Atom B Reps Nab Demons

Cassie Hummel, left, and Maggie Wells got the Seaway District High School Track and Field team, off to a good start, at the Ottawa University Invitational meet on Thursday, May 1, when they threw their way to a pair of gold medals and then added one silver and one bronze.

Hummel collected a gold medal in midget girls javelin with a p.b. throw of 21.93m and a bronze in midget girls shot put with a p.b. throw of 8.20m. 

Wells produced a 23.12 m gold medal throw in midget girls discus and a 9.60m shot put throw for a silver medal. The Seaway athletes finished in second and third in midget shot put behind Abby McMann of Immaculate H.S. who won with a throw of 10.02m. 

While Hummel and Wells have thrown shot before, it was Hummel’s first attempt in javelin and Wells’ first time at discus. They both admit, they surprised themselves with their gold medal results and are now working at perfecting their technique. 

Of her first time in javelin, Hummel says, “I just wanted to try it, but I didn’t think I would do that well.” 

Said Maggie, “We both learned discus the night before in the pouring rain. We had a 15 minute lesson.” 

They were well instructed in those 15 minutes, said Trevor Thompson who, with Mark Lewis, is this year coaching the Seaway track and field team. Both are delighted that the team has climbed from last year’s record low number to 15 athletes this year. 

“We are mostly grade 9’s,” said Thompson. “But that is good. We are rebuilding, and hopefully they will stay with it.” 

In addition to the medals won by Hummel and Wells, runner Brynn Gilmour claimed a bronze medal in junior girls 100m dash with a time 13.41 seconds and Kaitlyn Stewart claimed a bronze medal in midget girls long jump with a 4.17m jump.

Some other athletes who compete last week were Quinn Horne, Kyle Ault, Cole Thompson, Johnny Strackholder, Keanne Van Dodewward, Dillan Sullivan, Ashley Whitteker and Lorenzo Garcia.

[…]

–The thrill of the race will be on at the Cornwall Speedway this weekend as the local track hosts its first ever Pro-Racing Circuit tour which features renowned snowmobile racers from all over North America.

Last Wednesday, January 21 event organizers gathered at a press conference at the Au Vieux Duluth Restaurant in Cornwall, where two popular Quebec drivers, 61 year old, racing legend Jacques Villeneuve and rising superstar, 17 year old Steve Marquis made appearances to promote the Circuit Pro event.

Cornwall is the first stop on the Eastern Canada Tour. The Friday (evening) and Saturday and Sunday races will be run on the quarter mile Cornwall track, now ready and waiting with an 18 inch cover of ice. Even the pits are iced.

The Pro-Racing Circuit Tour event is a first for Cornwall and is the result of an effort  to make the track more active by owners Raymond and Jacques Lavergne who took over the Speedway in the spring of 2014 from long time owner Ron Morin.

Event promoter Brian Mulligan expressed the great excitement everyone has for the weekend event.

Each day we will have a complete racing program. Both Saturday and Sunday will feature 40-45 races. The Pro-Champ, Outlaws, Formula 500 Open, 440 Vintage, Single Cylinder Mod Open, Junior 340 Open, along with the 4-Wheeler and Motorcycle will all be on hand during the weekend.

Ice oval sleds are not the average snowmobile. A Pro-Champ sled can run as high as $30,000 and sled speeds will often surpass the 100 mph mark down the backstretch and over 80 mph into the corners.

A first for Cornwall race fans, organizers are hoping to make the Pro Racing Circuit stop an annual event.

“We’ve tried to incorporate the best of every track in the Eastern tour in the Cornwall facility,” said Mulligan. “It’s going to be a success, and it is going to be here forever.”

“It’s a remarkable event,” said Barry Holigroski who is working with Mulligan. “Just to see the veteran and the rookie in the same room here today is great. These are world class racers. They will be coming into the corners at 80 mph. They are flying. It takes a lot of skill and a lot of heart. You will see the very best ability.” 

“Me I like to win, ” said veteran driver Jacques Villeneuve. “I like to pass whoever is in front of me all the time. Cars you are paid to drive, and it is something you like to do. Snowmobile racing is physically harder and I am on my own. I have to find the money myself.”

Both Villeneuve and young Steve Marquis expressed their excitement of the upcoming weekend tour stop in Cornwall.

Friday night (January 30) and Saturday, (January 31) admission is $20. Sunday (February 1) admission is $25 and a weekend pass can be purchased for $50. There is reduced pricing for children 16 years and under. Friday night’s program will begin at 6 p.m. and conclude with fireworks. Action begins at 10:30 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

Mulligan says that he thinks the price is right. Admission includes access to the pit area where they folks can warm up under a heated tent. 

“It is the first race of the year,” said Tour President, George Samson. “I am sure every driver is excited to get out there, and I am sure that the team here in Cornwall has done a super job.”

[…]

With her goal of keeping as many seniors as possible active so they can remain independent and living in their own homes, Marilyn Parisien, told a group of 12 seniors, Wednesday, “we are trying to improve your balance and your strength, to help reduce your chance of a fall.”

Parisien is a Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging (CCAA) certified instructor who brought her 16 week Seaway Seniorfit Program to the Allan Hall at Lakeshore Drive United Church in Morrisburg in the fall.

Thanks to the successful fall launch, Seniorfit, for individuals 55 plus, returned for a winter session which kick ed off the week of January 13.

Hour-long classes are offered twice per week in Morrisburg, on Mondays (beginning at 10 a.m.) and Wednesdays (beginning at 10:45 a.m.) Classes are also offered at the Presbyterian Church Hall in Ingleside, on Tuesdays, beginning at 10:15 a.m.

“It’s been  very successful,” says Parisien. “My goal is to offer Seniorfitness from Morrisburg to Lancaster.”

With 14 seniors now registered in Morrisburg, she says she would be happy to see a class of 20 by next year at this time, although the Allan Hall could easily accommodate 26. 

Parisien told Wednesday’s class, “we take our bodies for granted as we age. You like to drive and you want to live in your own home until you are 90, but all it takes is one fall to change our lives forever. We do all of this to help reduce falls. There is a reason behind every single element we do in a class.”

Parisien explains that the CCAA is Canada’s leader in current research and program development for improved physical ability and healthy aging for older adults. It is a not-for-profit national research and education centre within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Western Ontario.

“I have four certified instructors, including myself, and we are getting hands on information on how to conduct our classes.”

“Older adults want to be able to stay functional within their environment…getting up from chairs, climbing stairs, washing their hair…all the activities we all do in our day-to-day living.”

“Our goal is to help them to be able to care for themselves. To do that, we have to keep ourselves strong.:”

Seniorfiti classes target cardio, respiratory, strength building, muscle endurance, core balance and flexiciblity at a pace suitable to the senior participants. 

“We spend a good amount of time on balance work. Our focus is fall prevention. We work on strengthening the lower body and core which helps to prevent and reduce risk of fall.”

Parisien also points out, the Seniorfit Program provides a social outlet for the participants as “many live by themselves. This gives them a social outlet which is really important. Everyone gets to know each other and have some fun.”

Welcome participants in the Morrisburg Seniorfit classes are two men. “It would certainly be nice to get more men,” says Parisien. “They do a lot of outdoor work in the summer, but in the winter they aren’t doing as much.”

Parisien says the classeses are geared for 55 years and up. “I have a 92 year old, but most are in their 60s and 70s.

Chairs are set up at the perimeter of the workout area for each class. Some people do the class in the chair. For instance I had one lady who had a knee replacement. We can even teach to someone in a walker. I call it a mixed mobility class. We can reach out to seniors with low mobilibty and to seniors with high mobility.”

Parisien welcomes anyone to come out and try a class at any time. “There is no pressure, that’s why I invite them to try a class. Once they come in, and try a class, they seethe  benefit.”

Parisien’s career has always been in the fitness industry. In addition to her Seniorfit program, she business offers boot camp, aquafitness, strength training and Zumba with instructors hired who specialize in the various areas.

Anyone interested can drop by the Allan Hall at Lakeshore Drive United Church in Morrisburg, on Monday or Wednesday mornings about 15 minutes prior to the start of the class. Running shoes are the only equipment needed. A warm sweatshirt that can be removed is also recommended.

[…]