser or zipping around in a Segway! Greg's E-Cruiser Rentals, located at the far end of Main Street across from the High Peaks Resort, rents these electric environmentally friendly e-cruisers, as well as Segways. Prefer water travel? Greg also rents boats to cruise around in the Lake.

For more information, check out his website.

LP SKATER

Stars on Ice returning to Lake Placid

2010-09-27T17:57:00.003-04:00

It's back! The Smuckers Stars on Ice 25th Anniversary Tour will open in Lake Placid on November 27th. For more information, visit www.starsonice.com.

LP SKATER

Olympic Oval Update

2010-09-25T12:49:00.006-04:00

In case you were wondering what's going on with Patrick Kelly's bid to lease the Olympic Oval, here's the latest:

Adirondack Daily Enterprise- No deal over oval, for now

Here are a few letters from the US and Canada in support of Kelly's bid:

Kelly should run Lake Placid's oval

Nova Scotian supports Kelly's oval plan

Lease the Oval

ORDA, please lease the oval

LP SKATER

P.S.- I also posted the first in my "Lake Placid Recommends" series today, to promote local businesses and advise North Atlantics competitors on the best places to eat, shop, and visit in Lake Placid. Scroll down to read it! :)

Where to Eat: Lisa G's

2010-09-25T12:30:00.005-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to the first post in the "Lake Placid Skater Recommends" series! As I mentioned, North Atlantics is coming next week, and I know many skaters aren't sure where to go, what to do, and where to eat in Lake Placid. Here's one of my favorite places to eat- Lisa G's!

Driving into Lake Placid from the Northway, one of the first restaurants spotted in Lake Placid is Lisa G's. Located conveniently on Sentinel Road, this is a favorite spot of locals and visitors alike. Personally I have taken my friends and family here several times, because the food is good, the staff friendly and helpful, and the menu hilarious (check it out here, you will see what I mean).

The charm of the place, no doubt, is Lisa G, who may actually be your hostess, bartender, or waitress, depending on the day. So stop in and say hi to Lisa- she'll be happy to see you! :)

For more info about Lisa G's, check out her website or Facebook page.

LP SKATER

COMING SOON: 2011 Lake Placid North Atlantic Regional Championships!

2010-09-17T18:09:00.004-04:00

Hi All,

Its been a busy few weeks in Lake Placid; for me, anyway. I started school again (this time for Massage Therapy; my Sports and Events Management days are behind me, having graduated last spring) and have barely had time for anything other than school-related pursuits.

The big skating related news around town is that the North Atlantic championships are here again. From October 1st through 5th 2010, Lake Placid will host "Norths".

Watch this blog in the coming weeks; I will be spotlighting some of my favorite restaurants and shops for our figure skating competitors. Good luck and hope to see you soon!

LP SKATER

Skating Club of Lake Placid skaters put on a show.

2010-09-06T19:43:00.006-04:00

On Saturday night, Skating Club of Lake Placid skaters of every age and ability came together to skate for an important cause. The show was a fundraiser for SCLP's adaptive program, which accommodates disabled children and provides individual ice skating instruction. More than just fun, the adaptive program will make ice skating available as a valuable therapeutic activity.

To be a part of this program, visit the Skating Club of Lake Placid website.

To see photos from the show, check out the albums below:

ALBUM 1

ALBUM 2

LP SKATER

Lake Placid skating news- Back to School Edition!!

2010-08-27T16:39:00.014-04:00

Hi folks,

It's been a while since I last posted- mostly due to my return to college this semester (I graduated from sports and events management, and am now in the massage therapy program). This past week has been REALLY busy but I will try to update on everything that has happened since last week.

*Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov skated in last week's last summer 2010 Saturday Night Ice Show. Their interview for the Lake Placid News is coming soon, but in the meantime, click below for my Facebook albums of the show:

ALBUM 1

ALBUM 2

*The week before that, three Skating Club of Boston skaters were special guests at the Saturday Night Ice Show: US Junior Champ Ross Miner and US Pairs Skaters Marissa Castelli and Simon Shapnir. Check out this Q+A session from the Lake Placid News.

*Lastly, enjoy more photos from the August 21st show from our friend at Skating News. To follow her on Twitter,

click here.

MORE SATURDAY NIGHT ICE SHOW PHOTOS (courtesy of Skating News) :)

LP SKATER

Saturday Night Ice Show photos

2010-08-22T18:16:00.003-04:00

Enjoy these photos from this week's Saturday Night Ice Show:

ALBUM 1

ALBUM 2

LP SKATER

Weekend Update

2010-08-08T17:56:00.008-04:00

Hello everyone,

After a very busy week in Lake Placid, (the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships were in town), I finally have a chance to post a "weekend update"!

*Johnny Weir performed last Saturday night in the ice show. For my Lake Placid News interview with him, click here.

*As previously mentioned, the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships concluded yesterday.

CLICK HERE for results.

CLICK HERE for event coverage, courtesy of our friends at Ice-dance.com.

Have a good week!

LP SKATER

Saturday Night Ice Show photos

2010-08-01T21:43:00.004-04:00

Hi All,

This week's show was fantastic, with the fabulous Johnny Weir and several Lady Gaga themed programs from the other skaters (of course). :)

Enjoy the photos in the album links below.

Photo Album 1

Photo Album 2

Photo Album 3

LP SKATER

A Soap Opera on Skates!

2010-07-28T15:10:00.008-04:00

Ever since I was a teenager and was aware of soap operas and drama shows, I always thought skating deserved it's own "soap".The Ice Channel was debuted in the 2000's, and a skating drama was on the roster. When the channel didn't make it, that idea was out the window...until now!

Its not a stretch to say that screenwriter Caitlin McCarthy of Worcester, Massachusetts grew up in the world of figure skating.

Her father Albert McCarthy is the former President of the Skating Club of Worcester. He served on the board of the Massachusetts Figure Skating Council and New England Figure Skating Council, and was a member of the United States Figure Skating Association.

Caitlin’s big sister Erin McCarthy Shields is a former competitive figure skater and coach who, as a young teen, appeared on the cover of Tracings Magazine. Over the course of Erin’s competitive career, she skated out of the Skating Club of Worcester, Colonial Figure Skating Club, and the Skating Club of Boston; and trained under Betty Lewis, Debi Leeming, Julie Graham, Mahlon Bradley, and Ronna Gladstone.

Caitlin skated recreationally, but left the competing to Erin. The arts attracted Caitlin from a young age, but she always followed the sport of figure skating closely. One of her favorite memories is Scott Hamilton kissing her on the cheek while working the crowd during an Ice Chips performance during the early 1980s (before his Olympic gold).

The McCarthy family traveled up to Lake Placid twice in the late 1970s when Erin competed in the Lake Placid Open. (Erin took home gold and silver medals.) During one of those competitions, Caitlin met champion Priscilla Hill, the first American woman to land the triple loop in competition. Caitlin’s parents still have the Super 8 footage of that meeting!

Over the course of her life, Caitlin has known and befriended many competitive and professional skaters and coaches. Their stories about training, competing, and “show life” served as inspiration for what would become FREE SKATE. Currently at script stage, FREE SKATE is a TV series about a teenage Olympic figure skater who joins a touring figure skating show, only to discover it's MEAN GIRLS on ice.

FREE SKATE has won awards or received nominations in 15 international film festival screenplay competitions, most notably:

** MTV/WIF TV & Media Outreach Program, Top Ten. Members of WIF/Los Angeles applied for the opportunity to pitch one idea for a scripted or reality series to top MTV development executives and get a shot at a development deal. The top ten applicants presented their ideas directly to senior members of MTV's development team on a designated pitch day in June of 2010. Caitlin pitched FREE SKATE as a scripted series.

** NexTv Writing & Pitch Competition, Quarterfinalist. The winner will be announced on October 21, 2010.

The full list of FREE SKATE’s honors can be found at its official website: www.freeskatetheseries.com.

In addition to the official website, FREE SKATE can be found at www.facebook.com/freeskatetheseries and www.twitter.com/freeskateseries.

Caitlin McCarthy received her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Emerson College, which is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best graduate programs in the country. An award-winning screenwriter at international film festivals and labs, Caitlin has two projects in development: WONDER DRUG with director Tom Gilroy (SPRING FORWARD); and RESISTANCE with director Si Wall (THE DINNER PARTY; ANGIE; MARBELLA NIGHTS.) In addition to screenwriting, Caitlin serves as an English teacher at an inner-city public high school. Prior to education, Caitlin worked in public relations, where she fostered relationships with the press and crafted messages for companies that were delivered worldwide. For more information, please visit Caitlin’s official website at www.caitlinmccarthy.com.

LP SKATER

UPDATED POST: Saturday Night Ice Show photos

2010-07-26T23:14:00.007-04:00

Check out photos from this week's Saturday Night Ice Show- next week's guest skater is Johnny Weir.

Album 1

Album 2

Here's the interview with Madison Chock and Greg Zuerlein

LP SKATER

Designer Spotlight-Alexander Vinash!

2010-07-20T12:37:00.010-04:00

Like many figure skaters, I love fashion. What I love even more is figure skating fashions! That's why I am so excited about the new skating label "Alexander Vinash".

Leonardo Munoz, the founder of the company, was a National Champion that started inline skating when he was 14. From there, he skated in several ice shows, including Holiday on Ice and on cruise ships.

"My inspiration for the Alexander Vinash designs are clean lines that will accentuate the skater or dancer's performance. I think if you have a wonderful costume, you feel more secure on the ice or stage. In my opinion, pure materials, gentle colors, and a nice style are the best combination!"

For more about the Alexander Vinash line, check out his website and Facebook page.

LP SKATER

Saturday Night Ice Show photos

2010-07-18T12:33:00.007-04:00

Enjoy these photos from last night's Saturday Night Ice Show....

Saturday Night Ice Show- July 17th, 201o

and photos from the second half of the show.....

Saturday Night Ice Show- July 17th, 2010 2nd Half

LP SKATER

Weekly Update

2010-07-17T14:51:00.009-04:00

Hi All,

It's been a sunny week in Lake Placid, but it's always cool in the rink! ;)

*Last Saturday pairs team Kloe Bautista and Tyler Harris performed in the Saturday Night Ice Show. Read my Lake Placid News interview with them here.

*This Saturday, Madison Chock and Greg Zuerlein are the Guest Skaters for the show. As always, watch for the post show photos of them and other skaters, as well as their Lake Placid News interview.

*Next Sunday is the Ironman race, the grueling triathlon that takes athletes through a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 mile run-all of which are performed back-to-back. Call me crazy, but I strongly considered doing this race when I was 13....for now, though, I am content to watch and enjoy the unique atmosphere that the Lake Placid Ironman has to offer. For more about Ironman races, check out their website.

BLAST FROM THE (RECENT) PAST: Check out these photos from the Jr Grand Prix in Lake Placid, and the 2010 World Cup Qualifier in Milwaukee (speed skating).

PHOTO ALBUM

LP SKATER