Meet our Race Team Skaters!

Stephane Tremblay:

Stephane has skated with the OISC for several years now. He officially began speed-skating in 2000 and has been tearing up the sport ever since. Some of his achievements include: 4 time member of the National Team (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007), first place overall finish at the 42k NYC 2004 Marathon, course record holder at the 42k Winnipeg 2006 Marathon, second overall finish at the 2006 Provicials in Ontario ..and the list goes on. Stephane also completed his 52nd marathon race in 2008.

His passions include promoting inline speed skating, ice skating, cycling and reading. He has been an active coach and trainer for the club and thus been voted the OISC most outstanding skater 5 times. The Race Team wouldn't be a success without the efforts and determination of Stephane.

Sergio Almeralla

One of my first races in Mexico was a 100km ultra marathon I was under 15 and I did it on quads. Although I finished near i the back of the pack, I fell in love with the sport right there and then.

I was a top skater in Mexico for many years, where my favourite races are the 20km elimination (on track) and the 42km road marathon. I came to Ottawa in 2002, and in May of that year I finished 2nd at the NCM. Eddy Matzger and I broke from the pack in the 2nd km and skated together the next 40km. Even though we were skating on 80mm wheels, we did an incredible 1:13 which I think is still the fastest time for this course. Although I am now in the masters category, I would still like to go to the World Championships in Colombia in 2007 one more time for the 42km.

I founded Silver Sports in 2004 to bring professional skating products to my former community in Mexico, and this year I started a partnership in Canada with Stephane Tremblay, another elite skater. Our company, Il Peloton, sources professional sports products from around the world. We are both really committed to contributing to inline speedskating and have a lot of ideas about how to introduce new elements to the sport look out for us in the future!

Benoit Letourneau:

If you can believe it, I started skating only two years ago! On top of the group dynamic of the races and the need to pull together as a team, I love the adrenaline rush induced by the speed! It is really awesome. Next year is going to be my third season with the Ottawa Inline Race Team. I've already started training for it, my goals are set and if everything goes well over the winter, my competitors are in for a surprise next summer! (editor note: as if his competitors aren't already afraid of him!!)...

I came to Inline Skating from a background in Adventure Racing. In one of the races we attended, we had to skate... So the team bought skates and we started skating a bit for practice. Afterwards, since I already had the skates, I looked for an Inline club and went to one of the Ottawa Inline Club's Tuesday’s practices. 3 years later...here I am.

My background as an athlete is a bit long to get into. But the main features of my athlete’s “career” are:* 10 years of X-C skiing on the Canadian team (5 of them training full time) between 83 and 93* 2 years on the Mountain Bike national team (went to world champs in 91 and 92)* 5 years of Adventure racing with team RS (www.bentechsoft.com/srsadventures) (2001 to 2006)* 2007...

In my professional life, I work at the House of Commons as an Analyst/Programmer... I’m not a computer geek but close :-)

Dominique Lalonde:

I’ve been enjoying inline skating for the last 10+ years. Beginning as a very recreational skater, I have trained hard and in time found myself moving on to training with the Race Team... eventually becoming a member during the past few years.   I’ve enjoyed training with the Race Team quite a bit over the years, always challenging myself to better my technique and my training capacities. 
I’ve trained and raced in Australia, Mexico, the US and Canada.  I am currently on the National team, a spot I have held for the past few years. 

I also enjoy ice speedskating, biking and running... and I love to travel!

Allain Legacy:

I started inline speedskating about 4 years ago when I attempted my first race at the National Capital Marathon (Ottawa).  I finished the race in 1h29.  The challenge of improving on this finish time drove me to train harder and to join the OISC.    My first two seasons in the club were all about learning proper skating technique and learning how to race in a pack.  With hard work and assistance from the club's coaches my times progressively improved.  My personal best time on a 42km distance is now 1h08:41.23 at the Canada Day Marathon (Cambridge, On) in 2008.

Although I race in both road races and track races, I prefer road races because of the dynamic nature of the events and this year my goal is to work with my teammates to improve on our results from last year.

Bailin Xie:

Bailin started inline racing when she was 8 years old. She joined the OISC race team in 2007 when she was 10. She also competes in speed skating (short track, long track and marathons), cross-country skiing and cycling (road and cyclocross). Her major achievements for 2008 include: Long track speed skating: 7th at the national mass-start championships, Midget, Marathon Skating International (ice): 2st place overall for female under-18, Montreal marathon (inline) (42km): 1:24, Inline provincials: gold for distance, silver for sprint, set the provincial record for 2,000m, Inline nationals: silver for sprint, gold for distance, set the national records for 1,500m and 2,000m, Coupe Roller de Quebec: 1st, elite junior women, Ottawa Inline Skating Festival: Triple Crown! 21k: 3rd place, Women; 10km: 2nd place, Women, 24-hour: skated with Martine Charboneau’s Poulettes aux Roulettes team – did the 2nd fastest lap time on the team of 7:45, Road cycling: Ontario Youth Champion, PeeWee

Other achievements:
Inline national record-holder for freshman girls 1,500m and 2,000m

Her goals are to attend Junior worlds in 2010!

Hugh (Hot Dog) Xie:

Hugh started inline racing when he was 6 years old. He joined the OISC race team in 2007 when he was 8. He also competes in speed skating (short track, long track and marathons), cross-country skiing and cycling (road and cyclocross). His major achievements for 2008 include: Long track speed skating: Ontario bantam champion, Ontario record for 300m.
Marathon Skating International (ice): 1st place overall for male under-18
Montreal marathon (inline) (42km): 1:27, Inline provincials: silver, Inline nationals: silver
Ottawa Inline Skating Festival: Triple Crown, 24-hour – skated with OISC’s 2nd team – did the fastest lap time of us all - 8.08, Road cycling: Ontario Youth Champion
Hugh’s goal is to have fun...and win nationals in 2009

Lisa Meyer:

Joined the OISC race team in 2007. Cross-training: long track, short track, marathon ice, cycling, nordic skiing. Her major achievements for 2008 include: Marathon skating international (ice): 3rd place overall, women 40-49, Montreal inline marathon: 1:27, Competed in provincial and national inline championships, Coupe Roller de Quebec: 2nd overall women’s masters elite, Ottawa inline festival: Triple Crown

Other achievements:
National inline record holder for Grand Master women: 300m, 500m, 5,000m, 10,000m

Lisa’s goals for 2009 are quite simple...”catch my kids!”

Michael Garvin:

Mike has skated with the OISC Race Team from 2007-present. While an active participant in track racing, Mike prefers the open road and 42K marathons. Mike has been a marathon skater since 2005, and in 2008 he skated all of his marathon races as a Pro Masters participant. Mikes average 42K finish time in 2008 (over 9 marathons) is 1h 14m. Mike actively travels to races throughout the US and has also attended races in Germany and Mexico.

Cor Beattie:

I joined the OISC in the spring of 2007 as a recreational skater and not expecting much. However, within just a few months, I bought my first pair of race skates and began training for speed and distance. 2008 was supposed to be my breakout year but it unfortunately ended up being the opposite. Plagued with broken bones, pinched nerves and hernias, most of his year was a write off. My goals for 2009 are to become injury free, trim down physically, train hard and build my distance base. A 40 minute 21km marathon would be nice too. I am also the author of the popular Road Rash Chronicles were I outline the trials and successes of Inline Skating.

Kim Brennan:

I’ve been inline skating for the last 3+ years. Beginning as a recreational skater, I trained hard and eventually found myself competing in marathons and track races for the majority of 2008. This year, I joined the Race Team and haven't looked back since. Although the training is tough, I’ve enjoyedthe training quite a bit as it has resulted in better times for my marathons and track races. This past year, I was able to skate Internationally including places such as Mexico, the US and Canada not to mention the Montreal 24hour event, the 100K New York Marathon and various P'tit Train outings. If I am not on skates, I am on my bike. ;)