General Update

The past couple of weekends have seen Australian skaters putting down some times around the world.

Last weekend, Richard Goerlitz skated in Salt Lake - See his results here.

Ben Southee skated time trials over the last three weekends with good results in the 1000m and 1500m.

23rd Sept - Personal Record 1000m - 1:12.41 Calgary
3rd Oct - 1000m - 1:13.11 Calgary
10th Oct - Personal Record 1500m - 1:50.98 Calgary

Ben's 1500m time yesterday was a personal best by 2 and half seconds and only .46 of a second off the national record for that distance.

Rumour had it that Daniel Greig had returned to Australia and was visiting family in Melbourne last week after skating the World Inline Championships in China.
Daniel finished 10th in the 300m Time Trial, an event in which Joey Mantia set a new world record to win the title. A great first senior outing for Dan.

Daniel will be competing in the ISU Junior World Cup event to be held in Groningen in the Netherlands starting on the 21st November. Daniel is also the only Australian qualified to skate the 500m in World Cups so far, and he should be competing at the first World Cup in Berlin commencing the 6th of November.

Sophie Muir has already qualified for the 500m and 1000m for this season's world cups, and it is expected she will compete in Berlin. Yesterday she skated a season best 500m 40.72, and the weekend before she skated a season best 1000m 1:22.19, both in Heerenveen.

Josh Lose is the only Australian qualifier for the 5000m in World Cups this season.

The 1000m and 1500m distances are hotly contested and as per the Australian Ice Racing selection policy, the positions are yet to be decided for the upcoming World Cup season.

Josh and Ben have both met WCQT in the 1500m and Ben and Daniel in the 1000m. Preliminary entries will close tomorrow for Berlin but skaters will still have time to put down a season best time to decide who skates what distances.

Commentary has been thrown out there in regards to whether this is the best policy or not, but all skaters are aware of the qualification standard and they must now attempt to qualify based on the AIR selection policy.

Kiwi Shane Dobbin skated in Erfurt last weekend - read his blog post here.

Watch this space for more updates! It is looking like a very exciting season is about to commence!