MB skaters top the podium at Canadian Junior Long Track Championships and Canada Cup 2
Manitoba Speed Skating Association – Results set the stage for naming of teams that will represent Canada at World Junior Championships and World Single Distance Championships
Pictured: Alexa Scott (right) of Clandeboye, Man and Connor Howe (left) of Calgary, Alta crowned Canadian Junior Long Track Champions. Photographer: Dave Holland
CALGARY, ALBERTA – Alexa Scott of Clandeboye, Man. was crowned Canadian Junior Long Track Champion at the Olympic Oval in Calgary on Sunday. The overall title earned her a spot on the World Junior Championships team.
Scott, who will return for her second World Junior Championships, earned the most points among the field of 30 female athletes at the Canadian event, which was presented by Intact Insurance. She skated to gold medals in all four distances that contribute to the overall title – the 500m (40.10), 1000m (1:18.41), 1500m (2:01.09) and 3000m (4:19.68) – edging her competitors by a significant margin in each race.
“This has been my goal all season and it went even better than my expectations,” explained Scott about her performance. “It was a rewarding weekend. I had a breakthrough in my times at a competition earlier this year and it was reassuring to see that it wasn’t a fluke! I want to keep building going into World Junior Championships so I can continue to make strides in improving my time.”
The results from the Canadian Junior Long Track Championships will be used to select the team of at least four ladies and four men who will compete at the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships in Baselga di Piné, Italy from February 15-17, 2019. The final list of athletes representing Canada at this event will be released in the coming weeks.
Top skaters race for their spot on World Single Distance Championships team
Canada’s top senior long track speed skaters were also in action at the Olympic Oval this weekend, vying for the remaining quota spots to represent Canada at the World Single Distance Championships in Inzell, Germany from February 7-10, 2019.
Heather McLean of Winnipeg, Man. finished first in both the ladies 500m and 1000m. She’s certain that she’s peaking at the right time: “I started off this season a little bit slower, but I’m confident in the build we’ve had and by the time February and the World Championships comes around I will be ready. I dealt with an injury earlier this season, so I was just really happy this weekend to compete and be healthy.”
Jess Neufeld of Winnipeg, Man. crossed the line first in the men’s mass start and Tyson Langelaar of Winnipeg, Man. second in the 1500m.
The skaters who will represent Canada at each of this season’s long track World Championships – the Single Distance, Sprint and Allround events – will be named in the coming weeks.
For more information about both competitions, including full results, visit https://www.speedskating.ca/events/canadian-junior-long-track-championships-canada-cup-2
Elizabeth W. Derraugh
Executive Director
Manitoba Speed Skating Association
145 Pacific Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3B 2Z6
Cell 431-200-3179
Office 204-925-5657
Toll free 1-888-628-9921
Fax 204-925-5792