Brianna -- Blogmeister

Cindy Klassen is a speed skater in the winter olympics. She was born August 12, 1979, and will be turning thirty-one. Cindy was born in Winnipeg, and now she lives in Calgary. This year, in February, she will be skating in the 1500 meter race, the 3000 meter race, and the 5000 meter race. Cindy,s coaches name is Mike Crowe. She belongs to the "Winnipeg Speed Skating Club". She trains in the Richmond Olympic Oval.

Cindy has won six medals in the olympics. All in speed skating. She won one in the 2002 games, and five in the 2006 winter olympic games. In 2006 she won a gold medal in the 1500 meter race, silver medals in the 1000 meter race, and in team pursuit. She won bronze medals in the 5000 meter rase, and in team pursuit. That makes her the most decorated Olympic athlete in history!

Cindy did not compete in 2008-09 because she was recovering from knee surgery in both of her knees. In 2006 Cindy won a "Lou Marsh Award " as "Canadian Athlete of the Year". She is a four time World Champion. Cindy is one of the top ten athletes of the decade!!!

If you want to find out more about Cindy Klassen, go to her web site at http://www.cindyklassen.com/

Speed skating has been an event in the Winter Olympics since the first winter games in 1924. But women weren't allowed to speed skate until 1960. Skaters can reach speeds of more than sixty kilometers per hour!

Men can skate up to ten thousand meters, and women five thousand meters. Winter Olympic skaters will be skating on a four hundred meter oval rink. The rink is in Richmond.

Speed Skaters wear a colored band on their arm so the judges can tell what team they're on. The skaters also wear skintight uniform, sometimes with a hood or helmet, and goggles. The best type of skate to use is a clap skate. It's a skate that has a hinge at the heel, allowing the skater to skate better by keeping the length of the blade on the ice.

If someone has a false start, they are disqualified. Skaters take a draw for the starting order. Canada has won twenty-eight medals for speed skating. Six gold, ten silver, and twelve bronze. Norway has won the most , seventy-nine medals.

When speed skaters compete, there are only two people on the ice. The skaters get timed, and skate laps around the rink as fast as they can. The person that crosses the finish line in the shortest time, wins. Speed skating is the fastest man-powered sport, without electronic equipment. So this year don't forget to watch speed skating in the 2010 Winter Olympics!!!

My first Christmas wish is for a new pack of earrings. I need more because I don't want my earring hole to fill in, and I am always losing them! They also are very pretty.

My second wish for Christmas is a Nancy Drew book. One reason why is because I love to read and I am running out of books. Another reason is because I am collecting the series and am already half done. My last reason is because books can make you smarter.

My third Christmas wish is to go to Hawaii. I want go because I'd much rather get a sunburn then a frostbite, an I don't like snow that much. There will be no snow in Hawaii. I also want to learn about a different culture.

My fourth Christmas wish is for a cellphone. That way I can contact my parents if I am in trouble, or text them. I can contact friends, or call home when I forget something important.

My fifth wish is for is for money. My first reason is that I can buy presents for people. That way if I don't get the presents I want I can buy a new one. I can also give money to the poor.

Those are my Christmas wishes.