Great weather, national exposure boosts Skate the Lake

Adrian Loewen of Ottawa and Susan Cameron of Edmonton were crowned the top male and female skaters in the sixth International Big Rideau Lake Speed Skating Marathon held in Portland on Saturday. It was Loewen's second win in Portland while it was Cameron's first trip across the country to compete. The sixth International Big Rideau Lake Speed Skating Marathon, also known as Skate the Lake, was held under clear skies on smooth lake ice. "We said we were going to try to put on a better show than Skate the Lake 5 last year, which was a phenomenal success. I think we did that," said Marco Smits, president of Portland Outdoors. "It was cold for sure, but after all the snow days leading up to the event it was great to wake up on Saturday and see clear skies, no matter what the temperature was," he said. "All the races and the other events such as curling, family skating and the fireworks went off without a hitch," Smits said.

Rick Mercer fulfilled a dream Saturday when he got to drive the ice resurfacer at Skate the Lake VI. Rick Mercer Report is expected to air the Portland event on his weekly show later this month. Photo by Howie Crichton.

Skate the Lake 6 will in many ways be remembered as the day Rick Mercer came to town. Producers of the popular CBC television host had been in touch with organizers for several weeks building up to the event. The initial contact with the Rick Mercer Report was made last year by Lucas Bongers, the oldest son of key Portland volunteers John and Christine Bongers.

"It will be very interesting to see the finished product once the show goes to air in a few weeks. We are going to get together and have a big celebration once we know the final date," said Smits, who presented the Marco Smits Award to Mercer during the 50-k award ceremonies.

Top three men 50K. 1. Adrian Loewen (Ottawa), 2. Benoit Letourneau (Ottawa), 3. Peter Doucet (Mississauga). Top 3 women 50K. 1. Susan Cameron (Edmonton), 2. Dominique Lalonde (Ottawa), 3. Suzanne Dionne (Chelsea).

Three Rideau Lakes skaters completed the 50K in Portland on Saturday.
Vicki Stevenson of Portland finished her third 50-k race in as many years in a time of 2:26:20. Rodney Smith-Merkley of Elgin skated his first ever long distance race completing 50 laps in Portland in 2:26:23.
Sue Warren of Portland skated her second 50-k ever in a time of 2:40:32.

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Full results available at http://marathonskating.org/indexe.htm
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Creating fundraising opportunities for local groups at Skate the Lake has always been high on the priority list for Portland Outdoors organizers and this year was a particularly successful year in that regard.
"(The canteen did) amazing," said Sean Horsfall who coordinated the kitchen in the Community Centre in an effort to raise funds for Rideau Centennial Public School. "I think our profit will be about $1400. That's a record," Horsfall said.
The Westport Lions, who provided a much-needed $1000 financial input to Skate the Lake only days before the event, was on site with their mobility bus and sold hot chocolate.
The Portland Football Club, who engaged in a game of snoccer - soccer in deep snow on the lake- raised close to $250 in a bake sale.
"I heard we sold quite a few dog paws," said Brian Patterson, chair of the Rideau Cup Sled Dog Race. "I was told that every time you turned around there would be a line up at the booth," Patterson said.
"Seeing local groups benefit from Skate the Lake is an asset to all of us who live here. And just imagine, those are fundraisers and that doesn't include all the spin off of the money spent by the thousands of people who came here from far and wide, eating locally, staying overnight, buying fuel, the list goes on," said Marco Smits.

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Since Saturday, many photos and videos have been received in the Portland Outdoors inbox and on the official website of the International Big Rideau lake Speed Skating Marathon these materials are being collected. Visit www.portlandoutdoors.com/photopage to view a multi media impression of Skate the Lake 6.