Nearly 100 long track speed skaters in Quebec City for the first Canada Cup of the season

Accueil Nearly 100 long track speed skaters in Quebec City for the first Canada Cup of the season

Speed Skating Canada – Quebec City, December 7, 2016 – The Gaétan-Boucher Oval in Quebec City will host close to 100 long track speed skaters this weekend, December 9-11, for the first Canada Cup of the season.

Hosted by the Gaétan-Boucher Oval Competition and Event Organizing Committee and the Fédération de patinage de vitesse du Québec, under the supervision of Speed Skating Canada, this competition will be the first in a series of four Canada Cup events this season. The others will be held January 3-6 in Calgary simultaneously with the Canadian Single Distance Long Track Championships, January 27-29 in Saskatoon, SK, during the Canadian Junior Long Track Championships, and March 16-19 in Calgary at the same time as the Olympic Oval Finale.

The Canada Cup is a competition for senior and junior A, B, C2 athletes, this last category being for the skaters born between July 1^st, 2001, and June 30, 2002.

Béatrice Lamarche of Quebec City, QC, who took part in her first-ever two World Cups earlier this fall, is among the 97 athletes who will take part in the competition this weekend, as well as the Senior National Program member Rob Watson, and NextGen National Program members Dan Carruthers, Braden Clouthier, Sam Deckert, Daniel Dubreuil, Graeme Fish and Jacob Graham.

Representatives from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and many clubs across the province of Quebec will also be in action.

Skaters will take part in the first 500m and in the 1500m events Friday, 1000m, women’s 3000m and men’s 5000m Saturday, and in the second 500m, 1000m and mass start Sunday. Races will start at 9 am (local time) everyday.

Canada Cup competitions are a series of events where athletes can earn points for each distance towards season-ending rankings.

More details are available on Speed Skating Canada’s website: www.speedskating.ca.

About Speed Skating Canada

Speed Skating Canada (SSC) is the governing body for competitive long track and short track speed skating in Canada. Founded in 1887, the association is comprised of 13 provincial and territorial branches representing more than 14,000 individual members, and counting. SSC believes that sport is an apprenticeship for life and prizes respect for others, integrity, excellence of effort, as well as a safe, healthy environment. SSC recognizes and values its outstanding volunteers who give freely of their time and expertise. It also celebrates the 63 Olympic medals won by Canadian athletes since 1932, as well as the coaches, officials and other dedicated individuals who helped them on their journey.

SSC is proud to be affiliated with partners that share the same vision and values including our premium sponsor Intact Insurance, as well as our funding partners, the Government of Canada, Own the Podium, and WinSport Canada.

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For information:

Patrick Godbout

Communications & Media Relations Manager

Speed Skating Canada

Email: pgodbout@speedskating.ca

Phone: 514 213-9897

Website: www.speedskating.ca

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SSC.PVC

Twitter: www.twitter.com/SSC_PVC

François-Olivier Roberge

Assistant Director, Communications and Promotion