Oval Operations
Our operations team was frequently in the news, with articles on ice-making, the Beijing Olympics and the being The Fastest Ice in the World.
Annual Report 2021/2022
The Olympic Oval's Annual Report for the 2021-2022 Season.
The Olympic Oval Leadership Team tells us about the 2021/2022 season in their own words.
Peter McCrory — Director, Olympic Oval
Peter McCrory served as director from March 2020 to June 2022. Peter was able to shepherd the Oval for just over two years through some challenging times including the worldwide pandemic and the Oval's mechanical failure in 2020. However, once the 2021/2022 season began, the Oval was able to deliver a stellar year for competitions, public skating, public running, and events — ending with a spectacular turn at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games.
Kerry Dankers
Kerry Dankers, Business Operations Manager, tells us about the 2021/2022 season and what we can look forward to in 2022/2023.
Olympic Oval / Kristen Fong
Catriona Hill
Catriona Hill, Manager, Partner Development and Guest Relations, tells us about her department's 2021/2022 season.
Olympic Oval / Kristen Fong
Mark Messer
Mark Messer, Operations Manager, tells us about his department's 2021/2022 season and what we can expect next year.
Olympic Oval / Kristen Fong
Jonathan Guilmette
Jonathan Guilmette, Manager, High-Performance Sport, tells us about his department's 2021/2022 season.
Olympic Oval / Kristen Fong
Sean Ireland
Sean Ireland, Manager, Innovation, Competition & Sales, tells us about his department's 2021/2022 season.
Olympic Oval / Kristen Fong
Our Mission
The Olympic Oval is a world-class speed skating and high performance sports facility dedicated to the pursuit of excellence and health and wellness for all.
Our Vision
Together with our partners, we will drive the mission of Canadian athlete podium performances.
Our Values
Passion, Quality, Honesty, Respect, and Enjoyment. These are the values that represent our team of people and on which The Fastest Ice in the World™ is made.
2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games
The 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games were held between Feb. 4-20, 2022. Canada performed exceptionally well, taking home 26 medals (4 Gold, 8 Silver and 16 Bronze).
Canada brought home five long track speed skating medals — all of whom train at the Olympic Oval.
2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games Timeline
The Olympic Oval was a big part of the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games — from our involvement with the Organizing Committee in helping the Ice Ribbon and, ultimately, our Calgary-based long track athletes taking home five medals in long track speed skating. Additionally, our short track teammates took home an impressive four medals rounding out an outstanding take-home of nine Olympic speed skating medals — our greatest performance in Olympic history.
Oval Ops puts the "Ice" in the Ice Ribbon
The Olympic Oval operations team has been providing support, advice, installation and re-surfacing for SEVEN Olympic Winter Games (Calgary, Nagano, Salt Lake City, Torino, Vancouver, Pyeongchang, and Beijing). It is one of our greatest business exports, and we hope to be assisting the Milano Cortina team for the 2026 Games.
New in Operations
The operations team was able to be fully operational again after being shut down the previous year. It was great to be able to get the facility back to normal and have a series of international competitions to highlight why we are still The Fastest Ice in the World™.
The ice maker behind Beijing's Olympic records
Reuters
The art of making ice for the Beijing Olympic Games
CCTV 5
Ice making at National Speed Skating Oval completed
CGTN Sports
Here's what it takes to create 'The Fastest Ice in the World'
This article in UToday on June 7, 2021, illustrates how the Oval operations team is getting ready for the 2021/2022 season. There is considerable interest in ice-making, and this article by our very own David Vink (Marketing & Corporate Events Specialist) showcases the skills that make the magic happen.
For Olympic Oval ice-makers, ‘good enough’ isn’t good enough
In Bejing, the UCalgary team imports its global expertise and drive for perfection to yet another edition of the Winter Olympics. This article was written by Scott Cruickshank, for the Office of Advancement.
Partner Development & Guest Relations
Partner Development & Guest Relations is a newly formed department at the Oval combining marketing, communications, sponsorship and guest relations. It worked exceptionally well considering the overlapping responsibilities and duties.
By the Numbers
A by-the-numbers look at the Partner Development & Guest Relations season. In 2021 we were fully immersed in the pandemic, which affected events, public skating and some competitions. As the fall season emerged and provincial restrictions lifted, our business offerings could be more realized.
Marketing Numbers
The Olympic Oval continues developing and improving its web and social media presence and YouTube streaming content. The 2021/2022 season increased viewership on all fronts. The Oval works alongside the Faculty of Kinesiology, Active Living, and the Outdoor Centre to enhance its social media content, subscriptions, and website engagement.
- 350,000 page views
- 64% of users view our website from their mobile devices
- 53% of users use Safari to view our website
- 87% of our users are located in Canada
- 72% of visitors to our website were new visits
- 80,000 new users viewed our website
- The average website visit is just under two minutes
- Monday, Feb.21st was our most trafficked day with 1,240 visits
- The most clicked section is recreational public skating at 18%
- 2,150 followers
- 26% of followers are from Calgary
- 27% of followers are 25-34
- 51% of followers are male
- The most active time is 12 noon and 3:00 p.m.
- The most liked post featured Arno Hoogveld's retirement on March 20, 2022
- The top video post was on Feb. 1, 2022 — footage of the Ice Ribbon in Beijing.
- 3,100 followers
- Top Tweet, June 10, 2021 — Ice-in with Zamboni footage and 16.2K impressions
- Top Media Tweet, May 28, 2021 — Ice-in photos with 3,385 impressions
- Top mention by CBC's Devin Heroux on Oct. 20, 2021 with 5,987 engagements
- October 2021 was our most 'Tweeted' month
- 3,847 followers
- The post with the most reach (4,532) — March 26, 2022 — Day 1 of the Masters Short Track
- The post with the most likes (253) — March 26, 2022 — Day 1 of the Masters Short Track
- The post with the most comments (51) — March 29, 2022 — Justin Warsylewicz and the Canadian Men's Soccer Team
- 2,920 subscribers
- The most streamed video (5,439) — November 6, 2021 — 2021 Short Track Canada Cup 1 — Day 2
- 210 online news articles about the Olympic Oval
- Six Kinesiology news stories about the Olympic Oval
- Two UToday stories
- Our 2021 ice-in video racked in 9,400 likes on UCalgary's Linkedin profile page — the most of the year.
The record for recreational public skating admissions was during the 2010/2011 season with nearly 35,000 admissions. However, with a worldwide pandemic, the Oval still managed to sell 24,549 admissions over the year.
The record for recreational public running admissions was during the 2017/2018 season with 868 admissions. However, with a worldwide pandemic, the Oval still managed to sell 604 admissions over the year.
Over 876 athletes trained at the Olympic Oval including 145 from track & field clubs.
The Oval introduced two significant new recreational public skating events; Oval After Dark (on Halloween) and the Gingerbread Olympics (in December). Oval After Dark generated over 1,000 attendees and the Gingerbread Olympics generated over 1,500 attendees.
- 855 Groupon vouchers sold
- 136 Season skating passes sold (new record)
The Oval continues to be a destination place for television commercial filming. A significant source of revenue, the 2021/2022 season was no exception with four major commercials filmed.
- CBC Olympic spot
- Sobey's Olympic spot
- Petro Canada Olympic spot
- TSN Olympic spot
55% of our guests are from Calgary with the remaining percentages from Canada, Alberta and then internationally.
62% of our guests fit within the 18-54 age range, with seniors and youth rounding off the remaining percentage points.
42% of our users are in registered speed skating programs while 27% of our users are recreational public skaters.
70% of users highly recommend the services, training environment or offerings at the Olympic Oval.
High-Performance
The Olympic Oval's short and long track programs have grown to more than 150 athletes and employ more than 10-speed skating coaches (full and part-time). Oval Elite Athlete Pathway Program athletes range in performance, from the provincial team level to the National Team level. Athletes worldwide have trained in the Olympic Oval speed skating programs.
The Olympic Oval short and long track programs remain leaders in sports development and research. In this program, athletes have had tremendous success in setting world records, winning medals at Olympics, World Championships, World Cups, and qualifying for National teams.
Elite Athlete Pathway
The Elite Athlete Pathway at The Olympic Oval has been operating since 1989. It was previously called the Oval Program, but the name evolved to fit the Pathway model. For the 2021/2022 season, the Elite Athlete Pathway had 76 full-time athletes, of which 30 were short track athletes, and 46 were long track athletes. Our athletes come from all across Canada to train at the Olympic Oval. In addition, we had four international athletes from Columbia, The Netherlands and New Zealand.
Short Track
The short track season proved to be exceptional. Here are a few highlights:
- Sam Green (coached by Dustin Miller) made the Short Track NEXT GEN Team (National Team for Speed Skating Canada) for the 2021/2022 season.
- Renee Steenge (coached by Cristina Lazarescu) became a training partner with the NEXT GEN Team after her performance at the Olympic Trials in August, 2021.
Long Track
The long track season also provided exceptional results for long track athletes. Here are a few highlights:
- Anders Johnson (coached by Mike Ireland) competed in the ISU Four Continents (Top Canadian) and was the top Canadian (placing 6th).
- Max Halyk, Paul Coderre, Anna Bourgeois and Allison Desmarais (coached by Mike Ireland) were on the podium at Canada Cup # 1 in Quebec.
- Victoria Goplen (coached by Cristina Lazarescu) was the only athlete to compete this season in both short track and long track Olympic trials.
Athlete Representative
Athlete representatives play a major role in the governance and management of the Elite Athlete Pathway and the relationship with the Olympic Oval. This year, long track athlete Anders Johnson and short track athlete, Victoria Goplen were elected to play this role during the pandemic year.
2022/2023 Season
For the 2022/2023 season, the Oval proudly announces that 86 athletes have already registered in the pathway program.
Innovation, Competitions & Sales
Innovation played a critical role in the 2021/2022 season. We implemented new technologies, including a transponder system for the short track timing system and video backup for long track timing.
25 Competitions
The Oval hosted over 25 competitions during the 2021/2022 season. It was a spectacular comeback after nearly two years of impacted activity.
ISU World Cup Speed Skating # 4
The Olympic Oval was chosen as the host venue for ISU World Cup Speed Skating # 4, Dec. 9-11, 2021.
The ISU Speed Skating World Cup is a series of international speed skating competitions organized annually by the International Skating Union. Skaters can earn points at each competition, and the skater who has the most points on a given distance at the end of the series is the winner. The World Cup circuit has become increasingly popular, and the creation of the World Single Distance Championships has helped solidify the World Cup as a major sporting event. The results of the separate distances in the World Cup ranking are the main qualifying method for the World Single Distance Championships.
ISU Four Continents Speed Skating Championships
The Olympic Oval was the host venue for ISU Four Continents Speed Skating Championships, Dec. 14-16, 2021.
Created in 2020, the Four Continents is a parallel competition with the European Championships to allow other nations to compete outside the World Cup circuit. These four continents include North America, South America, Asia and Oceana speed skaters.
Skate-Tec Western Elite Circuit
The Skate-Tec Western Elite Circuit is a short track competition circuit focused on developing young speed skaters. It provides challenging opportunities for skaters to develop tactical awareness and execute learned skills. The circuit offers a fun racing atmosphere and is an introduction for most skaters to the high-performance competition stream.
Oval Finale Canada Cup 4
The Oval Finale is the last competition of the season. It is the culmination of the season where athletes put their training to the test as they compete for rankings and personal bests.
Canada Cup 4 runs simultaneously as athletes look to qualify for the National Team and NextGen Team. The combination of these events is a weekend full of outstanding speed skating.
A Technical Year for Competitions
The Oval continues to innovate with new technologies and systems to improve speed skating competitions.
Short Track Transponder System
Timekeeping for short track competition is a significant challenge. The Oval introduced a new short track transponder system for athlete detection, lap timing and accurate results.
Short track events require high detection rates and being able to publish results quickly. Whereas, professional speed skaters reach high speeds while having to be measured at an accuracy of 1/1000th of a second.
Video Backup Timing
The Oval also introduced a new video backup timing system that is accurate in being able to assist in the event of a technical malfunction on the ice.
YouTube Streaming
Streaming continues to be an integral part of the competition season. The most streamed video during the season occurred during the Short Track Canada Cup 1 on Nov. 6, 2021 with 5,439 streaming views.
Ice-Level Camera Work
The team introduced new camera angles including an ice-level camera positions that showcased close-up shots of athletes (from the ice facing up) racing and finishing. It proved to vary the camera angles for streaming whilst showcasing more engaging footage.
Varsity Athletics
Varsity athletes continue to use the Oval daily. This season, the number increased to 876 users. We also had 145 track & field club (junior/high school) athletes train in the Oval.
The teams who train here include; Basketball (men and women), football, women's hockey, women's rugby, soccer (men and women), swimming (men and women), track & field (men and women), including pole vault, volleyball (men and women), and wrestling (men and women). Additionally, individuals from men's hockey, men's golf, and women's golf had access to the facilities.
The 2021/2022 Season
The Dinos made headlines throughout the 2021/2022 season. Have a look below at some select stories.
Dinos and the Oval
The Olympic Oval is part of the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary. Many people do not realize that our facility is a training ground for more than just speed skating. The Dinos are an integral part of the high-performance training environment, and each team contributes to the Oval's standards of excellence.
Bookings
Bookings were used much more by varsity teams this year (throughout the pandemic) which provided exclusive team access to our facilities. This provision allowed individuals to know when a good time to work out would be as they could view “busy times” via the online schedule.
Registration
We met with Dinos Athletics and organized for the beginning of the season. As it was a whole new team in athletics, we worked together to create a registration process that would be beneficial for the athletes and streamlined on the administrative side.
Contact Us
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Survey — Enter to Win
After reading our 2021/2022 ANNUAL REPORT, we want to hear from you. Give us your feedback and enter to win an exclusive PRIZE PACK worth $300.
The 2021-2022 season was a spectacular comeback for our athletes, staff, volunteers and guests. Despite the ongoing global pandemic, competitions, events, recreational public skating, running and day-to-day operations resumed in realtime normalcy. Mask mandates, social distancing and provincial restrictions were still in place, but business could continue. As we hope to exit the pandemic, we look forward to welcoming the public, athletes, and teams back into this incredible world-class facility for 2022/2023.
Peter McCrory (2020-2022)
Oval Director, Olympic Oval (2020-2022)