Hi, Folks.

I just returned from Salt Lake City and the Olympic Long Track Championships (to select the Olympic Long Track Team).  A supplemental to what has been already reported by Melissa Scott from U.S. Speedskating:  The skater named as Charles Leveille (Atlanta, GA) is, in fact, the same skater that skated with us here for 2 years or so, Ryan Cox.  Yesterday, I watched as Ryan skated an awesome (and grueling)  10,000 meters, and finished 2nd behind the World Record setting race of Chad Hedrick.

The Olympic Qualifying procedures are a bit complicated for Long Track, but there is a very good chance that Ryan will be named to the U.S. Olympic Long Track Team for the new event of the Team Pursuit, to be named prior to Jan. 15.  The U.S. can name 5 skaters to the team. One skater can be added to the roster (provided that the total remains 10 or under) just for the team pursuit (that skater would most likely be Ryan). 

More details can be found on the USS website, under the final results report, here:  http://www.usspeedskating.org/news/2006_USLTchamps_day3.html

Jerry

PS:  Ryan in action!