Cost Cutting Costs Vancouver Canadian Speed Skating Championships

[towerguy3]

What a F'n joke. They spend $ 200 million on the Speed Skating Oval and now they give a lame excuse that the "building isn't finished yet" and that's justification for moving the Championships to Calgary.

The damn athletes were supposed to train there!!!

The real reason is cost cutting!

And Mabey the Roof isn't safe!!

http://www.news1130.com/news/local/more.js...807_101735_8036

[mr.x]

You're an idiot. Athletes have already been training there for more than half a year and will continue to do so until the Games, but with small breaks to get the venue competition ready for 2010 during the same timeframe when the Canadian speed skating championships were scheduled for. It has nothing to do with "cost cutting" as you have quickly and incorrectly assumed, and the thread title is misleading when it's anything but.

The oval has already been tested earlier this year when it held a world speed skating competition. There's also another competition in October.

In fact, it wasn't even VANOC's decision rather it was Speed Skating Canada, thinking it would not have ideal conditions for skaters with construction going around.

Trials move to Calgary as Richmond Oval gets finishing touches

By Gary Kingston, Vancouver Sun

August 7, 2009

The trials to select Canada's long track speed skating team for the 2010 Olympics will be held in Calgary, not at the Richmond Olympic Oval.

Speed Skating Canada was forced to Plan B after learning last month that Vanoc's time frame to do final construction work on the venue -- concessions, some seating and IOC-mandated lighting requirements for television -- would preclude the federation from holding trials in the preferred Dec. 27-Jan. 2 time frame.

"It was an easy decision to make, there was not much choice," said Brian Rahill, high performance and Olympic program director for SSC. "[Vanoc] looked at it from all angles ... but they need a 43-day period [before the Games] without ice.

"They have to open up the entire north side, the glassed-in area, to install 3,700 feet of rigging for lighting. There will be 250 to 400 workers in there ... and obviously they would have had a hard time controlling the environment and therefore the ice conditions."

While the ice at the at-altitude Calgary Oval is different than what the athletes will skate on in Richmond, Rahill insisted that holding the trials in Alberta is not a major concern.

"We've been preparing to go compete all over the world from out of Calgary for years. The athletes, coaches and support staff know how to use Calgary to prepare to compete at sea level."

He also said that knowing they had to be out of Richmond for at least four to six weeks prior to the Games, the federation had already made plans to be in Salt Lake City in the third week of January and in Calgary the following week, where they will skate against the Americans to "stay competition-sharp."

Rahill also noted that Canadian speed skaters have already competed at Richmond in the world single distance championships, at nationals and during several training camps. In addition, selection trials for the first half of the World Cup season will be held at Richmond in mid-October.

Speed Skating Canada has used the post-Christmas week for national championships and World Cup team selections for at least the last eight years.

"The athletes know what it takes psychologically to get ready to peak again at World Cups and world championships and Olympics," said Rahill.

gkingston@vancouversun.com

© Copyright © Canwest News Service

Speed skating championships moved to Calgary

Slated for Richmond Olympic Oval, competition shifted due to concerns for skaters' safety during lighting installation at Games venue

MATTHEW SEKERES

VANCOUVER — From Friday's Globe and Mail Last updated on Friday, Aug. 07, 2009 03:29AM EDT

The Canadian speed skating championships, which will determine the 2010 Olympic team, are being moved out of the Richmond Olympic Oval.

Though no formal announcement has been made, Cathy Priestner Allinger, VANOC's executive vice-president of sport, Paralympic Games and venue management, confirmed yesterday that Speed Skating Canada's single distance championships, scheduled for Dec. 27 to Jan. 5, will instead take place at the Olympic Oval in Calgary.

The competition was going to be a final chance for Canadian skaters to familiarize themselves with the 2010 venue, but Priestner Allinger said the Richmond facility will simply be too dangerous and too unpredictable to hold an important competition. She said VANOC will go into its "overlay" phase come Dec. 1, which includes the installation of a lighting system over the skating surface.

"We just determined, collectively [with Speed Skating Canada], that it wasn't the best environment to holds trials," Priestner Allinger said.

"We can't compromise safety in the building."

She said the building will effectively be a construction zone, which wouldn't be suitable for the public or media, and that ice conditions could be unfair to some competitors. Priestner Allinger, a former speed skater who won silver at the 1976 Games in Innsbruck, said that the ice could be dusty and could present an injury risk to the athletes.

"What's most important, in a trials, is that you have fair conditions," she said. "As an athlete, I'd prefer to know the ice I was skating on for my Olympic trials."

Brian Rahill, Speed Skating Canada's high performance director, did not return a message seeking comment yesterday.

Priestner Allinger said the national federation was disappointed but had received fair warning the championships might have to relocate.

[jim jones]

Another point lost would be that Calgary would have slightly faster ice then Richmond because of elevation . this would also be an advantage for training of Canada speeskaters.

Jim jones

[towerguy3]

Jim, you're an idiot. They were originally planned to be here since that's where the athletes will be competing during the Games.

What the hell good is your theory of faster ice in Calgary when the Olympics are here at sea level?

Were you at teh Opening Ceremonies? The building was supposed to be ready then.

Interesting the press release comes out on a Friday so that everyone will forget by Monday.

Hell they're not supposed to cancel a huge event like that because of "finishing touches".

They're trying to save money. Big deal.

[towerguy3]

Mr X you're an even bigger idiot.

How the hell do they screw up a big thing like this? This is a monumental embarrassment.

Yes I realize they've been doing some practices in Richmond. I've seen them.

I don't have my head up my ass like you and "Jim Jones" do

[mr.x]

Save what money LOL? Speed Skating Canada will have to hold the event somewhere, the same money will be spent. If you're suggesting that VANOC is saving money, well they're spending millions for these finishing touches.

They made the right decision to move it out of Richmond; construction going on would not be the ideal environment for athletes to perform.

For every Olympics, there are always modifications made to the venues to make them "Olympic ready". TV lights, stadium seating, media infrastructure, and concessions are temporary fixtures of the Richmond Oval. It's well known that there's both "venue construction", which is to build the actual facility, and then the "Olympic modifications" to add in temporary fixtures for the Olympics.

Is it unfortunate they had to move the event? Yes. But on the scale of things in life or even preparations of the Winter Olympics, I couldn't care less. Once again, you're simply making a mountain out of a molehill.

Get a check-up for OCD.

[towerguy3]

They're moving the Flame Cauldron tower to McMahon Stadium in Calgary. That's a smart move.

At least in the open air there's no Roof that will blow up

[Rafa]

oh my word. they are preparing venue with the final overlay works for the Games.

this is new..why would they do such a thing 3 months before the Games.

im shocked.

idiot.

[towerguy3]

Okay and VANOC didn't know this ahead of time?

Why do they schedule it for Richmond and then reschedule for Calgary?

It was originally scheduled for the Olympic Oval.

Are you suggesting they didn't know this work was / wasn't going to happen?

Then VANOC should get their heads out of their asses.

This is worse than the Olympic Flame burning up BC Place.

Yes. Idiots. Total idiots

[mr.x]

^ The event starts on Dec. 27th. Today is August 7th. Get your head out of your own ass, five months for a domestic competition is ahead of time.

[jawnbc]

Venue overlay for Games-time usually starts in November for a February Games. Some venues it's much later, like GM Place. Where do you get your information?

As for this event being moved, this is neither a test (a/k/a sport) event, nor is it a VANOC event. The venue manager for the Games would've been onsite and involved, but VANOC budget wouldn't be an issue. It's a SSC event, delivered according to ISU standards.

[Rafa]

Where works are minor they start in December but in some cases the installation of major structures means they simply start earlier

[jim jones]

Where works are minor they start in December but in some cases the installation of major structures means they simply start earlier

I agree with you Mo rush for a games overlay with a completely new venue ? what would an overlay for this be Bunting, TV lighting and Cable runs ? Bunting would take longer to produce off site then to install on site.

Cable Run trenching or Hang points would be built into the design. The Hang of Tv Lighting could be done in a short time with a building having the consultants saying we need hanging points here here and here. This is no like a Pacific Colosseum where you are taking an old building and having to do structural and engineering Changes for a games in 2010 when the building might have had its last renovations over a decade ago or more. The richmond oval is a Building that has been completed and is operational with the speed skating event for the 2010 games as the reason for the building.

jim jones

[jim jones]

Mr X you're an even bigger idiot.

How the hell do they screw up a big thing like this? This is a monumental embarrassment.

Yes I realize they've been doing some practices in Richmond. I've seen them.

I don't have my head up my ass like you and "Jim Jones" do

Are you yellow vest orange Vest ? It is very simple why they would move a National Championships to Calgary. Because Calgary like Vancouver has the Facility . By the Way on the Fastest ice it is true and lets face it you have to qualify for the Olympics with a certain time standard . That would indeed be easier to achieve at Calgary then Richmond . Could you imagine our skaters put out of taking part in the Olympics because a true IDIOT like Towerguy3 insisted on skating on a slower surface. You don't win medals by risking sub qualifying times at any of your events if you can control that. In Canada's case we can easily.

The Canadians would be fine for qualifying I have no doubt but why indeed tie their legs denying them the best facility for times in the country being Calgary. It is the Altitude at Calgary that has the conditions for ice making that makes those times consistently the Worlds Fastest. You have two things achieved here A. They skate on the Fastest Ice in the World in Calgary B. you have the Vanoc people with the building to get Games overlay in place.

Pretty Simple objectives that some people don't indeed seem to fathom

Jim jones

[jawnbc]

For Vancouver it's not working that way--probably because many of the venues are existing ones that cannot be taken over until much later.

Where works are minor they start in December but in some cases the installation of major structures means they simply start earlier

[mr.x]

Are you yellow vest orange Vest ? It is very simple why they would move a National Championships to Calgary. Because Calgary like Vancouver has the Facility . By the Way on the Fastest ice it is true and lets face it you have to qualify for the Olympics with a certain time standard . That would indeed be easier to achieve at Calgary then Richmond . Could you imagine our skaters put out of taking part in the Olympics because a true IDIOT like Towerguy3 insisted on skating on a slower surface. You don't win medals by risking sub qualifying times at any of your events if you can control that. In Canada's case we can easily.

The Canadians would be fine for qualifying I have no doubt but why indeed tie their legs denying them the best facility for times in the country being Calgary. It is the Altitude at Calgary that has the conditions for ice making that makes those times consistently the Worlds Fastest. You have two things achieved here A. They skate on the Fastest Ice in the World in Calgary B. you have the Vanoc people with the building to get Games overlay in place.

Pretty Simple objectives that some people don't indeed seem to fathom

Jim jones

I highly doubt he's able to fathom anything.

[4gamesandcounting]

Any good pics of the bobtrack? Will they have the vancouver 2010 lettering along the ice as has been usual recently. Hope so.

[mr.x]

from flickr

[towerguy3]

I'll tell you why you're all idiots.

What's the difference in speed timings between Calgary's ice and Richmond's ice due to this "altitude" theory? A millionth of a second? A thousandth of a second?

You make it sound like there's a difference of hours and hours in speed timings between Richmond and Calgary. That's not the case at all.

True Calgary is at 3400 feet and Richmond is at sea level and Calgary's altitude might make their ice a tiny bit faster due to drier air and lower humidity by virtue of altitude.

So you're saying a few millionths of a second in speed is justification on taking it to Calgary?

They already knew years ago that Calgary's ice was faster. Why make a grandiose announcement now? They could've announced all this a year ago?

Instead they play everyone along for at least a year thinking it'll be in Vancouver, then give this grandiose excuse it has to do with construction dust.

If they're so convinced Calgary's ice is faster and that's the reason to go with Calgary, why not say so in the press release and be honest instead of giving us "dust" crapp?

[SSCOfficial]

After reading the myriad of misguided posts on this topic, I thought I would sign up and provide a bit of insight.

First, I am not a representative of Speed Skating Canada (SSC), Vanoc or the Richmond Oval. I am however, an accredited official with SSC, have been involved with many Speed Skating World Cups, Canadian Championships and national trials as an official and will be a Speed Skating official at the 2010 Games.

Regarding the speed of the ice at Calgary vs Richmond, Calgary ice along with Salt Lake City is consistently the fastest in the world. ALL current World Records for senior skaters (i.e. the athletes that skate at the Olympics), is at either Calgary or Salt Lake City. Salt Lake holds 9 records and Calgary holds 13.

To Towerguy3, we are talking multiple SECONDS faster (on the longer distances like the 3000, 5000 or 10000) not merely millionth or thousandth. Even on sprint distances (500 or 1000), it's in the hundredth and can even be into the second range. ISU does recognize the difference between "high altitude" (over 1000m) and low altitude venues, similar to their distinction between indoor and outdoor venues, etc. though only one official world record is recognized per event / gender.

SSC determines where the Canadian Single Distances Championships are held, not Vanoc, Richmond Oval or anyone else. Richmond Oval had wanted to hold the event, but because Vanoc requires to basically take over the building to install all the seating, lighting, media areas and a lot more, it wasn't really feasible to hold the Championships (end of December) at Richmond. The speed of the ice in Calgary had absolutely NOTHING to do with not having the event in Richmond. If anything, Richmond was a bit too overzealous in even trying to get this event at that late of a time (barely over a month from the Olympics). If you were at the World Cup in Richmond in March, as I was, you would realize just how much work is needed to set everything up. There was only seating for 3500 in March, but 8000 is needed in February!

Just to clear up the "cost cutting" statement as well, Richmond and SSC would be the two parties coming to an arrangement for this event, so even IF Vanoc was going though cost cutting, it wouldn't have any bearing on this decision.

This venue wasn't build specifically for Speed Skating, but rather as a recreational center that would host the Speed Skating event. The center is currently in ongoing use for the people of Richmond as a rec center, and once Vanoc starts setting everything up for the Games, no one else will be able to use venue.

I hope I cleared a few things up, but may be willing to provide further information on this topic

[Faster]

You're more than welcome to stay around, we need more articulate, well informed, passionate sports people and fans.

[mr.x]

Thank you SSCOfficial for that very informative post, and welcome to the forum! We really do need more informative and knowledgeable members like yourself around here.

[jawnbc]

Entirely correct. Thanks Mr (Ms?) NTO!

After reading the myriad of misguided posts on this topic, I thought I would sign up and provide a bit of insight.

First, I am not a representative of Speed Skating Canada (SSC), Vanoc or the Richmond Oval. I am however, an accredited official with SSC, have been involved with many Speed Skating World Cups, Canadian Championships and national trials as an official and will be a Speed Skating official at the 2010 Games.

Regarding the speed of the ice at Calgary vs Richmond, Calgary ice along with Salt Lake City is consistently the fastest in the world. ALL current World Records for senior skaters (i.e. the athletes that skate at the Olympics), is at either Calgary or Salt Lake City. Salt Lake holds 9 records and Calgary holds 13.

To Towerguy3, we are talking multiple SECONDS faster (on the longer distances like the 3000, 5000 or 10000) not merely millionth or thousandth. Even on sprint distances (500 or 1000), it's in the hundredth and can even be into the second range. ISU does recognize the difference between "high altitude" (over 1000m) and low altitude venues, similar to their distinction between indoor and outdoor venues, etc. though only one official world record is recognized per event / gender.

SSC determines where the Canadian Single Distances Championships are held, not Vanoc, Richmond Oval or anyone else. Richmond Oval had wanted to hold the event, but because Vanoc requires to basically take over the building to install all the seating, lighting, media areas and a lot more, it wasn't really feasible to hold the Championships (end of December) at Richmond. The speed of the ice in Calgary had absolutely NOTHING to do with not having the event in Richmond. If anything, Richmond was a bit too overzealous in even trying to get this event at that late of a time (barely over a month from the Olympics). If you were at the World Cup in Richmond in March, as I was, you would realize just how much work is needed to set everything up. There was only seating for 3500 in March, but 8000 is needed in February!

Just to clear up the "cost cutting" statement as well, Richmond and SSC would be the two parties coming to an arrangement for this event, so even IF Vanoc was going though cost cutting, it wouldn't have any bearing on this decision.

This venue wasn't build specifically for Speed Skating, but rather as a recreational center that would host the Speed Skating event. The center is currently in ongoing use for the people of Richmond as a rec center, and once Vanoc starts setting everything up for the Games, no one else will be able to use venue.

I hope I cleared a few things up, but may be willing to provide further information on this topic