Speed Skating Canada – Saskatoon, January 25, 2017 – A total of 121 long track speed skaters from across the country will be in action this weekend, January 27-29, at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval (Dudley St.) in Saskatoon, SK, for the 2017 Canadian Junior Long Track Championships and Canada Cup #3.

 

Among them, 87 junior skaters will aim for spots at the 2017 ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships to be held February 17-19 in Helsinki, Finland.

 

Some members of last year’s World Junior Championships Canadian Team will aim to get their spot back: Véronique Déry of Lévis, Tyson Langelaar of Winnipeg, MB, Béatrice Lamarche of Quebec City, QC, Antoine Roger of Quebec City, QC, and Gabrielle Sanson of Moose Jaw, SK. Long Track National Development Group member Graeme Fish of Moose Jaw, SK, will also look to qualify after he broke the 10,000m Canadian Junior Record early in January.

 

At last year World Junior Championships in China, Canada won a total of ten medals, including Ben Donnelly who was crowned 2016 World Junior Champion to become the third Canadian to win this title in the history of that competition. Béatrice Lamarche also won two bronze medals in the 1500m and mass start event.

 

Canada Cup competitions, which 34 athletes will take part in Saskatoon, are a series of events where athletes can earn points for each distance towards season-ending rankings, as well as a competition for senior and junior A, B, C2 athletes, this last category being dedicated to skaters born between July 1st, 2001, and June 30, 2002.

 

Many members of Speed Skating Canada’s Senior and Development groups will be in action including Dan Carruthers of Cambridge, ON, Braden Clouthier of Dawson Creek, B.C., Sam Deckert of Winnipeg, MB, Daniel Dubreuil of Lévis, QC, Christopher Fiola of Montreal, QC, Noémie Fiset of Quebec City, QC, Jacob Graham of Dawson Creek, B.C., Cooper Hunter of De Winton, AB, Maddison Pearman of Ponoka, AB, Josie Spence of Kamloops, B.C., Stefan Waples of Winnipeg, MB, and Rob Watson of Whitby, ON.

 

First races of the 500m as well as the 1500m event will be held Friday, January 27. On the schedule for Saturday, is the first 1000m event, the women’s 3000m and men’s 5000m. On Sunday, the second races of the 500m and 1000m events as well as the mass start events will close the competition.

 

Objective for the juniors: qualification to the World Championships in Finland
Following the Canadian Junior Long Track Championships, Speed Skating Canada will select four men and four women based on cumulative total of four distances: (best 500m and 1000m, 1500m and women’s 3000m or men’s 5000m) to represent Canada at the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships in Helsinki, Finland, February 17-19, as long as athletes meet ISU time standards.

 

In Finland, the skaters will take part in the following events: 500m, 1000m, 1500m, women’s 3000m, men’s 5000m, team pursuit, team sprint and mass start.

 

More info, including the full schedule and results, 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 sponsors Intact Insurance and Samsung, 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 

 

Kerry Dankers
Long Track Program and Communications Coordinator
Speed Skating Canada
Email: kdankers@speedskating.ca
Phone: 403-589-8960
Website: www.speedskating.ca  
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SSC.PVC 
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SSC_PVC