Owen's Oval

Gathered around the new sign in memory of their dad, Owen Spence, is left to right: Sara, Eric, Josie, and Tori. During the Logan Lake LOop ceremony, the town unveiled a story board in memory of Owen on a permanent structure at Logan Lake near Owen's Oval.

Logan Lake LOop 2011

The full results for the 2011 Logan Lake LOop have been published here. Congratulations again to all of the skaters!

Polarthon Results

We had a great turn-out for this year's Polarthon! There were 12 teams (consisting of up to 4 members each) and 14 individual entries.

Gold medals were given out to the top performers as follows:

Fastest Male
Alex Seal - 42.18

Fastest Female
Yvonne Timewell - 48.07

Fastest Youth
The Buzzing Bee
Eric Spence - 58.43

Fastest Mixed Team
'How Hard Can It Be' - 52.22

Fastest Family Team
'Wiggers' - 48.05

Fastest Youth Team
'Pot of Gold' - 59.21
(comprised of Sara Spence and Anneke and Matej Pederson)

Complete results as follows from first to last finisher and category:
Alex Seal - 42.18 - first individual male
Gregg Timewell - 46.11 - second individual male
Team 'Wiggers' - 48.05 - first family team
Yvonne Timewell - 48.07 - first individual female
Team 'How Hard Can It Be' - 52.22 - first mixed team
Dan Robertson - 54.24 - third individual male
Dan Hill - 54.24 - Fourth individual male
Eric Spence (The Buzzing Bee) - 58.43 - first youth male
Team 'Pot of Gold' - 59.21 - first youth team
Maureen Scott - 59.58 - second individual female
Laurie Schultz - 1:03.01 - third individual female
Gary Link - 1;03.26 - fifth individual male
Ethan Wenger - 1:03.38 - second youth male
Nicholas Swank - 1:03.39 - third youth male
Shawn Wenger - 1:03.55 - fourth individual female
Team 'Banditos' - 1:04.41 - second family team
Team 'The Chicken and the Egg' - 1:05.10 - third family team
Barry Schultz - 1;06.09 -sixth individual male
Team 'Two Men and a Lady' - 1:06.48 - second mixed team
Howie Goodman - 1:09.57 - seventh individual male
Team 'The Tazers' - 1:11.38 - 5 way tie for third mixed team
Team ' Chafing the Dream' - 1:11.38
Team 'WII Not Fit' - 1:11.38
Team' Pole R Bears' - 1:11.38
Team 'Thugs and Slugs' - 1:11.38
Team 'Hobo' - 1:23.41 - fourth family team

Best Costume went to Team 'Hobo'.

Honorable mention to the Buzzing Bee.

photo courtesy of Kamloops Daily News

Logan Lake LOoP Results

53 skaters registered from 7 clubs across the province (Kelowna, Salmon Arm, Vernon, Vancouver, Sechelt, Long Blades and Kamloops River City Racers). Each participant raced in four individual races and two team events. Final ranking was based on cumulated points from the 4 individual races. Team events included a mass 100m sprint, parlof relays for Division 5 and down and pursuits for division 6 and up. These team events were for fun and experience. Teams were not necessarily composed of skaters from the same club.

Results for the River City Racers as follows:

Gold medal winners
Margaret Jean Willis - Division 1
Matej Pederson - Division 2
Calvin Forbes - Division 4
Gillian Michell - Division 5
Eric Spence - Division 6
Sara Spence - Division 9

Silver medal winners
Alex Timewell - Division 1
Tim Mburu - Division 3

Bronze medal winners
Li Dong - division 1
Alexander Willis - division 2
Delray Willis - division 4
Roman Hessel - division 11 male

4th place finish overall - Anneke Pederson - division 9
5 th place finish overall - Alex Forbes - division 6

River City Cup

The River City Cup is awarded to the Club with the most points:

Salmon Arm first with 55713 points

River City second with 39432 points

Logan Lake Events a Success!

The weather cooperated for great day of racing and fun out at Logan Lake on Saturday January 8th. The River City Racers Speed Skating Club hosted its fourth annual Southern Regional Long Track Speed Skating Championships (alias Logan Lake LOop) and its fifth annual Polarthon (winter triathlon) out at Owen's Oval on Logan Lake.

During the award ceremonies for the Speed Skating Championships, Logan Lake Mayor Marlon Dosch gave a tribute to the late Owen Spence whose vision and hard work initiated these two outdoor events. The town unveiled a story board in memory of Owen on a permanent structure at Logan Lake near Owen's Oval.

Special thanks to the Logan Lake ATV crew for their dedication and numerous hours preparing and clearing Owen's Oval for these events. The ice was the best it has ever been! Definitely these events would not be possible with the support of the community of Logan Lake.

Thank to our sponsors Highland Valley Copper who donated the medals this year for these events.

Special thanks to other supporters who also provided financially or donated draw prizes. In alphabetical order these are:

BC Community Gaming Grant
Highland Valley Copper
McDonalds Kamloops
River City Racers Speed Skating Club
Runners Sole
Speed Skating Canada Festivals On Ice Grant
Taboo Cycle
Tori's Video Fund

We also acknowledge and appreciate the support from neighbouring clubs: The Kelowna Speed Skating Club and The Kamloops Long Blades who provided volunteers to help run these events. Through your cooperation and support good things are made possible.

Spence Sisters finish first and second in CWG qualifier

Spence Sisters finish 1 - 2 at the second of two long track speed skating qualifiers for the Canada Winter Games. Both Tori (18yrs) and Josie (16 yrs) participated in a four day competition held at the Olympic Oval in Calgary over the past few days. Two competitions ran simultaneously. Top ranked skaters in Canada qualified to race in the Canadian Single Distance Championships from which the fastest skaters will secure spots on the National Team and participate in the World Cup series. Other skaters from across Canada competed in the Canada Cup 2 division.

Tori qualified to skate in 3 of 4 distances (1,000m, 1500m, and 3k) in the Canadian Single Distance Championships and Josie qualified to skate in one distance, the 3k. Tori had a 12th place finish in the 1500m and a 17th place finish in the 1000m with Kristine Nesbitt winning both distances. Tori posted a personal best and a 8th place finish in the 3k but later found out she had been disqualified.

Josie finished in 10th spot in the 3 K Canadian Single Distance and posted a new personal best time of 4:25.03. In the Canada Cup 2 Division Josie placed 2nd in the 500m with a new personal best time of 41.96 and a seventh place finish in each of the 1000m and 1500m.

Overall, amongst BC female junior skaters (between 15 and 19 years of age) Tori placed first (as she did in the first CWG qualifier skated in November 2010) and Josie moved up from a 4th place finish in November to a second place finish in the second qualifier.

In December 2010 Josie qualified for the CWG BC Short Track team so now is in the admirable position to make the decision as to whether she will participate on the CWG Long Track or Short Track team as she cannot participate in both at these games.

Aside but interesting to note - The BC CWG team is made up of 4 males and 4 females. 6 of the 8 skaters that have qualified for this team had part of their initial exposure to long track speed skating at Owen's Oval on Logan Lake. In fact the Daily took a picture (and put in the paper) several years ago of a male skater racing at the oval on Logan Lake (Alec Janssens ) who is now the top Junior Male skater in Canada!!

Logan Lake LOop 2011

Come on out to watch southern BC only long track event (400m oval at Logan Lake) on Saturday, January 8, 2011!

Schedule of Events

8:00 am – 8:15 am
Logan Lake Campground – registration

8:15 am – 8:30 am
Coaches and Officials Meeting

8:15 am – 8:45 am
Skaters Warm up

9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Racing (Owen’s Oval)
100m special event race

1:00 pm – 1:30 pm (approximately)
Lunch for Coaches and Officials – WHY (upstairs Rec Centre: side door)

1:00 pm (Owen's Oval)
No Speed Limit Radar Gun Event

1:45 pm
Award Presentations

The LOop will be followed by the annual Polarthon. See you there!

Count down to the 2011 Polarthon!

If you haven't registered for the 2011 Polarthon there is still time!

• View/download the brochure 
• Register online or drop off your form in Kamloops at Runner’s Sole #74-1395 Hillside Drive or Taboo Cycle #3-2160 Flamingo Road 
• On race day registration and bib pick up takes place between 1 - 1:30 at the Logan Lake Campground.

Thanks to all our sponsors and supporters for making this fun event possible!

• WHY Society
• Runners Sole
• Sun Country Toyota
• Logan Lake
• Logan Lake ATV Club
• Highland Valley Outdoor Association
• River City Racers Speed Skating Club