In sun-kissed Central Florida, surrounded by acres of rolling hills and sprawling horse farms, sits a hidden gem of a city with an unlikely claim to fame.
u200bu200bOcala has become an unexpected speed skating epicenter even though the nearest ice rink is more than an hour's drive away.
For more than three decades, Renee Hildebrand has been training Ocala kids to become inline speed skating world champions. Three of her most accomplished former pupils on wheels have since transitioned to the ice, drawn by the challenge of mastering a new sport and the chance to chase Olympic glory.