News stories tagged with "skating"

(02/15/11) Fifty years ago today, a tragic jetliner crash in Belgium killed the entire U.S. Figure Skating World Team. Three of the victims had North Country connections: Coach Daniel Ryan and his ice dancers Larry Pierce and Diane Sherbloom trained in Canton and Lake Placid. Last month, Daniel Ryan, and the rest of the 1961 team, were inducted into the Figure Skating Hall of Fame in Greensboro, North Carolina. A new movie, Rise, which premieres around the country on Thursday, pays tribute to the 1961 team and the world of figure skating. Todd Moe talks with Terry Ryan Sullivan about her father's legacy and the new film.

(02/07/11) Winterlude opened in Canada's capitol over the weekend. The annual celebration of winter in Ottawa continues for the next couple of weeks with music, food, art and skating on the world's largest skating rink -- the Rideau Canal. The Skateway opened for it's 41st season in early January.

Skating on the frozen waterway is such an eagerly-awaited event that Lucy Martin got a happy surprise when she easily found good street parking on opening weekend. That made her wonder how residents feel about living in the impact zone?

The first one she encountered said he doesn't really mind.

Oliver Bayer is today's Heard Up North.

(01/31/11) Mention skating the Rideau Canal and it's hard to not think of Beavertails. But there are other comfort foods associated with outdoor skating. In the Netherlands one would be "snert." That's Dutch pea soup, thick enough to stand a spoon and considered even better a day or so after it's made.

Snert is an old stand-by for some, for others it's a brand new experience. Tracey Boyd copied an expert and finally got the hang of it, in time to feature hot snert at a busy fund-raising booth for last Saturday's "Skate the Lake" event in Portland, Ontario. She's today's Heard Up North. more

(01/25/11) Marco Smits grew up skating outdoors in the Netherlands before he married a Canadian and settled in the rural lake country of Portland, Ontario.

Smits thought the area's excellent natural ice should do more than just hold up ice fishing huts. So, back in 2004, he inspired a bunch of hearty volunteers to clear a one kilometer oval track and launch a noteworthy community sporting event.

The 7th International Big Rideau Lake Speed Skating Marathon - affectionately nicknamed 'Skate the Lake' - is back for 2011, after taking a breather over the Vancouver Olympics.

This Saturday, January 29, skaters of all ages and abilities will descend on tiny Portland for 5, 10 or 25 kilometer events.

Ottawa correspondent Lucy Martin caught up with Smits by phone to hear how this year's preparations are coming along.

(01/11/11) In a perfect world, Ottawa's Rideau Canal Skateway would be open early enough to enjoy during school vacation over the holidays. But with a mild winter like this one, skaters just hope for the best and take what comes.

They got that chance last Saturday, when the first section of the Canal opened to the public. Ottawa correspondent Lucy Martin spoke with skaters and walkers that weekend and sent this round up.

(01/14/10) Today's the day for those eager to enjoy Ottawa's Rideau Canal skateway. The 40th season of the highly popular destination opened this morning. Lucy Martin has more.

(01/14/10) Ottawa's Rideau Canal opened to skaters this morning. It's the 40th season of winter fun on the famous outdoor rink. Meanwhile, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, something called the River Trail is open, and growing. It may be on the narrow side, but for the last two years it topped Ottawa to claim the title of world's longest skateway. When it comes to ice, does size matter? The River Trail's Paul Jordan is someone who would know. Ottawa reporter Lucy Martin reached him in Winnipeg.

(12/31/08) A benefit skating event will be held at the Olympic speed skating Oval in Lake Placid tonight. Christie Sausa is organizing "Skate into '09" from 10:30pm-12:30am. She told Todd Moe that last year's event drew 600 skaters and raised $2,600 for local youth sports clubs, and she's hoping to raise $3,000 tonight.

(02/04/08) Canada's capitol is famous for its outdoor skateway. It's the longest in the world, from the city's outskirts five miles on the frozen Rideau Canal into downtown. But Ottawa isn't the only Ontario community promoting its outdoor ice; tiny Portland, on Big Rideau Lake, has made its bay into a natural speedskating oval that's attracting not only racers, but everyday skaters like our correspondent Lucy Martin. She missed a recent "Skate the Lake" race, but found the ice busy with kids and parents.

(01/25/07) The Rideau Canal winds through the heart of Ottawa. It's scenic in summer. In winter, it emerges as a dominant feature of city life, nearly five miles of outdoor skating. Students and businessmen commute on skates. Tourists come from both sides of the border. The Skateway is the star attraction for Winterlude. Hundreds of thousands of people crowd the ice during the three-week-long carnival held every February, bringing $150 million dollars into the region's economy. The unusually warm start to this winter cast doubt on any skate season at all. January may be a write-off, but deep cold has finally arrived, making Winterlude's prospects look--nearly solid. Ottawa correspondent Lucy Martin has more.