The "ovals and clubs" website is dedicated to everyone interested in the sport. This non-commercial website was created out of my interest in speed skating, architecture and design, and because no similar site existed. With a few scraps of information and a few photos to get it going, I created a simple one-page site towards the end of 1998. Thanks to contributions from various clubs and individuals since then, most gaps have now been filled.

There will hopefully never be any advertising or equivalent annoyances within the site. So what's in it for the author/editor/webmaster? Not a whole lot! But the occasional "thanks" or enthusiastic contribution makes it worth it. Plus I wouldn't want the Calgary oval to suffer a similar fate as the Montreal velodrome did, now a large "flower pot" as one former track cyclist puts it.

It's an amazing sport, and there is no feeling like it. It's extremely challenging, both technically and physically, and is quite graceful when done properly. The experts make it look easy! Go fast, have fun and meet nice people.

But a note to those wanting to try speed skating, or parents putting their kids in a speed skating program: Like many sports, serious injuries can occur. Get good coaching, keep safety in mind, and be careful when crossing the ice surface when fast skaters may be nearby!

Paul