LET S GO RACING!! The Oakville Speed Skating Club encourages all members to participate in Competitions. We believe Competitions are a fun aspect of the sport. Competitions allows members to race against skaters from other Clubs and apply their drills and technique learned during practice. In order to promote Long Term Athlete Development we encourage our members to do their Personal Best PB during competitions. CLUB MINI MEETS: TYPES OF COMPETITION Fun Competition held within the Club. Open to all skaters and is an excellent way for first time Competitors to experience a Competition Format and environment. Our Club hosts two to three Club Mini Meets each Season. Approximately 3 hours in length Skaters are divided by ability and biological maturity and stay in the same group throughout the Competition. Prizes, Treats and Skaters of the Meet Recognition. An Award Ceremony is held at the end of the competition. REGIONAL SERIES: Skaters race in assigned regions within the province: West, Central, East, on certain limited occasions Flex. Oakville is in the Western Region. Regional Series Meets are usually one day, but can be two day competitions. Skaters are grouped based on ability level within age perameters and mixed gender Learn to Train 6 10 girls and boys; Train to Train 11 13 girls and boys Competitive for Life 14 years of age and older. All skaters first race in a heat and are then advanced to a final in all distances. Distances skated are predetermined by the Ontario Speed Skating Association Technical Committee. Skaters race on two different track sizes 6 to 13 years of age race on the 100m track, 14 and older race on the 111.12m track PROVINCIAL SERIES: A Skater must qualify in order to participate in Provincial Series Competitions. This is determined primarily from last season rankings. Skaters are grouped based on age and seed times. Group 2 Girls Age 11 14 and Boys Age 12 14 Group 1 Open Female Division Girls 15 and older; Open Male Division Boys 15 and older There are 4 Provincial Series Competitions each season a skater must attend all 4 in order to qualify for the Provincial Championship at the end of the season. Depending on the number of skaters, groups may be divided into heats and/or semi finals then finals. Provincial Series Competitions are 2 day Meets Distances and Track Size skated are based on Provincial standards. A Regional Series skater may qualify as of mid December to the Provincial Series if they are ranked in the top 2 positions in the Regional Series Ranking List.
FIRST TIME COMPETITIORS All first time Competitors attend the Regional Series Competitions. ASSOCIATION FEES: Before a member can attend a competition they must be registered with the Canadian Amateur Speed Skating Association (CASSA) and the Ontario Speed Skating Association (OSSA). This is a yearly membership and the fee is posted on our Club Website under Competitions. The Club registers members with the Association. After the Club registers a member, they are assigned a Speed Skating Canada number, which is to be put on the Meet Application Forms. HELMETS AND HELMET COVER NUMBERS: Certified Racing helmets must be worn at all Competitions. We understand the expense of a first time competitor, so the Club has a limited supply of Certified Helmets for first time competitors to borrow. For more information on Certified Racing Helmets, please see the Club Website under Equipment. All Competitors for all types of Competitions must own their own Helmet Cover Number. The Club was assigned a supply of Helmet Covers from our Association. A fee of $10.00 is required to purchase a number and it is yours for your entire speed skating career. All Regional and Provincial Series Competitions are Sanctioned by the Ontario Speed Skating Association. Times achieved at these meets are put on a Provincial Ranking List. Once your child has entered a competition, their times can be found on this Ranking list which is posted on the Ontario Speed Skating Website: ontariospeedskating.ca, click on the Racing Page, then on the right hand side, click on Ranking List. Whenever your child attends a sanctioned competition and their times improve, this new time will be posted on this list. Currently Ontario Speed Skating Association (OSSA) sanctioned meets are conducted in an all day format. For younger or beginning skaters this is a benefit as it allows them to watch older and more experienced racers. BEFORE THE COMPETITION An event schedule is posted on the club website at the beginning of the season and racing forms can be downloaded as they become available. Notices with competition dates and form due dates are also posted during practice sessions on the walls by the change rooms. Each Club hosting a meet will post an information sheet about the Meet and an Application Form. You can find these forms by clicking the link on our Club Website on the Home Page under Club Links, Regional Series Racing Forms If a skater wishes to compete, fill out the Application Form and hand it to the Registrar with the Meet Fee on or before the deadline posted on our Calendar on the website and at the arena. The Club registers and pays for your child on race day, so it is imperative that the fee accompany the Application Form.
PREPARING FOR COMPETITION It is very important to remember all of your proper skating equipment. Not having all equipment could get a skater disqualified from a race. With the exception of the Certified Racing Helmet and Helmet Cover, all the equipment is exactly the same as required at practices. MANDATORY EQUIPMENT: Skates with guards Knee Pads Shin guards Cut Resistant Gloves Safety Glasses with strap Helmet Certified Racing Helmet Helmet cover Bib Style Neck Guard Shin and Ankle Kevlar Protection ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO BRING: Whether you are attending a one or two day meet, think of it as indoor camping. Your children have as much fun playing with their friends between the races as they do during the races. Be sure to get a good night s sleep before the meet and arrive at the arena early. To make sure your day runs smoothly bring: Extra skating clothes, as the ice surface is continually flooded due to grooves made by older skaters. If your child falls, he/she will get wet. A handheld hair dryer to dry racing clothes in the event of a fall. Blankets to sit on to keep warm. Books, homework, hand held electronic devices, etc. to help keep kids busy between races. A note pad or smartphone camera to keep track of times and accomplishments. Race results and times are posted in the arena on sheets throughout the day. You will need to keep a record of times achieved, as this is the time that will be needed for your next competition. The best time achieved is the time for each distance is the time to keep track. Camera/video camera. A small cooler filled with nutritious foods for snacks and lunches as you will not have time to leave the arena to get food.
WHAT TO EXPECT ON COMPETITION DAY All Competitions Begin with Warm Ups which usually begin at 8 a.m., it is imperative that you arrive with enough time to be dressed and ready for your Warm Up Session. Racing starts approximately around 9 a.m. and continues to approximately 5 p.m.. When you first arrive at the rink, check in with your coaches, they will tell you which dressing room to use and give you additional information such as: The racing group/category you are in. The warm up schedule for all skater groups. Each group has about 10 minutes, schedules will also be posted. Race schedules will be posted. Look for them, check for the race numbers that apply to your group and plan to get ready accordingly. The Club always has at least one dedicated Volunteer Coach at Meets who spend the entire day assisting Club Skaters. It is a terrific gesture for every skater to take the time at the end of a long day to make a point of thanking their Volunteer Coach for helping them. Skaters report to the Clerk of the Course who lines up the skaters in their groups in one area of the arena called the Heat Box. One group will be on ice and the next six or so line up in the heat box. After one race, skaters can usually take their skates off as there may be one hour wait until the next race. This will depend on the size of the meet. In the younger groups, there are usually 5 or 6 skaters in a race or on the line. In older groups, the number is smaller. Each group will get in 2 or 3 races before there is a lunch break. For each racing distance, there will be a preliminary race called a Heat and then a Final. It depends on where the skater placed in the Heat that decides which Final the skater will race in. Advancements to a final are determined either by Place Advancement or by Time Advancement. Both methods are in use but only one method per meet. The race schedule can be a little confusing for first time competitors, other parents who have previously attended competitions will be happy to assist you. The A finals earn more points than B finals and B finals earn more points than C finals etc... No matter where you finish, as long as you finish the race, you earn points. The skater in each group/category to accumulate the most points from the distances raced is declared the winner for that meet. Typically, the first three finishers in each category are presented with an award to recognize their accomplishments. Each race is measured in metres, ranging from 100m to 3000m (for the older groups). Once the skaters are lined up and the Starter fires the gun, the race is on. However, if someone falls before passing the first corner, third marker (apex,) the race may be called back and there will be a restart. Each skater is racing in a group, however, we try to stress to each skater, especially the younger skaters; they are trying to beat their last personal best (PB) time. PBs are what we strive for at The Oakville Speed Skating Club not on placement or winning. Each time you go on the ice to race, you are trying to achieve a better time than the last time you raced that particular distance.
RULES AND REGULATIONS Each Competition/Meet will have many official volunteers to ensure a fair and fun time. A Few simple rules enforced by the Chief Referee govern the Competitions/Meets. 1. No body contact is allowed at any time during the race. 2. Each skater is allowed one false start without penalty or disqualification. 3. Safety equipment is mandatory and should be checked before taking the ice. 4. Corner blocks may be hit, but not skated inside of. 5. Shorter distance races allow a maximum of five skaters at the start line. Longer distances have up to six racers. 6. The skater in the lead has the right of way. 7. Should a skater fall before the first corner, the Starter can call all the skaters to restart the race 8. The Chief Referee has final say regarding any activity in a race. 9. Only your coach can approach a referee. If you believe a race result is posted incorrectly, you must notify your coach right away and he/she will speak to the referee on your behalf. To learn more about Competitions the Ontario Speed Skating Association produces a Technical Bulletin which outlines the seasons Competition Criteria and Championship Selection Criteria. This Bulletin can be found on our website on the Competition Page. Club Officials can always answer any questions you have at Arena Practices.