Hello Speed Skate List:
Its day one at the Short Track World Championships in Vienna, Austria. Southern California Speed Skaters heated up the ice.
Congratulations to JR Celski, World Championship Bronze Medalist in the 1500 meters! Congratulations to Jeff Simon who raced to the #7 spot.
Southern California Speed Skaters racing in Vienna include:
- JR Celski
- Jeff Simon
- Jordan Malone, and
- Maria Garcia (qualified but withdrew due to injury), and
- Niels Kerstholt, a Dutch skater who trained with us for the summer.
Day one races were the 1500 meters, with JR, Jeff and Apollo racing for the USA. Here's how our skaters progressed through the day.
Heats:
- JR won his heat
- Jeff was advanced into the next round and a skater from Israel was DQ'ed
- Niels was 3rd in his heat and advanced to the Quarter Finals.
Quarter Finals:
- JR placed 2nd and advanced
- Jeff raced to the third place spot and advanced
- Niles finished 4th but was advanced when a skater from Italy was DQ'ed.
Semi-Finals:
- Jeff finished 2nd and advanced to the Finals
- JR placed 6th but was advanced when a skater from Canada was DQ'ed
- Niles finished 4th and did not advance to the Finals.
Finals:
- JR won bronze behind two Korean skaters.
- Apolo Anton Ohno finished 4th,
- Jeff raced to the number 7 spot.
Two more exciting days of racing to come.
Good luck to all of our skaters,
- Sue