X-Treme Speed skaters leave mark at national tourney

Tri-County X-Treme Speed sent 16 inline speed skaters from Aurora, Oswego and Crystal Lake to compete July 15-22 at the USA Rollersports Indoor Speed National Championships in Omaha, Neb.

Five skaters and several relay teams came away with national placements

A total of 16 Tri-County X-Treme Speed skaters qualified to skate the National Championships by placing first through fourth place in their events.

Skaters from nine different regions of the United States sent four skaters each to represent their region in each division, creating divisions of 24-36 skaters competing for the championship.

Tri-County X-Treme Speed is a member of the Great Lakes Region comprised of skaters from Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana and trains at the Aurora Skate Center. The team is coached by Scott Leech, Tom Crumpton and Jim Staelgraeve.

These skaters earned national placements in at the Indoor National Championships: Chaz Im, Oswego, second place Novice Elementary Boys Skylar Betsinger, Aurora; Selena Paxton, Danville, Julia Rizopolous, Oswego and Mackenzie Leech, Crystal Lake, second place Juvenile 4-Girl Relay, Adrien Betsinger, Aurora, third place Elementary Boys Quads Matt Betsinger, Aurora, third place Classic Men Quads, Braxtyn Weidler, Fort Wayne, first place Primary Boys Quads, Braxtyn Weidler, Fort Wayne and Selena Paxton, Danville, first place Juvenile 2-Mix Quad Relay, Hailey Leech, Crystal Lake, second place Standard Freshman Girls, third place Freshman 4-Mix Relay, third place Freshman 4-Girl Relay, fourth place Sophomore 2-Lady Relay.

Hailey Leech skated with Fast Forward Racing, based in Greencastle, Pa. Other skaters who skated Nationals included: Brandon Im, Oswego, Molly Leech, Crystal Lake, Katelyn Rizopolous, Oswego, Ashley Alvarez, Aurora Chelsea Tweedy, Aurora, Nick Koumoundorus, Aurora, Emily Crumpton, Aurora.

Individuals ages 4 and older with a desire to learn how to speed skate are always welcome to attend Tri-County X-Treme speed practices. Practices are held four times a week, September through July, at the Aurora Skate Center in Aurora and on a week-to-week basis at X-Treme Wheels in Crystal Lake.

Interested beginners can contact the team about learning to speed skate.

The team competes at league meets and invitational meets throughout the United States. The 2007-2008 training and racing season runs September-July.

For more information about Tri-County X-Treme Speed, call coach Scott Leech at (815) 459-0959, or The Aurora Skate Center at (630) 898-5830.