Annual Review - Olympic Oval - University of Calgary

History
A history of champions . . . In December
1987, the world’s best speed skaters
stepped onto the Olympic Oval ice for
the very first time. It was the first
competition in the only covered, indoor
oval in North America. After getting a
feel for the Calgary ice, most of the
skaters competing in that World Cup,
returned a few months later for the main
event, the XV Winter Olympics.
Here on our ice, they helped make
the 1988 Calgary Games the most
successful winter Olympics ever and
established the new building as home to
the world’s fastest ice, setting the most
world records ever in a single
competition.
This proud tradition of fast ice was
launched thanks to the Olympic Oval’s
ice makers, combined with Calgary’s
altitude, barometric pressure and
unique Chinook weather conditions.
All factors have worked together for
almost 20 years to create the fastest ice
conditions for the world’s best speed
skaters, allowing them to skate 125
world records and set more than 40,000
personal best times since 1988. This
remarkable institution of fast ice and
world-class competitions has been
partnered with an amazing tradition of
elite, Olympic-medal-winning athlete
training programs.
When the building was completed in
1987 the Olympic Oval’s High
Performance Sport Program in long
track speed skating was established
followed by short track in 1992, cycling
in 1995 and women’s hockey in 1996.
These programs have yielded over 50
Olympians with 33 of these athletes
winning Olympic medals.
Thanks to legacy funds from the 1988
Games and the Calgary Olympic
Development Association (CODA),
these programs have grown and
established the Olympic Oval as a world
class training centre, attracting coaches
and athletes from across the country
and around the world.
The Olympic Oval has also been part of
the University of Calgary and the larger
city community since it was built in
1987. For the last 19 years the Olympic
Oval has been hosting skating parties
and community events and inviting the
public to more than 50 such events
this year, including the FedEx Kinko’s
Family Christmas skating party and the
Papa John’s Family Fun Day. Over the
ice-out period the Olympic Oval is home
to the Cassie Campbell Street Hockey
Festival, Calgary’s Child Fun Fair and
other events.
The 1988 Winter Olympics opened on Feb. 13,
1988. Photo from Canadian Press.
As well, University of Calgary Dino
athletes have been training at the
Olympic Oval since the building opened,
using our high performance weight
room, 450 metre two-lane running track,
110 m, eight-lane sprint track, long jump
pit and pole vault box. As well, all
university students have enjoyed free
access to public skating and running.
The Olympic Oval’s mission is to work
with our partners to help Canadian
athletes reach the Olympic podium.
Through the Olympic Oval’s history,
we’ve seen 33 athletes return to our
building with Olympic medals, we have
contributed to the health and well being
of city residents, University of Calgary
students and varsity athletes and to
the amazing successes of Canada’s
best athletes. The Olympic Oval is very
proud of its history of champions.
7 World Records were set at
1988 Winter Olympics:
Gaetan Boucher: One of Canada’s most decorated Winter Olympians with four Olympic
medals, skated his final race at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. Although he finished 9th
in the 1,500 metres, the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Photo Canadian Press
Uwe-Jens Mey, GDR
– Men’s 500 metres in 36.35
Andre Hoffmann, GDR
– Men’s 1,500 metres in 1.52.06
Tomas Gustafson, SWE
– Men’s 10,000 metres in 13.48.20
Bonnie Blair, USA
– Ladies 500 metres in 39.10
Christa Rothenburger, GDR
– Ladies 1,000 metres in 1.17.65
Yvonne van Gennip, NED
– Ladies 3,000 metres in 4.11.94
Yvonne van Gennip, NED
– Ladies 5,000 metres in 7.14.13
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