THE FRONT ROW with Jason Elliott July 31, 2013
The third time could be the charm for Coeur d'Alene inline speedskater Chelsi LeGault.
LeGault, a 2011 Coeur d'Alene High graduate, qualified for the U.S. team for the World Inline Speedskating Championships starting on Aug. 23 in Oostende, Belgium.
AFTER FINISHING third in the 5-kilometer elimination race at nationals in July at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., LeGault went to Chesterfield, Va., where she's been training with some of her fellow teammates.
"I've been out here before and it's been a lot better for me to train out here than at home," LeGault said. "The people here are a lot closer to my speed and it's good to have another skater at my skill level here."
She is coached by her father, Joe, and Kelly Springer, who she's been training with in Virginia.
"He's been a big influence and been around the sport a long time," LeGault said of Springer. "He's coached a lot of the world team members and been at a lot of the clinics I've attended. He knows what he's doing and has a lot of input into the sport."
Inline skating is essentially on roller skates, but the wheels are narrow and in a line, rather than side-by-side and fat like on roller skates.
Getting acclimated to the weather has been a challenge.
"The first couple of days were really hard," LeGault said. "The humidity has been challenging. Getting used to that and with some of my allergies acting up, it's been challenging at times to breathe. It's hot, but tolerable."
In Virginia, she's been able to get focused on what to expect at the world competition.
"I've been doing a lot of interval work and preparing for how the races are going to be ran," LeGault said. "I'm just fine tuning what is going to be expected. It's a lot of hill work and pursuit practicing how to catch people and working on long distances."
HER MAIN events are the distance races (1,000 meters, 15K, 20K) in both the indoor and road races.
After competing at the junior level (age 16-19) the last two years, LeGault, 20, will be in the senior (20 and up) division this year.
"I definitely feel I've gotten a lot stronger and smarter over the last year," said LeGault, who is 5-foot-8. "The racing is going to be a lot different than last year and I've learned that I've got to be ready for that because the girls are going to be a lot bigger and faster than I am."
The team will leave for Belgium on Aug. 7 and train for two weeks before racing begins.
"I'm kind of nervous," LeGault said. "My first year on the team in 2011 in Korea, I was nervous because it was my first time competing internationally. This time, I'm nervous to compete in the seniors division, but excited and looking forward to it."
A live stream and results for the event can be found at www.oostende2013.com.
Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected].