Almanack Contributor Christie Sausa

Christie Sausa of Lake Placid is a member of the historic figure and speed skating culture in the Olympic Village, and writes about those sports for the Lake Placid News and on Lake Placid Skater which she founded in 2007.

Christie holds degrees in Communications and Sports and Events Management and when not on the ice herself, or writing about what happens there, you can find her helping her mom with their local business, the Lake Placid Skate Shop.

Christie is a also a member of the Skating Club of Lake Placid and the Lake Placid Speed Skating Club.


Saturday, March 5, 2011

Tobogganing, Skiing, and Skating into Spring

After the successful return of the Empire State Games, many might be wondering what else there is to do in Lake Placid. Even though the Games are gone, there are still plenty of opportunities to participate in winter sports.

Rescheduled from February to March, the Adirondack International Toboggan Championships will take place at the Lake Placid Toboggan Chute on March 5th.

The competition starts at 3:30 pm with the Mayor’s Cup, where local politicians will race for bragging rights. The Mayor’s Cup was brought back to the Championships as it was a popular event in the 1960s and 1970s. After the Mayor’s Cup, the general public can race for prizes including hotel stays, Whiteface ski passes, and more. Registration will begin at 2 pm the day of the race, and entries are 10 dollars per person or 40 dollars per sled.

The Adirondack International Toboggan Championships are sponsored by Rock 105 and Saranac and Lake Placid Craft Brewing, and all proceeds benefit USA Luge. For more information, visit their website at www.adktobogganchampionship.com.

If you are in the mood for skiing into spring, Whiteface will be hosting Springfest activities throughout March. The first weekend of March, Mardi Gras activities will prevail; listen to the funk, R &B and soul group Jocamo and collect beads while enjoying the snow. The second weekend of March will feature St Patrick’s day festivities including Irish food and activities. Shamrock Sunday on March 13th will allow all visitors to ski and ride all day for just $35 for adults, $30 for teens and $25 for juniors. March 19th and 20th is Reggae weekend with live music, and March 26th and 27th will feature music from Y Not Blue for a Pirate Party. There’s always something to do on Whiteface in March!

If skiing is not your style, the Lake Placid Oval is still open…for more information, visit the orda website at whiteface.com or independent website lakeplacidoval.com for ice conditions.


Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Empire State Games, Jack Shea Sprints in Lake Placid

Winter sports of all kinds are taking place in Lake Placid this weekend when the 2011 Empire State Games kick off on Friday February 25th, giving New York State athletes the opportunity to compete in their winter sports. The Olympic Style Opening Ceremonies, in which the athletes march into the arena with their respective sport teams, will be on Friday at 6 pm in the Olympic Center 1980 Herb Brooks arena. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, February 17, 2011

Disney on Ice in Lake Placid This Weekend

Disney on Ice skated into Lake Placid this week for their new show, Disney on Ice presents Princess Classics. The tour returns to Lake Placid every two years with a new show and new cast members. This year’s show brings the stories of the Disney Princesses to life on ice!

Unlike many ice shows, Disney on Ice showcases elaborate sets, costumes, and special effects to arenas across the country and world. The centerpiece of the production will be a three dimensional, three story castle which transforms to assist in telling the stories of the Disney Princesses. The show will feature Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Mulan, Snow White and special guest Tinker Bell.

Disney on Ice presents Princess Classics will open in Lake Placid’s Olympic Center tonight, Thursday, February 17th at 7 pm and continues through Monday. More information can be found online.


Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Synchronized Skaters Perform in Lake Placid

Despite a snowstorm, approximately 2,300 figure skaters, along with their coaches, parents, and friends, poured into Lake Placid for the 2011 Eastern Synchronized Figure Skating Championships. A qualifier for the National Championship, skaters from as far north as Maine and far south as North Carolina competed in the Olympic Center February 3rd through 5th.

Changes to the schedule were made due to the storm; Thursday night the competition lasted until early Friday morning (around 1 am).

In the Senior Championships, the well-known Haydenettes team based in Lexington Massachusetts placed first. They are the reigning National Champions. For more information about the Eastern Synchronized Figure Skating Championships, visit usfigureskating.org.


Monday, January 31, 2011

Lake Placid Skating, Skiing Events

More skiing and skating will return to Lake Placid next weekend.The 29th Annual Lake Placid Loppet, a series of Cross Country Ski races, will be held on February 5th. Hosted by High Peaks Cyclery, this event draws hundreds of skaters from across the US and Canada and consists of a 50 kilometer Loppet (30.1 miles) and a 25-kilometer Kort-Loppet (about 15 miles). More information can be found online.

Also coming to Lake Placid on the same weekend, the Eastern Synchronized Championships will be in town February 3nd through 5th. More than 2,300 skaters from 150 teams from throughout the eastern United States will be competing. The top four finishers in the senior, junior, novice, intermediate, juvenile, collegiate, adult and masters divisions will move on to the 2011 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships, March 2-5, in Ontario, Calif. The event is organized by the Olympic Regional Development Authority and the Skating Club of Lake Placid. For more information, visit http://www.lakeplacidskating.com/newsite.

Christie Sausa writes about national and international winter sports and blogs at Lake Placid Skater.

 


Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Synchronized Skating Returns to Lake Placid

More than 2,300 skaters from 150 teams throughout the eastern United States will compete at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid during the 2011 Eastern Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships, Feb. 3-5.

The event, which was last held in Lake Placid in 1998, is a qualifier to the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships. The top four finishers in the senior, junior, novice, intermediate, juvenile, collegiate, adult and masters divisions will move on to the 2011 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships, March 2-5, in Ontario, California.

Organized by the Olympic Regional Development Authority with the Skating Club of Lake Placid, and sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating, the event will feature teams from as far south as North Carolina to as far north as Maine.

Synchronized skating is the fastest growing discipline of figure skating. Teams consist of eight to 20 athletes, each moving as one flowing unit. Each team performs a free skating program made up of required formations and footwork sequences with emphasis on precise movements, unison of team members and creativity. Junior and senior level teams will also perform a short program.

Tickets for the 2011 Eastern Synchronized Team Skating Sectional Championships are $15 per day for adults and $12 for juniors and seniors. Teams to watch include world silver medalists, the Haydenettes (senior); world junior team alternates, the Lexettes (junior); national champions, Ice Mates (novice); national bronze medalists, the University of Delaware (collegiate) and national champions, Esprit de Corps (adult).

More information can be found online.


Thursday, January 20, 2011

Nature Valley Freestyle World Cup at Whiteface

Friday January 21st through Sunday January 23rd Whiteface Mountain will host the Nature Valley Freestyle World Cup Competition. In addition to being the only World Cup event in the United States, the competition will also serve as a qualifier for the US Ski Team’s World Championship team.

Some notable US Aerial Athletes competing in the event include 2009 World Champion Ryan St. Onge, and surprise 10th place finisher in the Vancouver Olympics Ashley Caldwell. The participants for the United States in the Mogul competition will include reigning Olympic women’s moguls gold medalist Hannah Kearney and 2009 World Champion Patrick Deneen. » Continue Reading.


Saturday, January 15, 2011

Skating, Skiing in Lake Placid

Skating and skiing are the hot events this week in Lake Placid. Last weekend, speed skaters flocked to the Olympic Speed Skating Oval to participate in the second of the Lake Placid Speed Skating Club Racing series, the Charles Jewtraw All Around.

Named for the first Winter Olympic Games gold medalist Charles Jewtraw, the oval hosted approximately 45 competitors from the US and Canada, competing in four different events throughout the weekend. For complete results, visit www.lakeplacidoval.com.

The Lake Placid Ice Skating Institute (ISI) Championships is taking place this weekend at the Olympic Center. Hosted by Ice Skating Institute, which is “an international industry trade association encompassing all aspects of the ice skating industry”. ISI also promotes the sport of figure skating for recreation and hosts several competitions annually. The event is fun to watch, especially because of certain events such as synchronized skating (several skaters skating in a group together) and artistic, which emphasizes artistry. For more about ISI, visit their website www.skateisi.com. For more information about the Lake Placid ISI Championships, visit www.riverdaleice.com.

Skiing will be taking over Whiteface Mountain January 13th-15th for the St Lawrence University Winter Carnival, in which skiers from the Northeast and Canada compete in cross country skiing. For more information, visit www.whitefacelakeplacid.com.


Friday, January 7, 2011

Free Speed Skating Event in Lake Placid

The Lake Placid Speed Skating Club Race Series continues this weekend with the Charles Jewtraw All Around. The event if free, and spectators are encouraged to watch the live speed skating races on the Olympic Oval.

Named after local speed skater and 1924 Olympic Champion Charles Jewtraw, the event encompasses four races; the 500 meter (1 lap and a straightaway); the 1,000 meter (2 and a half laps); the 1500 meter (3 and ¾ laps); and the 3,000 meter race (approximately 7 laps).

The skater who performs the best in all four races will be the winner in their age categories. There are 11 age categories, from under 6 years old, to 79 plus. Saturday will start with the 500 meter and 1500 meter, and Sunday will conclude with the 1000 meter and the 3000 meter.

For more information, visit the registration site at www.lakeplacidoval.com.


Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Upcoming: Ski Jumping, New Year’s Eve Skate Party

There are a couple of great winter sports events this New Year’s Eve week. The Olympic Regional Development Authority and NYSEF will be hosting their annual New Year’s Masters Ski Jump and the NYSEF Nordic Combined and Ski Jump on December 29 and 30 at the Ski Jumps in Lake Placid. Daily admission to the ski jumping events is $14 for adults, $8 for juniors/seniors while children 6 and under enter free. Snacks and beverages will also be sold by Centerplate at the base of the chair lift. For more information, visit orda.org.

Skate into the New Year on the Olympic Speed Skating Oval in Lake Placid- there will be a skating party to benefit the food pantry on New Year’s Eve from 10:30 pm until 12:30 am. Bring your figure, hockey, or speed skates and enjoy free refreshments. Admission is five dollars, and students with a valid student id get in free. Skaters are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to donate. For more information, visit their event page

Christie Sausa writes about national and international winter sports and blogs at www.lakeplacidskater.blogspot.com


Thursday, December 23, 2010

Christie Sausa: Ice Marathon, Bobsled Reports

Lake Placid hosted two events last weekend; the Lake Placid Ice Marathon on the Olympic Speed Skating Oval and the FIBT Skeleton/Bobsled World Cup at the Mt Van Hoevenburg track.

The Lake Placid Ice Marathon, one of the races in the Marathon Skating International Series throughout North America, hosted approximately sixty skaters.

The race distances were 10 k, 25 k, and 40 k, (which equals approximately 25 laps, 60 laps, and 100 laps), and skaters from the US and Canada competed. The two fastest skaters, Sergio Almeralla (Canada) and Jim Cornell (Rochester, NY), dominated all three distances, with Almeralla placing first and Cornell placing second.

Germany was dominating throughout the World Cup events and the first two days of the FIBT Skeleton Bobsled World Cup in Lake Placid, but the United States’ “Night Train” dashed that winning streak with a victory on the 19th. Steve Holcomb led his team to win the event with a time of 1:48.01, which was .58 seconds faster than the next fastest sled.

The gold medal was their first since the first world cup of the season in Whistler, British Columbia. Coming in second was the Germany-1 team of Maximillian Arndt, Rene Tiefert, Alexander Roediger and Martin Putze with a runner-up time of 1:48.01 total. Canada-1 placed third with driver Lyndon Rush and his crew of Justin Wilkinson, Cody Sorensen and Neville Wright, with a solid 1:48.63 time.

Two other US sleds piloted by local athlete John Napier and rookie Ethan Albrecht-Carrie, finished 8th and 10th respectively. The FIBT Bobsled and Skeleton World Cup tour will resume Jan. 10-16 in Igls, Austria.

For complete Lake Placid Ice Marathon Results, visit http://www.mylaps.com/results/showevent.jsp?id=619644; and for more information about the US Bobsled and Skeleton World Cups, visit the USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation home page at http://bobsled.teamusa.org/


Thursday, December 16, 2010

Weekend: Speed Skating Marathon in Lake Placid

Long Track Marathon Speed Skating is coming to Lake Placid on December 18th and 19th for the annual Lake Placid Speed Skating Marathon. A Marathon Skating International (MSI) and Lake Placid Speed Skating Club event, the marathon is one of several in a series of ice marathons that take place throughout North America.

The race distances include 10K, 25K, and 40K, which translates to 25 laps, 40 laps, and 104 laps skated on the 400 meter Olympic Speed Skating Oval. Skaters ranging in age from 10-80 have been known to participate, and participants are from the United States and Canada. Marathon Skating is a popular discipline in North America but even more so in Europe.

A popular race in Holland, Elfstedentocht, (also known as the eleven cities tour) started the tradition of skating long distances. Marathon Racing is especially popular in Canada, and many marathons are held there; one of the most well-known is the Big Rideau Lake Speed Skating Marathon in Portland, Ontario. Lake Placid is one of the few venues in the United States that hosts a skating marathon every year.

Lake Placid Speed Skating Club will be hosting more speed skating races, the Charles Jewtraw All Around (all distances) on January 8th and 9th and the Jack Shea Sprints (sprint distances) to be announced. For more information about marathon skating and speed skating in Lake Placid, visit http://www.marathonskating.org and http://lakeplacidspeed.sports.officelive.com/default.aspx


Friday, December 3, 2010

Stars on Ice Celebrates 25th Anniversary

A long standing Lake Placid tradition, Stars on Ice debuted the first show of their 25th Anniversary tour on Saturday. Headlined by 2010 Men’s Olympic Gold medalist Evan Lysacek and 2006 Women’s Olympic Silver medalist Sasha Cohen, the theme of the show was remembering past skaters and celebration of current champions.

In addition to Lysacek and Cohen, the show starred well-known skaters like 2006 Ice Dance Olympic Silver medalists Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto, 2002 Olympic Pairs Gold medalists Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, two time Olympic Gold medalist Ekaterina Goordeeva (who competed in pairs with late husband Sergei Grinkov), and four-time World Champion Kurt Browning. Other cast members included 1996 World champion Todd Eldredge, 2010 Women’s Bronze medalist Joannie Rochette, and two time World Bronze medalist Michael Weiss.

Stars on Ice was created in 1986 by Scott Hamilton and his agent when his contract was not renewed for Ice Capades. Since then, the show has become “the world’s premier ice show” and the only current skating show featuring a cast of Olympic and World champions. Past cast members have included Jo Jo Starbuck & Ken Shelley, Brian Orser, Kurt Browning, Paul Wylie, Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean, Kristi Yamaguchi, Ekaterina Gordeeva & Sergei Grinkov, Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman, Tara Lipinski, Katarina Witt, Ilia Kulik, Jamie Sale & David Pelletier, Elena Berezhnaya & Anton Sikharulidze, Alexei Yagudin, and Sarah Hughes. The show has won four Emmy Awards for Choreography and Costume Design, and won an ACE Cable Award for the Best Sports Special.

The tour will resume on February 18th in San Jose, California; for more information, visit their website at www.starsonice.com.


Thursday, October 14, 2010

2011 North Atlantic Figure Skating Championships

The first week of October figure skaters hoping to qualify for Sectional and National competition arrived in Lake Placid for the first North Atlantic qualifier of the season, the 2011 North Atlantic Regional Figure Skating Championships.

Throughout the United States, regional qualifiers for each region of the country are held, and whoever qualifies can compete at either Junior Nationals (a National event for Juvenile-Intermediate level skaters), or the Sectional Championships, for Novice-Senior competitors. From Sectionals, skaters hope to qualify for the US National Championships, a high profile event that heralds the arrival of new rising stars in figure skating.

Once a skater consistently qualifies for Nationals, he or she often receives international assignments and can qualify for the Olympic Games or the World Championship through the National Championships. Other non-qualifying categories offered at the Regional Championships included Open Juvenile and Pre Juvenile boy’s and girl’s events, allowing skaters to gain experience in regional competition before reaching qualifying levels.

Figure skaters from the Skating Club of Lake Placid and the Saranac Lake Figure Skating Academy competed at the Regional qualifier representing several different levels. Two members of the Skating Club of Lake Placid have qualified out of the regional championship- Luke West, in the Intermediate Men category, and Brandon Amaral in the Juvenile Boys category. Both will be representing the Skating Club at the US Junior National Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah this December. Several other local skaters qualified for the final round in their respective level including Lindsay Yamrick, who placed 1st in the Open Juvenile girls category and Elena Gonzalez Molinos who qualified for the final round in Juvenile girls.

For complete North Atlantic Regional Championships results, visit www.icenetwork.com, and for non-qualifying event results, visit www.lakeplacidskating.com.

Photo: Local skaters who competed at the 2011 North Atlantic Figure Skating Championships (John Eldridge Photo).

Christie Sausa is a figure skater and speed skater writing about winter sports from Lake Placid, NY. Her internationally recognized blog Lake Placid Skater is the leading source of competitive Lake Placid ice skating news and information.


Monday, January 18, 2010

Figure Skating: ISI Lake Placid Championships

This weekend Lake Placid was filled with figure skaters, parents, and coaches for the Ice Skating Institute Lake Placid Championships. This event was hosted in the Olympic Center, and has been an important part of the Lake Placid competition lineup for many years.

The Ice Skating Institute was founded in 1959 as “a nonprofit organization for owners, operators, and developers of ice skating facilities”, and facilitates participattion in ice skating by rink owners, skaters, coaches, and vendors. According to the ISI website, the organization provides information for the development and construction of ice arenas, organizes consumer shows in conjunction with its recreational skating events, and produces trade and educational publications and literature. ISI also holds an annual educational conference and trade show for arenas managers, skating directors, instructors, and skating industry manufacturers, suppliers and retailers, provides ice skating programs for skaters of all ages and abilities, and hosts four recreational skating competitions annually. Most of all, ISI encourages participation in ice skating as a recreational sport.

The ISI organization encourages recreational participation in ice skating instead of qualifying competition like US Figure Skating. This is perfect for skaters who wish to skate and compete for fun instead of to qualify for National and International Competition. ISI also incorporates more unique events like showcase events (in which skaters can use props and vocal music to establish a theme) and group numbers (where many skaters can skate together). Most of all, ISI aims to allow skaters to compete for fun and satisfaction rather than for qualifying spots at the Olympics. Still, many skaters are members of both organizations and compete on both the US Figure Skating and ISI competitive tracks. One of these skaters is local skater Carly Brox.

Originally from Canada, Carly was one of many competitors skating this weekend; she also was the only skater representing Lake Placid in this competition. Carly lives and trains in Lake Placid, and represents the Skating Club of Lake Placid. She placed 1st in compulsory moves, 2nd in stroking, and 2nd in the freestyle program. As Carly stated as she finished this year’s competition; “I was honored to represent Lake Placid in this competition, and I look forward to competing next year”.

For more information on ISI, visit http://www.skateisi.com/site/.



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