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Top speed skaters break the ice with move to new arena - Central Coast Express Advocate (20/12/07)

TWO of Australia's top speed skaters have relocated to the Central Coast and plan to make Erina Ice Arena a training base for future Olympians.

Andrew McNee and Krysia Child moved to Gosford from Brisbane last month, attracted by the quality of the ice at Erina.

Two-time Olympian McNee approached the arena leaseholders after a national training camp there last year.

"We wanted to come here because it was one of the two best ice rinks in Australia,'' McNee said.

"The leaseholders have been very supportive and we're improving the ice. This week the ice was the fastest I have ever skated on in Australia. We're able to train on the ice six days a week so it's a golden opportunity for speed skaters."

McNee, 28, represented Australia at the 1998 and 2002 Winter Olympics.

Aussie speed skater Steven Bradbury etched his name into folklore when he won the 1000m at Salt Lake City after his three rivals fell on the final turn and presented him with Australia's first gold at the Winter Olympics.

McNee was a regular roommate of Bradbury and still competes.

He is aiming for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and is also coaching skaters including Child and junior world championships representative Simon Francis who commutes from Sydney to Erina.

Most speed skaters come from an ice hockey or in-line skating background but both McNee and Child made the transistion to speed skating from figure skating.

"At 19 I think I achieved all I was going to in figure skating and speed skating looked like so much fun,'' Child said. "It's a very different technique.''

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