We are pleased to announce the first annual U.S. Open Competition and Seminar
designed for figure skating, basic skills, dance and slalom on inline skates.
Speakers will include coaches: Garrett Krug, Nick Perna and Joe Kaplenk, among
others. There will be a social event and tentative judges training sessions for
freestyle/slalom and inline figure skating. The competition is only $25.00 per
event and the Seminar is only $25.00. Competitors attend free.

The text of the press release follows.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Mar 5, 2009

Media Contacts:
Joe Kaplenk at (708) 707-0992 or Mary Lu Wehmeier at (909) 860-2494
Email: usopeninline2009@...
Website: http://usopeninline.com

The U.S. Open Inline Organizing Committee announces First Annual U.S. Open
Inline Chicago 2009 International Competition and Seminar May 1-3, 2009.

The First Annual U.S. Open Inline Chicago 2009 International Competition and
Seminar is the first inline only skating competition ever held in the United
States with the cooperation and approval of USA RollerSports and U.S. Inline
Figure Skating. The three-day event will include an international competition, a
trade show, and seminar which is the first of it's kind—highlighting inline
skating to a level this sport has not seen in this country. The event website
http://usopeninline.com has complete information for everyone.

The U.S. Open Inline Chicago 2009 will be held at the USA Skate Center,
Romeoville, IL. This world class facility will also be the site of the 2009
Great Lakes Regional Artistic and Speed competitions as well as a Chicago region
IIWAL Artistic competition.

Individual events will focus on inline skating skills such as inline figure
skating, basic inline skating, and Slalom/Freestyle. There has been a continual
growth in international popularity of inline figure skating, as well as a recent
significant worldwide growth of Freestyle and Slalom skating. This competition
and seminar will provide a fun, educational and challenging competition that
includes all levels and types of inline skating, making this an experience for
all skaters of all ages from the beginner to the elite.

Inline skating is a sport that can be enjoyed anywhere and is competed
internationally under the Federation of International Roller Skating (FIRS)
organization at the World Championships every Fall. Inline skating is used for
training by ice skaters in areas where there are limited or no opportunities to
ice skate. This annual competition and seminar will be held in various
locations around the United States in subsequent years.

Besides the United States, this competition and seminar has attracted interest
from skaters and coaches in Brazil, France, Germany, Iran, India, Singapore and
Belarus and other countries. Competitors and coaches will come representing
many venues of skating: inline, quad or traditional roller skates, and ice.

We are inviting skaters, non-skaters, coaches and the general public to learn
about this growing sport at the seminar from May 1 to 3. This will include
aspects of training and discussion of off-skate training techniques, inline
skating technique and the use of training videos. We will be doing sessions both
on and off skates so everyone is welcome to bring their inline skates! Fans of
inline skating and the public are invited to attend all sessions.

The organizing committee is looking for skaters, professionals and coaches to
speak at the seminars. We invite them to contact the organizing committee with
their proposals to a presenter. The topics can include presentations on
nutrition and general athletic training issues that are not directly skating
related. We are also looking for volunteers and individuals that want to help
this sport to grow.

This competition includes:

• Events in Free Skating, Dance, Precision, Show, Interpretation and other
similar figure skating events.
• Events that do not require a program and provide a good test of the skater's
skills and good for beginners to demonstrate their skills.
• Events for beginners as well as expert skaters.
• Survivor event-- A new original event designed to encourage team play and fun.
• Slalom/Freestyle using World Slalom Skaters Association (WSSA) rules in
cooperation with the U.S. Freestyle Skaters Association.

The first-annual U.S. Open Inline Chicago 2009 Competition and Seminar is
sponsored by U.S. Federation of Inline Figure Skaters (USFIFS) dba U.S. Inline
Figure Skating, which can be contacted at P.O. Box 1970, Bolingbrook, IL
60440 at http://usinlinefigureskating.org and email can be sent to
info@...

USA RollerSports (USARS) http://rollersports.usoc.org is the recognized by U.S.
Olympic Committee as the national governing body for roller sports in the United
States, and is a member of Federation of International Roller Skating (FIRS) the
governing body for all roller sports by the International Olympic Committee
(IOC). In addition, USFIFS has developed working relationships with U.S. Figure
Skating, USA Hockey Inline and US Freestyle Skaters Association. USFIFS is a
membership-based non-profit corporation and a qualified IRS 501(c)(3)
tax-deductible organization.

END

Additional information, updates story lines and hooks are available now. A list
of potential attending skaters available for interviews is forthcoming. Online
video of similar international events are available upon request. Media
Credentials for print, communications and online reporters will be made
available to credentialed reporters and media outlets upon email request. A
dedicated media email address is media@...

Joe Kaplenk
Chair U.S.Open Inline Chicago 2009
http://usopeninline.com
President
U.S. Inline Figure Skating
http://usinlinefigureskating.org