Relay Team minus J.H.

Back in the ridge

Wow, what a trip. It didn't hit me how much I enjoyed myself until I was in the plane home. Soooo many amazing memories and new friends. I miss Melbourne so much. Here's a little album from the trip: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150703775662534.460716.590047533&type=1

   I guess i finished 16th overall. I finished 12th in the 1000m, after the fall. Unbelievable how many variables are prominent in the sport. the ice just simply broke out from under me. I really was in perfect position with 21/2 laps to go to move on to the semi-finals. Such a shame. Until I fell that was the sexiest thing I've done in my life. At the banquet, the whole U.S. team got a plump $1200 check to split four ways (not so plump anymore, I know). That ws sweet and unexpected. The Banquet ad the ensuing "after parties" were tons of fun. i traded for four different country's jackets! So now i have a Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Turkish jacket to go along with my U.S. clothes. Its been a crazy, emotional ride, these last bunch of weeks. Thank you all soooo much for ur continuous support!

Got ITTT!!!

We did it. We Got a medal for USA for the whole team. I can now show proof to my kids that I represented USA in Australia at the Junior World Championships! So excited. I can't believe I fell in the 1000m. i was literally in front and looking good with 21/2 to go in the quarterfinal and I guess my blade just broke out. Thats whats so infuriating about this sport. Soooo many little variables out of ur control. I still got 12th overall in the 1000m. But, Sooo happy to get bronze in the relay. What a great bunch of guys on the team. Its been awesome. Great experience, Big Jim, Adam, and J.H.

Lets Get this Hardware USA!

HEEEEERRREE we gooooooooo!!!! 1000 meters today, my best race, and then we have relay final with China, Korea and Hungary. i could get a medal in my first Junior Worlds!!!! So excited! We made it this far USA, lets keep it going.

  Then its banquet on the beach, party, and fly back to home sweet home! Only good from here.

Day One Complete!

It is so unfortunate that they didn't get the live stream going this year. I'm so sorry you couldn't watch! I had a feeling that they wouldn't have it, though everybody was telling me otherwise. There is someone doing video from the top of the stands that looks very good. He's putting it on a dvd and selling it. Its crazy expensive - $95 but I would buy it. I'm ranked 13th after today! Top 12 get cash prizes, so hopefully I can crack that by the end of the competition. I am real proud of how I raced. I did a lot better than I expected. Many of the seasoned skaters say this is the deepest field they've ever seen at Junior Worlds. We'll see if I can keep up in the 500ms tomorrow. Not a sprinter at all, but hey, its Short Track.
  My first heat, I didn't know any of the skaters except the dutch guy who used to be much better than me. The Kazakhstani and the Russian could have been good or bad, so I skated from the front, leading the last six laps, and it was surprisingly easy to pull away from the field, the Dutch guy finishing with me with one of the fastest times. As a result of my fast time, I think I got a really easy quarter-final, and skated great, winning that too, with an outside pass at the end. My semi-final was a lesson. I got schooled, outclassed, outraced by stronger skaters. No regrets. haha. Both my coaches said I skated a great race, it was just an extremely hard semi. I actually was at the front with around 5 to go, but I wasted a ton of energy trying to stay at the front early so I died and finished fifth. They were picking two. I really did skate well by my standards. Just outclassed. Most of the guys in my race are on the senior world cup circuit. It was fun! The relay heat, we were with Korea and Italy. Korea set a new world record by about 6 seconds, and we actually were around the old record as well. We qualified for the semi-finals and tomorrow we face Korea again (hopefully they'll chill now that they crushed the record), Germany, and I think Japan.
  Just got back from a BBQ in the park with all the skaters.
  Gotta get Sprinty tomorrow!
  Laters

let the racing begin

unforrtunately there's no live stream - il try to update as much as possible. first race at around 11.30.

Touring...

just hopped on the free tram and talked to people on it, going in some general direction, I promise.I 'm heading towards Federation Square where everything happens apparently. I got distracted by this library however - its got a front lawn soaked in sun, with all these young people sun - bathing, so I thought it was the University. I thought this also because it is such an extravagant building. Its huge - looks like a cathedral in Paris. It has a room full of computers with free internet, 15 minutes at a time. I think this library is a center piece of Melbourne - something the founders wanted to to have be a prominent part of the city. It is. On with the touring! Later.

I noticed that...

While Out and about just now in Mmmmmmelbourne, getting lunch with the team, I noticed a couple of the subtle things that I like about the city. The colorful, electric trams (is that redundant?),whenever they stop or start sound a single deep and musical bell that makes for an upbeat and happy background ambiance to the already perky city. I really like the style. Maybe I never opened my eyes to notice different styles before. I believe I have though. The garments are all so flowing, silky, and tropical looking - real laid back and elegant. Again, I know summer styles must be looser and lighter in general everywhere, but this just struck me. I'm 90% sure it's a "foreign" style. Anyway, it really looks good and adds to the eye-pleasing feature of the city. There are lots of Peugeot automobiles everywhere. I saw the sweetest black one yesterday that was close to the raciness of a Spyder. I know my father is partial to Peugeot and my childhood on the road was in our good old Peugeot before they stopped selling them in the States. To go along with the car notes, the bus that picks us up at he hotel entrance and takes us the rink - a long bus, almost like a greyhound or something is a Mercedes! I wish I could quickly upload some pictures to show the free City Circle tram. It's extremely antique looking and sounding, with gold writing artfully painted on the deep, brown, ancient-treasure-chest-brown and old styled windows. When I get home, I'll upload all the photos. I think I will go back out into this Capitol of sun and explore further. Until later.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012 - oh, wait...

It's full-on summer and I'm preparing for a short track speedskating competition. Surreal, man. I went with Jim and Adam to the beach yesterday - St Kilda Beach, by the 96 tram. Its about 3k from the hotel - 8-10 stops on the tram, which is real handy, efficient, but oh so expensive, like the rest of Melbourne. A small Gatorade costs 4.50. An espresso shot, Jim found out costs the same. Its the nicest city I've personally seen,  natural scenery-wise, but its hard to enjoy it when its so expensive, you can taste the change in the food as it goes down.
  The ice is actually quite good! Pleasant surprise. It is fast, grippy, and holds together well. this morning we practiced with the Italian Team - so I saw Tomasso who I trained with in Cali - and we did a relay with them which was awesome. We skated well. Its amazing how as soon as there's another team to compete with, our legs don't feel the fatigue whatsoever, whereas alone, it feels like a crazy hard workout. The relay is so much fun. I myself felt pretty good on the ice. Tomorrow we skate with the Japanese team, so that should be very interesting.
  I love the public transportation here - once I've paid for it - and the people are friendly. The combination of a very urban, fancy, colorful city with lots of big buildings and busy streets together with the palm trees and huge heavy wilting green trees everywhere is so unique. Lunch now - Usspeedskating pays for most everything of course. A chicken burger is 18 bucks! Hopefully we can make it to the pier again today - or the zoo. I got to see me a Kangaroo before I leave Australia.  I think I'm fully adjusted to the time here. It doesn't really get dark until 10pm. I don't want to go back to early march...