2012-2013 Oval Annual Review - Olympic Oval - University of Calgary

MessageThe 25th anniversary season celebratingthe opening of the 1988 WinterOlympic Games in Calgary began withgreat excitement at the Olympic Oval.Training started on July 1, 2012, withspeed skating, power skating andhockey camps held during the monthsof July and August. September saw alarge number of international teamsarrive in Calgary to train at the Oval.The first major event of the year, the Long Track Fall Classic, was heldin September as well.The season truly kicked off with the annual Olympic Oval Gala presentedby United Communities and Morrison Homes. This year’s galawas held on Sept. 27, 2012, exactly 25 years to the day the OlympicOval was officially opened in 1987. The black-tie evening was theinaugural event for the new Markin McPhail Centre at Winsport.This amazing venue was transformed for a night to celebrate 25 yearsof excellence in sport. Over $44,000 was raised for the Olympic OvalAthlete Bursary Fund and speed skating programs through raffles andsilent and live auctions. Six athletes were awarded $1,000 bursarieseach from funds raised at this event.For the first time in ten years the Olympic Oval was proud to host aworld cup short track competition. From Oct. 19 to 21, the SamsungISU World Cup Short Track #1 brought exciting short track actionto the facility. The Olympic Oval School of Speed presented by IntactInsurance was a tremendous success with over 900 school childrenattending and cheering on their favorite teams on Friday, Oct. 19. Thisinitiative was a great opportunity to promote the sport of short trackspeed skating.During the competition, U.S. short track national team skater J.R.Celski became the first athlete ever to break the seemingly impossiblebarrier of skating under 40 seconds in a 500-metre short track race.His time was an impressive 39.93. This was a significant accomplishmentfor the Olympic Oval and the ice crew. In total, six world recordswere broken during this exciting event.The Short Track World Cup event also saw Alanna (Kraus) Handleyhonoured for her athletic accomplishments, continuing the Oval’slong-standing tradition of paying tribute to retired Olympic medaliststhat have called the Oval home.Further on into the season, the Olympic Oval brought another prestigiousevent to speed skating fans in Calgary. The Essent ISU WorldCup Sprint Speed Skating took place Jan. 19-20, 2013. Again theOval ice proved to be “The Fastest Ice in the World” when femaleKorean skater Sang-Hwa Lee smashed the ladies 500-metre worldrecord with a time of 36.80.Continuing the tradition, the Olympic Oval was thrilled to recognizeretired Olympic medalist Kristina Groves during the Essent ISUWorld Cup.In addition to the world class competitions, the 25th anniversary seasonwas topped off with special events to recognize the opening of thefacility and anniversary of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary.Two separate events were held on Feb. 13 to mark the occasion.A daytime event, Celebrate ‘88 - Reignite the Spirit, saw Dr. RogerJackson, Mayor Naheed Nenshi, University of Calgary President Dr.Elizabeth Cannon, four-time Olympic medalist Kristina Groves,Hidy & Howdy, and other special guests join the Olympic Oval andthe University of Calgary as we Shared the Legacy and reignitedthe Olympic Cauldron. Frank King, OCO ‘88 chairman (on behalfof City Council and Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi), read a specialproclamation declaring February 13 “Olympic Legacy Day”. The daywas truly memorable, with special guests, media and Calgarians of allages in attendance.The festivities continued in the evening of Feb. 13 with Celebrate88 – Legacy Skate, a retro- skating party that featured DJ Rob Faust,Calgary 2012 artist-in-residence Ramin Eshraghi-Yazdi, the IntactInsurance Pin Trading Zone and the Re/Max athlete autographsessions. This free public event drew over 1000 people dressed in ‘80’sretro outfits and official 1988 Winter Olympic Games clothing.The ice-in season was extended two weeks for the Kinesiology Gamesin March, with over 400 Kinesiology students from universities acrossCanada experiencing the University of Calgary and participating invarious events held across campus, including at the Olympic Oval.This year’s signature event, the Olympic Oval Finale, held annuallyto close out the speed skating season, was the largest ever. Over 345local, national, and international athletes skated in the competition.Again the ice conditions were fantastic and 872 personal bests wereachievedFinally, the Olympic Oval continues to be recognized for its manyresearch opportunities. The close relationships with various facultiesacross the University of Calgary campus allow for some unique andexciting research initiatives and trials.The Olympic Oval is extremely grateful to its funding partners, sponsors,athletes, coaches, staff, volunteers, and the community for theircommitment to excellence. The generous support of these groups helpsus to be the best ever and maintain our reputation as Canada’s MedalFactory. We look forward to continuing these valuable relationships.Kameron KilandDirector2 Olympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review

FacilityThe Olympic Oval received a number of upgrades to equipment and to the facility during the 25thanniversary season. Athlete areas were revamped, the physical plant underwent routine maintenance,safety upgrades were done and the building itself was improved in a few needed spots.operating at this high standard, 50% of the event floor grating wasreplaced and a fall-arrest system was installed on the link roof.The building structures also underwent a number of upgrades in2012-13.In the athlete areas, the flooring was replaced in the weight roomand new squat racks were installed. The physical plant receivedan extension to the catwalk for the condenser tower and the drifteliminators in the condenser tower were replaced. One Mycom refrigerationcompressor and the ice melt pit sump pumps were rebuilt,chiller housekeeping pads were replaced, and repairs were done tothe chiller piping.Safety is paramount at the Olympic Oval, and to keep the buildingOn the upper floor of the Olympic Oval the marmoleum tiles signalthe entrance to the upper viewing deck. These tiles are a permanentsite‐specific installation by highly acclaimed (American‐born) Torontoartist Barbara Astman. Astman has been commissioned for public artprojects since the mid-1980s. This floor installation was one of the firstpublic commissions of her career. The floor was refurbished in 2013 forthe 25th anniversary according to Astman’s specifications and artisticvision.In addition to the refurbishment of the floor, 20 of the Oval’s skylightglass panels were replaced, some deteriorated patio blocks on Northpatio were replaced and the Calgary ’88 Olympic cauldron was refurbished(courtesy of ATCO Gas).In addition, a facility study was completed to determine if the centrestairwell leading to the infield of the Oval ice could be widened toaccommodate a higher volume of pedestrian traffic.Olympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review 3

ProgramsThe Olympic Oval kicked off the 2012-2013 skating season on July 3, 2012, with short track andlong track speed skaters, and Dinos women’s hockey players returning to the Oval ice for training.Oval program skaters Jesse Slusar (short track) and Kate Hanly (long track), along with Dinowomen’s hockey players Elana Lovell and Brie Harris skated out on to the ice in a small ceremonyto mark the occasion.The season was an exciting one, with the venue celebrating its 25thChina Exchangeyear and the 25th anniversary of the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.In this pre-Olympic year, Oval athletes vying for spots in Sochiwere focused on making it their best season ever.Skin SuitsThis season, the Oval Program athletes also unveiled the newly brandedOval Program skin suits. The suits were sponsored by two of theOlympic Oval’s biggest supporters, Pembina and Intact Insurance. Thelong track high performance suits were produced by Dutch manufacturerHunter, who have also developed suits for many national teamsin Europe. The short track suits were made by Quebec-based Apogee.These suits incorporate full body Dynema, making them fast andvery safe. The Oval Program skaters hit the ice in their new skin suitslooking stylish and like a cohesive team on the ice!Salt Lake CityIn August 2012, the Oval Program short track skaters went to SaltLake City Utah for a training camp and to participate in the DesertClassic competition.In October/November of 2012, 13 athletes from the short track OvalProgram were selected to participate in an exchange to Changchun,China. Shawn Holman, Associate Director of Sport and coaches AlMcIlveen and Mengyao Qi travelled with the team. Scott Beamish,Jacob McKenzie, Jesse Slusar, Keegan Christ, Keil Hillis, JordanHenkelman, Henry Thriscutt, Elizabeth Gordon, Jamie MacDonald,Taylor Schmidt, Samantha Morrison, Hannah Morrison and KeriMorrison were the athletes selected for this trip. In return, the Changchunspeed skating team are coming to Calgary in August 2013.SuccessesThere were many successes for the Oval Program coaches and athletesthis year. Oval Program long track coach Arno Hoogveld was selectedto represent Canada as a coach for Long Track Junior World Championshipsin Collalbo, Italy. In addition, five Oval Program skaters(Kate Hanly, Josie Spence, Vincent de Haître, Cooper Hunter andStefan Dilger) qualified for this competition.Long track coaches Crispin Parkinson and Todd McClements coachedat several long track World Cups. Todd also coached Kali Christ to afifth-place finish at the Long Track World Single Distance Championshipsin Sochi, Russia.Oval Program skaters posted multiple top-five finishes at CanadaCups and North American Championships.4 Olympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review

Coaches & AthletesOlympic Oval ProgramLong Track Coaches• Abby Ennis• Arno Hoogveld• Todd McClements• Crispin ParkinsonOlympic Oval ProgramShort Track Coaches• Al McIlveen• Mengyao QiOlympic Oval ProgramPart-ime Coaches• Mike Ireland• Jeff KituraOlympic Oval Program Long Track Skaters• Darwin Ambros SASK• Adam Ashdown BC• Katie Babich SASK• Ryan Bailey ONT• Mark Beitel SASK• Jordan Bertagnolli AB• Dan Carruthers ONT• Braden Clouthier BC• Sophie Croteau AB• Hannah Curwin USA• Christopher Daeninck MB• Mark Dauwerse NED• Vincent De Haitre ONT• Stefan Dilger AB• Lucas Duffield AB• Hewson Elliott MB• Hillary Fast SASK• Kyle Gendron MB• Aedan Giffin BC• Sarah Gregg AB• Suzanne Hamilton AB• Troy Henry YKN• Britta Herlitz GER• Jackson Hill AB• Sarah Hopkins ONT• Cooper Hunter AB• James Inglis BC• Arthur Iwaniszyn AB• Lillian Iwaniszyn AB• Kevin Jagger BC• Jenessa Kemp AB• Andrew Lawler MB• Kristian Lay AB• Patrick Marsh ONT• Myles Matheson ONT• Justin Maunder ABOlympic Oval Program Short Track Skaters• Nolan Messer AB• Connor McConvey ONT• Heather McLean MB• Dustin Miller ONT• Axel Morin SASK• Ashley Nelson BC• Elliott Nelson SASK• Jess Neufeld MB• Keira Poelzer AB• Julius Pokol ONT• Kelly Prokopchuk AB• Anna Ringsred USA• Josie Spence BC• Jeanette Steinmann BC• Tristan Stepnuk MB• Pieter Stoffel SASK• Danielle Wallish AB• Michael Wrubleski SASK• Simon Austin NWT• Jun Bae AB• Scott Beamish PEI• Keegan Christ SASK• Hannah Clark NWT• Heather Clarke YKN• Paul Cooney AB• Elizabeth Gordon MB• Jordan Henkelman AB• Keil Hillis AB• Kyohei Ito JPN• Yuhei Kawashima JPN• Damian Konotopetz MB• Jamie Lee BC• Jamie Macdonald BC• Michael Marsh SASK• Nicole Maseja AB• Jacob McKenzie ONT• Kaelin McNally BC• Hannah Morrison ONT• Samantha Morrison ONT• Marika Nadal AB• Kanji Nishina JPN• Maddison Pearman AB• Taylor Schmidt ONT• Yijun Shi AB• Courtney Shmyr BC• Kirath Singh IND• Jesse Slusar SASK• Gabrielle St-Germain ONT• Henry Thriscutt ONTSpeed Skating CanadaNational Long TrackTeam Coaches• Michael Crowe• Gregor Jelonek• Todd McClements• Bart Schouten• Xiuli Wang• Mark WildSpeed Skating CanadaNational Short TrackTeam Coaches• Jon CavarSpeed Skating CanadaNational Long Track Team• Jordan Belchos• Anastasia Bucsis• Kali Christ• Gilmore Junio• Cindy Klassen• Lucas Makowsky• Denny Morrison• Christine Nesbitt• Brittany SchusslerSpeed Skating Canada National Short Track TeamSpeed Skating Canada Development Long Track Team• Scott Bickerton• Ivanie Blondin• Alex Boisvert-Lacroix• Martin Corbett• William Dutton• Kate Hanly• Kaylin Irvine• Alec Janssens• Leo Landry• Kirsti Lay• Richard MacLennan• Mykola Makowsky• Lauren McGuire• Tamara Oudenaarden• Kyle Parrot• Shannon Remple• Philippe Riopel• Tori Spence• Brianne Tutt• Stefan Waples• Justin Warsylewicz• Danielle Wotherspoon• Jessica Gregg • Keri Morrison • Gabrielle Williamson-DerraughOlympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review 5

PublicPublic Skating and RunningPublic and recreationalprograms continued at theOval and allowed all Calgariansto visit and enjoythe facility. Public skatingand public runningattendance totalled over32,000. This year saw thesuccessful introduction ofseason’s passes, offeringthe public the opportunityto enjoy more recreational time at the Olympic Oval for a reduced rate.This season also saw the phasing out of printed schedules and all publicschedules were introduced in a digital, online format. This allowedusers to check public skating and public running, as well as club andlesson times online.Skate Your Boots OffPublic skating began on July 3, 2012. As a special kick-off to theOlympic Oval’s 2012-2013 season, the Oval recognized the 100thanniversary of the Calgary Stampede with “Skate Your Boots Off” iceskating event from July 6 through July 15, 2012.All cowboys, cowgirls and little cowpokes were welcome to comedown to the Olympic Oval during public skating hours to cool off on“the Fastest Ice in the World”. The “Skate Your Boots Off” eventchallenged all those in the Stampede spirit to kick off their cowboyboots and trade them in at the Oval Skate Shop for a free speed skateand helmet rental.Co-op Skate-to-WinThe popular Co-op Monday Night Skate-to-Win continued in 2012-2013with 7,700 pounds of food being collected for the Calgary Food Bank.Holiday Family SkateOn Sunday, Dec. 23, the Olympic Oval once again hosted its HolidayFamily Skate, inviting families to share in the joy of the season on“The Fastest Ice in the World”. This annual event invited families toskate with Santa and celebrate the holiday spirit on the Oval ice.Extended Holiday Public SkatingFrom Wednesday, Dec. 26 through Sunday, Dec. 30, the Olympic Ovalalso offered extended public skating hours for the festive season. Thisprovided even more opportunity for Calgarians and visitors to enjoy theworld-class facility and have fun on the 400-metre Oval long track ice.Intact Family Fun DayThe Olympic Ovalonce again hosted IntactFamily Fun Dayon “The Fastest Icein the World”, incelebration of Alberta’sprovincial FamilyDay holiday. Thismulti-faceted eventran from 12 p.m. to4 p.m. on Monday,Feb. 18, and featuredfree public skating(with a non-perishablefood donation), alongwith family-friendly activities including bounce houses, face-painting,arts and crafts from Four Cats art studio, as well as speed skating andprecision skating demonstrations.Intact Family Fun Day was an outstanding success once again, withclose to 3500 people in attendance. Sales of Papa John’s Pizza and thesilent auction raised over $5,000 for Olympic Oval programs.A special thank you goes to University of Calgary Parking Serviceswho provided free parking to our guests in Lot 10.Skate ShopThe skate shop had a very successful season in 2012-2013, with salestotalling just over $187,000. This number reflects combined sales totalsfrom rentals, services and equipment sales, with equipment sales beingthe highest revenue generator at close to $94,000 in revenue.Staff retention was high and continues to be strong with 11 employeesreturning for the 2013-2014 season.6 Olympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review

CampsSummer Speed/Masters CampTop Blade Long and Short Track CampsThe Top Blade long track and short track high performance campswere very well attended in 2012. The camps saw a total of 35 top-levelprovincial skaters come to the Olympic Oval to experience thehigh-performance training programs. Skaters trained with the bestspeed skating coaches in the country. The camps also allowed juniorathletes opportunities to experience what the National TrainingCentre has to o¬ffer.Kinesiology 201The Summer Speed camp was the Olympic Oval’s largest summercamp, welcoming over 150 participants ranging in ages from 5-18years old. Participants came from all of the provinces to attend. TheMasters Speed Camp, for mature speed skating athletes, was held inconjunction with the Summer Speed Camp. Adults came from acrossCanada to experience the “The Fastest Ice in the World”.In the fall of 2012, the Olympic Oval Program initiated, along withthe Department of Kinesiology, a lab focusing on speed skating forthe KNES 201 class. Todd McClements, one of the Oval program’scoaches, was chosen to develop and conduct this lab. The lab ran forthe fall and winter semesters, with 25 students in the course each term.Power SkatingThe Olympic Oval once again offered Power Skating Camps throughoutthe month of August. Camp sessions were one-week long and tookplace on weekday evenings starting the week of Aug. 13, 2012. Asalways, these camps offered hockey and ringette players theopportunity to improve their skills, working on stride, agility,balance and coordination. Approximately 70 participantsper week attended the Power Skating sessions.Coaches for the camps were pulled from the OlympicOval’s team of award winning, Olympic medal producingskating experts. The camps were open to Novice, Atom,Peewee and Bantam level skaters.Olympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review 7

CompetitionsAlong with the silver anniversary events, the Oval was primed to host three high profile internationalspeed skating competitions in 2012: the Samsung ISU World Cup Short Track (Oct.19-21, 2012), the Essent ISU World Cup Long Track (Jan. 19-20, 2013) and the Oval Finale(March 6-11, 2013).Samsung ISU World Cup Short Track #1Oct. 19-21, 2012 Olympic Oval CalgaryJ.R. Celski receiving his gold medal after skating a world record time of 39.937 in themen’s 500-metre at the Samsung ISU STWC.The Olympic Oval celebrated its 25th anniversary by hosting the firstISU World Cup Short Track competition of the 2012/13 season. Thisexciting event was hosted in conjunction with Speed Skating Canadaand the Alberta Amateur Speed Skating Association. The OlympicOval hosted an enthusiastic sell-out crowd over the three days ofcompetition.Catriona Le May Doan kicked off the event with a press conference onWednesday, Oct. 17, highlighting the Olympic Oval’s achievementsover the last 25 years - including 281 world records in long track andshort track speed skating, as well as the Oval’s distinction of being“Canada’s Medal Factory” with 18 Olympic medals and over 450world cup medals won by Olympic Oval trained skaters.This was the first short track World Cup held in the building since2003, and the ice conditions were ideal for new world records to beset on “the Fastest Ice in the World ”. American J.R. Celski becamethe first male to ever break the 40 second mark in the 500-metre shorttrack distance with a time of 39.937.A total of six world records were broken over the weekend, including:Vladimir Grigorev (RUS), Men’s 500-metre, 40.458; J.R. Celski(USA), Men’s 500-metre, 39.937; Michael Gilday/Charles Hamelin/François Hamelin/Olivier Jean (CAN), Men’s 5000-metre relay,6:30.958; Yoon-Gy Kwak (KOR), Men’s 1000-metre, 1:23.007;Valerie Maltais (CAN), Women’s 1000-metre, 1.27.653; and Suk HeeShim (KOR), Women’s1000-metre,1:26.661Alanna Kraus TributeOn Saturday, Oct. 20, duringthe ISU World Cup ShortTrack event, the OlympicOval celebrated the raising ofa tribute banner to short trackspeed skater Alanna (Kraus)Handley to the Olympic OvalWall of Champions. TheWall of Champions recognizesoutstanding Olympicmedallists who have called theOlympic Oval home duringtheir careers.Catriona Le May Doan hosted the induction ceremony, andKraus-Handley was joined on stage by her husband Glen, her children,and her two siblings. Alanna’s longtime coach from 1998 to 2000,Yvon DeBlois, sent his congratulations and teammate Beth Whitmeesaid a few words in her honour. Ice technicians Mick Kiddle andJoachim Kuzel unveiled the tribute banner, representing the crew whocreate “the Fastest Ice in the World” – a big factor in Kraus-Handley’ssuccess as a speed skater and the overall success of the OlympicOval as a speed skating facility (259 long track world records and 30short track world records have been set on the Oval ice).Kraus-Handley was a member of Canada’s national team from 1998 to2008, and brought home a bronze medal in the 3000-metre relay fromthe 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and a silver medal in the3000-metre relay from the 2006 Winter Games in Torino.Her banner joined those of short track Olympic gold medalist DerrickCampbell; three-time long track Olympic medalist Catriona Le MayDoan; Olympic medalist and 2012 Canada Sports Hall of Fameinductee Jeremy Wotherspoon; two-time Olympic silver medalist inlong track Susan Auch; and long track Olympic bronze medallist inthe 500-metre from the 1998 Winter Olympics, Kevin Crockett.Later in the season, four-time Olympic medallist Kristina Groves alsojoined the auspicious group as her banner was raised at the Essent ISUWorld Cup Long Track competition in January.8 Olympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review

Olympic Oval School of School of SpeedDay presented by Intact Insuranceof Speed Day presented by Intact Insurance. This special day gavestudents from across the city a unique opportunity to cheer on theworld’s best speed skaters in the preliminary heats of the Samsung ISUWorld Cup Short Track #1.This program was designed for grade four, five and six students andoffered each school: return-trip transportation to the Olympic Oval forthe event; a complimentary ticket for each student and all accompanyingadult supervisors; sport-specific materials to support theschool’s division two curriculum; an interactive in-school presentationprovided by current Oval Program high-performance speed skatingathletes; and an event gift bag as a souvenir of this international shorttrack event.On Friday, Oct. 19, 951 Calgary school children and their supervisorsdescended on the Olympic Oval for the Olympic Oval SchoolThe response to the program was amazing and the bleachers at theOlympic Oval were packed full of excited students, teachers andchaperones for the first day of the Samsung ISU World Cup ShortTrack #1.Competitions Held at the Olympic Oval in 2012-2013Summer Classic• Aug. 11-12Short Track SingleDistance Series #1• Sept. 8Fall World Cup ShortTrack Selections• Sept. 14, 15, 16Short Track SingleDistance Series #2• Sept. 22Short Track SingleDistance Series #3• Sept. 29Short Track Oktoberfest• Oct. 12-14Samsung ISU ShortTrack World Cup #1• Oct. 19-21World Cup Long TrackTrials/Oval Invitational• Nov. 1-4Short Track SingleDistance Series #4• Nov. 10CanAm/Jr World Cup• Nov. 15-18Canadian Championships/Can Cup #2• Jan. 3-6Long Track Time Trials• Jan. 12Short Track SingleDistance Series #5• Jan. 12Essent ISU World CupSpeed Skating (Long Track)• Jan. 19-20Short Track SingleDistance Series #6• Feb. 9Winterfest Short Track• Feb. 23-24Fall Classic• Sept. 28-30Olympic Oval Finale/Canada Cup #4• Mar. 6-11Olympic Oval operations team and short track world record holders on the ice at the Samsung ISU World Cup Short TrackOlympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review 9

Finale/Canada Cup #4Canadian and International athletes flocked to the Olympic Oval fromMar. 6 to 11, 2013 for the last Canada Cup (Single Distance) competitionof the season, the Olympic Oval Finale/Canada Cup #4. The eventconcluded the Oval’s exciting 25th anniversary competition season andwas the prelude to the 2013-2014 Olympic year.Athletes from around the world arrived at the Oval for this highlightevent that saw top athletes from Norway, Finland, Japan, Mongolia,France, The Netherlands, Poland, Australia, USA, and Canada competefor personal bests. Oval Finale is an annual event with a reputationfor fast times, and skaters are eager to take a shot at country and worldrecords.Competition started on Wednesday, Mar.6 with the men’s 3000-metreraces. Friday saw the kick-off of the sprint portion of the competitionand the event wrapped-up on Monday, Mar. 11 with the men’s and ladies1500-metre distances and Mass Start races for both ladies and men.Overall prizes were provided by Van Horne skates. Oval Finale’s BestCanadian Skater went to Guillaume Blais-Dufour. VH PerformanceShort Track Boots, provided by VH Speed Skating, were awarded toGuillame. Kaitlynn Mcgregor of Switzerland was awarded the BestInternational Skater award, and took home a pair of VH PerformanceShort Track Boots, also provided by VH Speed Skating. Kaitlynn skated39.86 in the 500-metre and 1.17.93 in the 1000-metre.Brothers of the Wind country record pins were awarded to: Ogawa Takuroof Japan, who celebrated breaking the 5000-metre Japanese juniornational record in 6.27.01; men’s 500-metre National record holdersDarren Huang of Chinese Taipei, Galbaatar Uuganbaatar of Mongolia,Kirat Singh of India and Mark Jackson of New Zealand; Yota Konna,who broke a 12-year Japanese 1500-metre national record in a time of1.45.37; and ladies 500-metre national record holders Kaitlynn Mc-Gregor of Switzerland (40.06) and Dalanbayar Delgermaa of Mongolia(42.69). Douwe de Vries from The Netherlands also received a “Brothersof the Wind” pin from Olympic Oval Director, Kam Kiland.In total, 872 personal bests were set at this year’s Finale.As a special add-on to this year’s Finale, Pembina hosted a barbeque onthe North patio for corporate guests.Kristina Groves TributeA special tribute ceremony washeld Saturday, Jan. 19, inductingfour-time Olympic medallist, Universityof Calgary graduate andAlumni of the Year award-winnerKristina Groves onto the OlympicOval Wall of Champions.Groves won a silver medal in the1500-metre and Team Pursuit in2006 in Turin, and a silver medalin the 1500-metre and bronzein the 3000-metre at the 2012Vancouver Winter Games. Shewas also part of setting three world records in the Team Pursuit duringher illustrious career.Olympic Oval Chief Plant Manager, Mark Messer and OlympicOval Competitions Coordinator, Gregg Planert, presented the Wallof Champions plaque and read the tribute to Kristina on behalf of theOlympic Oval. Xiuli Wang (Kristina’s former coach), Steve Armitage(media colleague and friend), Kristina’s partner Scott Maw, family andfriends also joined in the ceremony. With this induction, Kristina’simage now sits alongside the other inductees to inspire generations ofCanadian and international guests to dream big and follow their dreams.Olympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review 11

25th AnniversaryOn September 30, 1981, Calgary won the bid to host the 1988 Winter Olympics. On Sept. 27,1987, the Olympic Oval at the University of Calgary opened its doors to the public. National andinternational visitors, athletes, coaches, staff, faculty, families and the U of C community gatheredto celebrate the occasion. Being the first covered speed skating oval in North America, the Ovalwas set to offer public skating, public running, hockey, speed skating competitions, special eventsand year-round training for speed skaters and high performance athletes.The Olympic Oval was part of an expanded physical educationfacility at the U of C, with new structures, including: a seven-lane,Olympic Oval 2012 Gala115-metre running track; a high-performance weightlifting centre;a recreational fitness centre; 17 squash and racquetball courts; anoutdoor centre and climbing wall; and a world-class gym seating4,500 for volleyball and basketball. The very significant addition ofthe sports medicine centre was also part of this expansion.The Olympic flame arrived in Calgary on Feb. 13, 1988 after an88-day cross country odyssey, signaling the start of the 1988 WinterOlympic Games. Olympic Oval general manager and 1976 longtrack speed skating Olympic medalist Cathy Priestner-Allinger, alongwith ski racer, two-time Olympian and leader of the “Crazy Canucks”Ken Read, carried the torch into a jam-packed McMahon stadium.Speed skating made its indoor Olympic debut at the Olympic Oval.At the time, short track was still a demonstration sport but is now asanctioned Olympic Sport.London LoungeThe Olympic Oval London Lounge opened for guests to view Canada’sbroadcast of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games from July 27 -Aug. 12, 2012. The event saw the main floor Oval lounge transformedinto the Olympic Oval London Lounge, offering broadcast viewing ofthe games, highlighting Calgary-trained athletes who were competingin London 2012. It was place for the community to come together,share the spirit of the Olympics and celebrate Canada’s achievementson the international stage. Everyone was encouraged to come by theOlympic Oval to participate in the festivities!Olympic Oval athlete bursary winners, from left to right: Kali Christ, Ashley Nelson andDustin Miller.One of the highlights of the 2012-2013 season was the Olympic Oval2012 Gala, hosted by Catriona Le May Doan and presented by MorrisonHomes and United Communities. The Gala was held on Sept. 27,2012, the 25th anniversary (to the day) of the Oval’s opening ceremony.It was an exclusive evening devoted to celebrating and supporting theOlympic Oval’s Athlete Bursary Fund and high performance programs.The purpose of this fund is to financially support the athletic careersof Canadian speed skaters in a variety of ways, including: helpingathletes pay competition travel fees, purchase new training equipment,pay rent and buy food. Since 2004, 40 athletes have received awardsfrom the fund. This year, eight athletes received bursary funding.This red-carpet affair celebrated 25 years of excellence, with specialguest athletes, a tantalizing market-style dinner reception showcasingtop Calgary chefs, exciting live and silent auctions, plus photo opportunitieswith Olympians and Olympic Oval athletes.Because of huge support from our Oval friends and partners, theOlympic Oval Gala sold out this year and raised over $44,000. Thisgenerosity goes a long way in assisting the Olympic Oval high performanceathletes in their pursuit of excellence.12 Olympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review

Cauldron RefurbishmentOn Jan. 23, 2013, The Olympic Oval welcomed back the refurbished Olympic Oval Cauldron for the 25thanniversary of the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympic Games. The refurbishment came just in time for theOlympic Oval’s celebration of the 25th anniversary of the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics on Feb. 13. It wasa timely gift from ATCO Gas to mark the 25th anniversary of the Oval and its place as a legacy facility atthe University of Calgary and for the city of Calgary.ATCO Gas completed the re-installation process of the cauldron at the north entrance of the Olympic Ovalunderneath the red spire in front of a crowd of Oval staff and athletes, University and ATCO Gas representatives,Calgarians, and local and national media.Celebrate ‘88 Legacy DayOn Feb. 13, 2013 the Olympic Oval and the University of Calgary marked the 25th anniversary of the 1988Calgary Winter Olympic Games with two special events. As a legacy facility built for the ‘88 Games, theOval continues to embody the Olympic spirit of excellence.The events scheduled for this historic day were: a commemorative torch relay, including the lighting of therecently refurbished (by ATCO Gas) Olympic Cauldron by Olympian Kristina Groves, the reading of aspecial City of Calgary proclamation declaring February 13 “Olympic Legacy Day” read by Frank KingOCO ‘88 chairman, and a nighttime retro skating party.The daytime event, Celebrate ‘88 - Reignite the Spirit, saw Dr. Roger Jackson carry the torch to the400-metre Oval ice, passing it to 12-year-old Calgary Speed Skating Association skater Jack Deibertand Oval Program athlete Suzanne Hamilton. Mayor Naheed Nenshi then proudly carried the flameand handed the torch to University of Calgary President Elizabeth Cannon, who then passed it tofour-time Olympic medallist Kristina Groves to light the cauldron. Hidy & Howdy and many specialguests also joined the Olympic Oval and the University of Calgary as we Shared the Legacy.The torch relay was followed by a media conference and a cake cutting ceremony, with Fuelfor Gold supplying the cake. The day was truly memorable and was captured by themedia and Calgarians of all ages who were in attendance.In the evening, Calgary ‘88 volunteer gear and ‘80s retro outfits were out in fullforceor the Olympic Oval’s Celebrate 88 - Legacy Skate! DJ Rob Faust laid downsome groovy 1980s beats, and Calgary 2012 artist-in-residence Ramin Eshraghi-Yazdiwas on-hand to premier his short films and outdoor video projection. TheSpirit of ‘88 was alive and well at the Olympic Oval!The evening events also featured public skating, Tim Hortons coffee and hotchocolate, and an Interactive Zone which featured a 25th anniversary complimentarypin provided by Intact Insurance, pin-trading, REMAX athlete autographsessions and special guests to highlight this historic anniversary for the Universityof Calgary, the Olympic Oval and the City of Calgary. The Calgary Sun andQR77 Radio were the media sponsors for the evening, and QR77provided a live radio broadcast from the venue for the event.Olympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review 13

Community OutreachUnited Way Plane PullReel Fun Film Festival: Cool RunningsOval Program short track athletes and U of C Dinos, along with CatrionaLe May Doan, took part in the first-ever Calgary United WayPlane Pull on Sunday, June 24 at the Calgary Airport. Our athleteswere part of the University of Calgary team and the event was an initiativeto raise money for the United Way. Not only did they take part,but THEY WON! This was great exposure for the Oval and everyonehad a great time. Congratulations to our Oval team!Doors Open YYCThe Olympic Oval participated in the first Doors Open YYC event onSept. 29 and 30, 2012. Doors Open YYC was a city-wide event thatinvited people to see and experience aspects of buildings and spacesthat had never been shared before. For two days only, the public wasgranted access—free of charge—to 35 premier sites for exclusive tours,events and insider information sessions allowing them to get to knowCalgary in a way that was never before possible. Behind-the-scenestours of the Olympic Oval were led by various key staff.Calgary 2012 AIRThe Artist in Residency (AIR) Program was part of the Calgary 2012Cultural Capital of Canada initiative and was designed to explore theCalgary 2012 themes of Looking Back, Calgary Now and LookingForward. It connected artists and historians with other aspects of Calgary’sdiverse identity such as: commerce, sports, agriculture, science,technology and other urban and suburban experiences. Residenciestook place in unexpected, everyday spaces to engage and delight thepublic.The Reel Fun Film Festival was the North American host for the 20thAnniversary celebration of Disney’s family favorite Cool Runnings onSaturday, Feb. 2, 2013. Cool Runnings is the 1993 family film, starringthe late John Candy, loosely based on the true story of the Jamaicanational bobsled team’s debut in the bobsleigh competition of the1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. The Olympic Oval facility, athletesand staff at the time were prominently featured in this film. The Ovalmarketing team attended the screening to invite those in attendance tocome back to the Oval.Mayors Walk: Calgary GreenwayWalk-with-Us FestivalOlympic Oval athletes and staff joined Mayor Nenshi and local celebritiesfor a free family-friendly event along The Calgary Greenwaywalkway north from 64th Ave NE to the Saddlebrook play park onFriday, June 22. This fun and leisurely walk was held to mark theopening of the new pathway. This inaugural event hosted 1,000 plusparticipants, including families, sponsors, dignitaries and celebrityguests.The Olympic Oval was successful in its application to host an artist-in-residenceas part of this program, and welcomed film and videoartist Ramin Eshraghi-Yazdi as our Calgary 2012 AIR for our 25thanniversary season.Ramin produced five pieces as part of his residency, including videoshighlighting the Oval`s short track skaters, long track skaters andice making crew. He also filmed a narrative piece based on his firstexperience of the Oval as a newcomer to Canada and a promo piece onthe Oval facility and programs. Ramin`s work was an integral part ofthe Celebrate `88 Legacy Day celebrations on Feb. 13, 2013. Visit theOlympic Oval YouTube site to view these amazing pieces and showsupport for local Calgary artists.14 Olympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review

Awards & AppearancesJeremy Wotherspoon Induction intoCanada’s Sports Hall of Fame• Oct. 18, 2012Alanna Kraus banner raising on TheOlympic Oval Wall of Champions• Oct. 20, 2012 (at Samsung ISU World Cup Short Track competition)Kristina Groves banner raising on TheOlympic Oval Wall of Champions• Jan. 19, 2012 (at Essent ISU World Cup Speed Skating competition)John Thorpe Recognition• Oct. 21, 2012 (at Samsung ISU World Cup Short Track competition).John Thorpe was recognized for his role as chairmanof the 1988 short track event at the Max Bell arena, his involvementas member of the Olympic Oval building committee andhis long-time service as a volunteer with the Calgary organizingcommittee.Hans Terstappen Recognition• Mar. 10, 2013 (at Canada Cup Final/Olympic Oval FINALE)(describe recognition). Long time starter Hans Terstappen wasrecognized for his years of dedication and service to speed skatingand to the Olympic Oval. Hans was a Long Track Speed Skatingofficial for 24 years, and was on the starter at the Olympic Ovalover many seasons and many competitions.Olympic Oval• Winner, U of C PowerOFF Challenge (competition between U ofC buildings to reduce energy use and raise money for the UnitedWay)Olympic Oval 2012-2013 Bursary Winners• Heather Clarke• Josie Spence• Katie Babich• Jesse Slusar• Pieter Stoffel• Dan Carruthers• Dustin Miller• Axel MorinSpeaking EngagementsOlympic Oval Associate Director of Sport, Marcel Lacroix, participatedin a number of speaking engagements over the season, including:2012 Cal Botterhill Lecture series Winnipeg, October 2012),2012 Coaches of Canada Sport Leadership (Montreal, November) andthe 2013 Calgary City Teacher’s Convention (Calgary, February).Lauren McGuire• Olympic Oval Program long track speed skater, 2012 ARCResources Inspiring Excellence ScholarshipOlympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review 15

MarketingIce out eventsIOC AnnouncementOn June 18, 2012, a special reception was held on the OlympicOval third level to celebrate the official opening of the Sport InjuryPrevention Research Centre, located in the Faculty of Kinesiology.The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Medical and ScientificDepartment recognized the University of Calgary, Sport InjuryPrevention Research Centre as an international leader in research andsports injury prevention. The centre was named as one of the IOC’sfour international sport injury prevention research sites. The othercentres are located in Cape Town, South Africa, Melbourne, Australiaand Oslo, Norway.CommunicationsThe Olympic Oval held four ice-out events in April and May of2012. The Flat Track Fever roller derby tournament, the CalgaryYouth Science Fair, the Cassie Campbell Street Hockey Festival andDriven 2012 were the four events showcasing the diversity of thefacility, and the year-round schedule. The 2011-2012 speed skatingseason was over, but there was still plenty to see and experience atthe Olympic Oval.Corporate and Not-For-Profit Christmas PartiesThe Oval also continued offering Calgary’s Olympic legacy venue tocorporate and not-for-profit organizations for their Christmas parties.These parties offered these groups the opportunity to experiencethe Olympic Oval during the festive season. Progress Energy, SNCLavalin Hydrocarbons and Chemicals, Stampede City GymnasticsClub, Trotter and Morton Tech Inc., U of C Alumni Skate, U of CGymnastics, and U of C School of Veterinary Medicine all held theirseasonal parties at the Oval in 2012-2013.Supporting University of Calgary (U of C)Congratulations class of 2012! The Olympic Oval has been part of theUniversity of Calgary convocation ceremonies for many years. This season,the University marshalled the 2012 Graduates in the Olympic Ovalfacilities for convocation conducted: May 9-10, June 4-8 and Nov. 13.The Olympic Oval also participated in the U of C Fall OrientationWeek, welcoming back new and returning students and alumni by invitingthem to the Olympic Oval for facility tours and public skating.From Mar. 22-24, 2013 the University of Calgary hosted the KinesiologyGames. This event is a gathering of Canadian Kinesiology andHuman Kinetics undergraduate students that was first hosted at theUniversity of Toronto in 2001. The Olympic Oval south rink was thevenue for the Kinesiology Games ringette competition held on Mar.22 and Mar. 23.In 2012-2013 the media returned to the Oval en-masse, with a spikein media coverage for the 25th anniversary season. Regular press releaseswere sent out to inform local, national, and international mediaof events, competitions and news.Highlights of the media coverage included:Excellent coverage of the Olympic Oval London Lounge, with alllocal television, newspaper dailies and online media picking up thestory of the community Olympic viewing lounge.Great coverage of the Olympic Oval Gala presented by MorrisonHomes and United Communities. The media coverage show cased thebursary winners and Oval Program athletes, bringing a human-interest,local angle to the stories.• The Discovery Channel chose the Oval to shoot an episode of DailyPlanet for the “Alan Nursall Experience – Speed Skating” segment.• Media came out in full-force to cover the ATCO Gas refurbishmentand installation of the Olympic Oval Cauldron for the 25thanniversary celebrations.• Celebrate ’88 Legacy Day was the culmination of the mediacoverage for the year, with a full contingent of local, nationaland international media attending the daytime torch relay, pressconference and cake cutting. Shawn Holman, Director of HighPerformance Sport, also participated in an hour long phone-inon CBC Radio’s Wild Rose Country to discuss the Oval and itsplace as an Olympic legacy facility.• Coverage outside of the sports media, including great coverage ofthe Calgary 2012 artist-in-residence initiative, the refurbishmentof the third floor tile installation, the Olympic Oval LondonLounge and Celebrate ’88 Legacy Day.16 Olympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review

Total Local, national and international coverage of the SamsungWorld Cup Short Track competition included:Local print:...................................................................................14Local online:................................................................................33Local TV:..................................................... nightly* highlights onGlobal Calgary, CTV CalgaryLocal Radio:.............................daily* mentions news QR77, Q107,1260 AM, 1150 AM, CBC Calgary, pluslive broadcast from VPI daily QR77National print:................................................................................7National online:............................................................................81National TV:................................................................................10National Radio:..............................................................................3International Print:........................2 (including Sports Illustrated)International online:.....................................................................61*Oct. 19-21, 2012In addition to these highlights, there was ample opportunity over theseason for the media to talk about the Oval. The Olympic Oval wasin the news almost weekly throughout the season and also played hostto a number of organizations, including the Canadian Olympic Committee,for photo and film shoots. The Olympic Oval’s media contactlist almost tripled as the Communications and Community RelationsSpecialist broadened our reach to include lifestyle, entertainment andthe arts media.looking for information on competitions, public skating and schedulesfor public skating times and high performance times. The in-housewebcam also continued to be a popular feature.The website was modified slightly in 2012-2013 to feature moreuser-friendly left navigation and increased content.E-NewsletterThe Olympic Oval Marketing, Events and Communications teaminitiated an e-newsletter in 2012-2013 to manage some of the Oval’scommunications initiatives throughout the season. An internal staffnewsletter was developed and disseminated via emailn, keeping Ovalstaff up-to-date on what was happening in the facility. In addition,e-newsletters were used to distribute invitations to the Celebrate ’88Legacy Day events, inviting Oval alumni, partners, supporters andspecial guests to the festivities.Social MediaIt was an extremely successful year overall for the Olympic Oval in themedia, and this momentum will continue as the 2013-2014 Olympicyear begins.Media Sponsorship• The Calgary Sun provided support to the Olympic Oval Galawith newspaper ads and an e-news blast to promote the event.They once again partnered with the Olympic Oval as a seasonsponsor as well. Their continued support ensures the OlympicOval maintains its status as a “Best Ever” legacy facility.• Corus Radio supported both the Gala and the Celebrate ’88Legacy Skate through live on-location broadcasts for these events.Facebook Likes*:................................................................1,007Twitter Followers*:................................................................ 916YouTube Stats*:................................................ 5,615 video views*as of May 20, 2013• The Calgary Sun and Corus Radio both sponsored the SamsungISU World Cup Short Track event through print advertising, onairpromotion, website events listings, and Corus Radio sent theirstreet team and cruiser to the event.• Shine FM sponsored Intact Family Fun Day and the annualOlympic Oval Christmas Skate with on-air promotions, websitelistings and a live, on location broadcast on Family Day.Olympic Oval WebsiteOver the course of the season, the Olympic Oval website had 87,706visitors, with the majority of visitors coming from Canada. Users fromthe United States, the Netherlands and Norway were the top threeinternational visitors to the site. The majority of visitors to the site wereOlympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review 17

UpcomingCommemorative BookThis fall the Olympic Oval will unveil a commemorative book writtento celebrate the 25 years of excellence and to cap-off the facility’s 25thanniversary season. This book will feature highlights of Oval momentsover the past quarter-century and will honour the achievements ofathletes, staff and everyone who has had a part in building “Canada’sMedal Factory”. Visit oval.ucalgary.ca to order yours today.Olympic Oval Sochi Lounge Feb. 7-23, 2014Continuing with the tradition of providing a community viewingspace for guests to watch the Olympic Games, the Olympic Oval willhost the Sochi Lounge for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi,Russia. The broadcast viewing party will kick off with the openingceremoniesOlympic Trials Dec./Jan.The Olympic Oval is proud to host the 2014 Olympic Selectionsand Canadian Single Distances Championships in December 2013and January 2014. These competitions are the highest level domesticcompetition with limited entry to Canada’s fastest 20 speed skaters ineach distance.The championships are the selection competition for the Sochi 2014Olympics, winter World Cup competitions, world sprint championshipsand the continental championships. The women’s distances are500-metre, 1000-metre, 1500-metre, 3000-metre and 5000-metreand the men’s distances are 500-metre, 1000-metre, 1500-metre,5000-metre and 10000-metre.ISU World Cup Nov. 8-10, 2013The Organizing Committee Calgary will once again host, on behalfof Speed Skating Canada, the ISU World Cup Speed Skating. ThisWorld Cup will take place at the Olympic Oval from November 8-10,2013. It is another chance for long track speed skating fans to see Canada’sOlympians and rising stars compete against the fastest skaters inthe world. This competition will be one of the highlights of the season,with the Olympics on the horizon.Stay ConnectedThis season stay connected to the Olympic Oval. Sign up for e-news atoval.ucalgary.ca. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.18 Olympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review

AcknowledgementsSpecial thanks to our sponsors and partners for their support. These partnerships are invaluable and we encourageyou to recognize their contribution to the Olympic Oval by supporting them.LEGACY PARTNERSMAJOR SPONSORSRoofing Ltd.SUPPORTERSSPORT PARTNERSOlympic Oval 2012-13 Annual Review 19