SWC hosts US short track nationals March 23-25
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Future Olympians from across the United States will compete for National Short Track Age Group titles at the Saratoga Springs Weibel Ave. Ice Rink, Friday through Sunday, March 23 to 25.
Saratoga Winter Club – the oldest speed skating club in the country - will host 200 of the nation’s best short track speed skaters at the US Short Track Age Group National Championships and American Cup 3 Final at the Saratoga Springs Ice Rink, 30 Weibel Avee.
The short track age group competitors will vie for national titles in their respective age groups while American Cup skaters look for a coveted spot on the 2018-2019 Fall World Cup Team, only taking the two top scoring female and male skaters. This competition has not been held in Saratoga Springs in over a decade, Six Saratoga Winter Club athletes will be competing.
Just off the winter olympics, these national championships offer spectators a first-hand view of the fastest human powered sport. Often referred to as NASCAR on ice, skaters reach speeds up to 35 mph.
“Spectators will have the rare opportunity to see the nation’s best skaters at one rink over one weekend. These skaters already have their sights set on a specific Olympic year,” said Saratoga Winter Club vice-president Maxine Lautenberg said.
The fastest racing of the weekend can be seen at the Skate Extravaganza Sat., Mar 24 from 5 to 7 p.m. featuring lights, music, and the 500-meter sprint and 3000m relay finals.
“The Skate Extravaganza will have a party, celebratory feel to it and the races will be some, if not the, most exciting events of the weekend. A great time for families to come out to the rink,” said PJ Ripchik, Saratoga Winter Club, president.
The Saratoga Winter Club has a great history of hosting successful events ranging from local races to World Cup events and has brought up as many as nine Olympians in both short track and long track skating. This is the largest number of Olympic athletes of any sport in the Capitol Region.
The US Short Track Age Group Nationals & AmCup 3 Finals is the largest short track competition of the year in the United States.
Skaters hale from across the lower 48 states and range in age from 7 – 70 offering our local community the rare opportunity to see, first hand, the best of the nation’s best, no matter the age!”, Lautenberg said. “An all-around great weekend for families and sports enthusiasts.”
Scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, March 24, current Olympians, just returning from South Korea, will give: an informal presentation, “Olympian: Vision to Execution”; a demo on equipment and speed skating techniques with audience participation, set for 4 p.m. and hold a meet-ngreet with an opportunity for autographs at 4:45 p.m.
Public is welcome for all or part. All events are free.
Skaters and spectators also need fuel for skating and watching and a special event, the “Ice-Cut” Food Truck Festival will take place on Saturday, March 24 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
This mini-truck festival will take place concurrent with the Age Group National and American Cup 3 Championships .... hence the name “Ice-cut.” For the non-speed skater, icecuts occur between races to resurface the ice, helping to insure the ice is as safe as possible for racing. Ice-cuts offer breaks for food and refreshment. Trucks will be located between the Weibel and Vernon Rinks at the Saratoga Springs Ice Rink.
Race times are: Friday, March 23 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 24 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 25, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Admission is free.