http://www.speedskating-online.com News and background stories http://www.speedskating-online.com/abucsisaug2010.htm In terms of breakthrough seasons, it goes without saying that Anastasia Bucsis looks back on one. At the Canadian Fall World Cup Trials in Richmond last October, she surprisingly claimed the overall bronze medal in the 500m, thereby securing a spot on a World Cup team for the very first time. After this she went on to qualify for the Olympic 500m at the Canadian Single Distances Championships/Olympic Trials in Calgary last December. Bucsis reflects on her past season and looks forward to the upcoming one, which she will be skating as a member of the Canadian National Team. Mon, 16 August 2010 18:49:19 GMT http://www.speedskating-online.com/ianculescujune2010.htm To conclude our Countdown to Vancouver series, Speedskating-online talked to aspiring Olympic speed skater Alexandra Ianculescu. This 18-year-old Canadian-Romanian speed skater looks back on an amazing season. After she decided on skating for Canada instead of Romania, she started training in Calgary, which resulted in new personal best times in all distances this past season, including a 5 second drop in one race in the 1500m. And on top of that, she was able to conclude her season by skating as a forerunner at the Olympic Games in Vancouver, in February. With these great experiences to look back on, Ianculescu reflects on her season, the Olympics, and on the years to come. Sun, 20 June 2010 15:19:51 GMT http://www.speedskating-online.com/msbtmay2010.htm On June 12-13 several Canadian speed skaters will once again participate in the MS Bike Tour, a two-day 180-km trip from Airdrie to Olds and back, to help build more awareness of Multiple Sclerosis and to raise as much money as possible for MS research. They will do so as members of Team Tazza, and among them will be Denny Morrison, Olympic gold-medalist at the Vancouver Games last February. Morrison got involved in the Bike Tour when his good friend and fellow-speed skater Crystal Phillips was diagnosed with MS a few years ago and organized her first MS Bike Tour team in 2006. After solely focusing on his speed skating for such a long time because of the Olympics, Morrison now feels its time to give something back by urging people to donate to this cause. Sat, 15 May 2010 17:39:29 GMT