Making stridesTeam Japan hits ARC with lessons in humidity
Cam Tucker, The Abbotsford Mission Times
Published: Friday, January 29, 2010
www2.canada.com/abbotsfordtimes/news/story.html?id=2ef79c59-8402-42c4-98fd-da74de9d6d5fThe opening ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics are 15 days away but there was a sign in Abbotsford on Tuesday that the Games are already here.
The Japanese Olympic short track speed skating team kicked off their nine-day training camp for the upcoming Games at the Abbotsford Recreation Centre with much fan fare and curiosity.
It's only been a few days, but their experience in Abbotsford has been a positive one so far, said Ayako Tsubaki, coach for the national short track speed skating team.
The people here are very nice and they're working hard to help us be here which is really nice," Tsubaki said.
"It's more relaxed compared to Japan."
The visitors from the land of the rising sun garnered a lot of attention on their first day in Abbotsford as 159 spectators filed into the ARC for the team's initial training session.
The extra interest didn't faze Tsubaki or her skaters, and while the past few days have been hectic for the Japanese team, they still have aspirations of taking home some hardware.
"We want to get a medal," she said.
"That's what we've been shooting for the last couple of years."
The training camp has also thrown Tourism Abbotsford into high gear, said the organization's manager for sales and marketing Allison Longshore.
"I think we're still in shock that finally the time has come and the Games' training camps have started," she said. "We have adapted very easily to their needs, which is great."
One of those needs was trying to find the appropriate temperature and humidity inside the team's hotel rooms, so Tourism Abbotsford went out and found 11 humidifiers, which they are covering the cost for, to accommodate its guests.
"Those are the types of things we've been dealing with over the past few days," she said.
Prior to the arrival of the Japanese skaters, Tourism Abbotsford was inundated with over 600 requests to volunteer from folks in Abbotsford and throughout the Fraser Valley.
"I just want to say thank you to the people [here] because they're putting in a lot of effort to host us so I appreciate that," said Tsubaki. Later tonight, the Japanese speed skating team will meet with the Matsqui Blades speed skating team for an hour to talk about different training methods and share their knowledge, Longshore said.
There will also be a meet and greet for the public to interact with the skaters on Sunday from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. at The Reach Gallery Museum in Abbotsford, located at 32388 Veterans Way.
- In other local Olympic news, the Russian Olympic figure skating team arrives on Sunday to begin their 17-day pre-Olympic training camp in Abbotsford. They will practise at the Abbotsford Recreation Centre
