Skating Expos Indoor Expo in November and Winterfest in January. What are short track, long track, marathon, and Nordic skating -- and where can you do them in our area? Which ones are Olympic sports, and how do you qualify? How fast can you really go on skates? Are we only about racing, or do most of us skate just for fun? What equipment do you use, and what clothes do you wear? How can you skate safely on natural ice? Rental/demo long blade skates and ice safety equipment will be on hand. Prospective skaters can join our club and buy or rent equipment at discount prices. Short Track Skating Clinics (one-hour sessions at Hartford and Laconia) Short track is an Olympic sport that's a lot like figure skating -- it demands precise foot placements and body movements to achieve high speeds on a hockey rink. Short track skates have a fixed blade that's offset sideways on the boot, and the blades are often curved to improve cornering. Skaters wear gloves, pads and helmets -- bicycle helmets are OK. From October through December, while we’re waiting for outdoor ice, we practice indoors at the Hartford Arena in White River Junction, VT and the Laconia Ice Arena. Our coach, Hilary Linehan, was National Short Track Champion in 1993 and 1996. Clinics are Saturday and Sunday evenings. Check our calendar for dates and times. Nordic Skating Lessons (one-hour morning sessions on Occom Pond in Hanover for kids and adults) We practice on an "oval" shaped like a running track. The standard size Olympic oval is 400 meters, and there’s one in Lake Placid. Occom Pond’s oval isn’t quite 400 meters, but it’s close enough. Nordic Skating clinics are offered Saturday mornings at 9 and 10 AM, beginning the first Saturday in January. Registration opens the first Saturday in December. Call the Hanover Parks & Recreation Department at (603) 643-5315. Marathon Training Sessions (one-hour or longer sessions on Lake Morey, Fairlee, VT) A marathon distance is 10 kilometers or more. In Europe marathons are typically 25, 50, 100 or 200 kilometers. The winning time for a 200K race is typically 5 ½ hours -- that’s an average speed of 23 mph! You can race a marathon on an Olympic oval if you want to, but 100 laps on an oval can get boring, so marathons are held on natural ice whenever possible, usually on a big lake or an interconnected series of canals. As with running and cycling, endurance and strategy are paramount -- how to skate in a "pack" to cut wind resistance, and when to sprint for the lead. Dates and times to be determined. Call (802) 649-3939 to register. Races and Duathlons The Montshire Short Track Meet is the last Sunday in November. The Vermont Ice Marathon will be held on Lake Morey in mid-January. A Winter Duathlon is planned for the second Saturday in February at the Hanover Winter Games on Occom Pond. Plus another Duathlon at the Quechee Winter Carnival, also in February. Nordic Skating Tours (half-day sessions on a lake, ice and weather permitting) Nordic skating is "cross-country ice skating", where you get out on a large lake and skate as far as you want. It’s a lot like cross-country skiing. In Europe, organized tours of 10 to 200 kilometers attract thousands of participants. Here in New England the crowds are missing, but the rewards are the same -- fresh air, sunshine, exercise, companionship, and the chance to explore places you’ve never seen before. For example, Lake Sunapee is an exciting destination, ten miles long, with lighthouses, islands, mountain views, iceboaters and ice fishermen. Cross-country skaters always travel in a group, and each skater carries safety equipment and a backpack with spare clothes. Safety equipment is provided for all participants, with instruction on how to use it. Call (802) 649-3939 to register. Tours may be scheduled on short notice. Ice Safety Education How do you test the ice on a lake to make sure it’s safe for skating or skiing? How quickly can you rescue a victim who’s fallen through the ice? This course introduces you to Scandinavian ice safety equipment, which is inexpensive and easy-to-use and makes lake skating 100% safe. You’ll also learn how to be a "Good Samaritan" who can respond quickly and calmly to an emergency and perform a successful ice rescue. Rollerblading (Inline Skating) Spring and summer rollerblading workouts are Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:30 PM. A Monday evening workout is in the planning stages. Meet at a designated location along Route 10 in Hanover or West Lebanon. We also meet occasionally for cycling, barbecues and "dryland training". Check our calendar for details.