Blackbirds & Speedskating
The Paul McCartney song “blackbird” has always gotten to me. It’s one of those rare songs that’s depressive and uplifting at the same time. I have always felt it applied well to folks who throw themselves fully into the fires of their passions. People like artists, social activists, graduate students, & of course -speedskaters.
The song fits well with video clips I shot at US national speedskating championships.
Click here for the high quality quicktime, or just press the YouTube play button below. I’ve been posting video on the web for over a year now, and am always playing around with options.
Here are the folks in this, & what they were doing when I shot each clip.
Matt Plummer & Chad Hedrick, starting a 1500.
Maria Lamb & Catherine Raney, 700m into a 1500.
April Medley, 2 laps to go.
Donald Stewart & Michael Stein Stewart, 300m into a 1500.
Same two guys again, Donald skated the race of his life here, earning a World Cup spot.
A crowd of curious kids with noisemakers cheering on 2 skaters.
Justin “CoonPup” Stelly, in the final lap of his 1500.
John Loquai, midway through a 5k.
Kreg Greer giving the camera a grin in the first few laps of what became an outstanding 10k race.
Chris Witty & Beckah Bradford, starting a 500m.
Coach Mike Witty and a 2022 winter Olympic hopeful
Tucker Fredericks and Kip Carpenter, ripping out an amazing 500m start.
April Medley & Leah Lambert, 500m.
Danny Frederick & Matt Shannahan, halfway through a 1000m.
Jessica Smith (& that’s April Medley lying on the ground, she’s ok).
Shani Davis Passing John Loquai, & creating some SERIOUS 1500m corner pressure.
Anna Ringsred & Andrey Zhuikov.
Anthony Lobello & Andrew Love, 500m start & finish.
Filed under: Audio/Video, on the road
Why isn’t there anything on Mia?
I’ve watched it over and over. Speed skating is so beautiful. Let’s make a movie!
That’s a great Christmas morning present!
Thanks Andrew for putting it together
It’s inspiration for the training ahead of me in 2007.
Great mental pictures to keep in mind..
Have a wonderful holiday !
Thanks for the great video. Hope you have a geat holiday.
Related: a nice Turin speedskating shot in the New York Times Year in Photos (go to Sports):
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/khtml/2006/12/23/multimedia/20061225_YIP_FEATURE.html
Hey Andrew… Just stopping by to wish you a very Merry Xmas and hoping that you have a FANTASTICALLY successful and happy 2007.
yay, I just watched it on the computer at work (no, not on the clock
) and it’s an excellent video.
Freshman year of college was so long ago that… Colgate’s a cappella group, the Swinging ‘Gates, used to sing Blackbird, and that is the version I hear when it’s in my head, so I looked for my CD, not just once but twice, before I realized that I don’t have the CD…it is a tape! (Andrew, I will find it for you, because it does sound very good.)
Great video and a nice clip of Andrey and Anna.
Who is the person singing ‘Blackbird?’
Nice video…I have been a good friend of Donald Stewart since we were in grade school; using a song which you describe as “depressive and uplifting” is unfortunately suiting to watching him race. After years of hoping and praying he gets on that Olympic stage, life throws serious curve-balls his way!!
Keep an eye out in 2010…Donald Stewart IS the US Olympic “golden-child”!! Good luck Stew…