Speed Skating Canada – Competitions will be held March 11-13 in Seoul, South Korea

Montreal, February 24, 2016 – Speed Skating Canada introduces today its final team for the ISU World Short Track Championships, to be held March 11-13, in Seoul, South Korea.

On the women’s side, Marianne St-Gelais of Saint-Félicien, QC, Valérie Maltais of Saguenay (La Baie borough), QC, Kasandra Bradette of Saint-Félicien, QC, Audrey Phaneuf of Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, and Namasthée Harris-Gauthier of Montreal (Rosemont – La Petite-Patrie borough) will represent Canada.

St-Gelais, Maltais and Bradette will all take part in the individual events, while Phaneuf and Harris-Gauthier, who will skate in their first-ever World Senior Championships, will be in action in the relay events.

“I would be very happy to finish among the top 3 in the overall ranking and I would like to come back with a title in one distance”, said Marianne St-Gelais who won eleven individual medals out of a potential 12 in World Cups. “Even if we never know what can happen, I think I really have the potential to do it considering the season I just had and based on how I’m feeling and the legs that I have. That being said, I’m still thinking about the World Champion title and it’s always with this goal in mind that I will skate. I put on myself a lot of expectations and performance goals, but I think this year is the one I can achieve them.”

On the men’s side, Charles Hamelin of Sainte-Julie, QC, will lead the Canadian team with other Olympic medalists Charle Cournoyer of Boucherville, QC, and François Hamelin of Sainte-Julie, QC. Samuel Girard of Ferland-et-Boilleau, QC, and Sasha Fathoullin of Calgary will be the other men’s Canadian representatives. For Fathoullin, it will also be his first-ever World Senior Championships.

Charles Hamelin and Samuel Girard will represent the country in the individual events while the others will be in action in the relay ones.

“I want to come back with the World Cup title”, admitted Charles Hamelin, who won six individual races out of a potential 10 in World Cups this season. “It was super close last year, but I had a bit of bad luck and I wasn’t able to fight at 100% for the title. This year, the way I feel mentally and physically and how I felt in my races in World Cups means that everything is going in the right direction. I’m very confident, especially following my two gold medals at my last World Cup.”

Qualification rounds for the 500m, 1000m and 1500m events will be held Friday, March 11. Saturday, final rounds in the 500m and 1500m are scheduled, as well as the semifinals for the relay. Sunday, last day of competition, final rounds in the 1000m will determine who will be the top eight per gender to take part in the 3000m Super Final where skaters can get more points for the final ranking. Finals for the relay will end the competition.

Last year in Moscow, Russia, Charles Hamelin was the best Canadian following a silver medal in the 1000m and a bronze in the 1500m for the fourth position in the overall ranking.

Members of the Canadian team for the ISU World Short Track Championships

WOMEN

-BRADETTE, Kasandra (Saint-Félicien, QC)

-HARRIS-GAUTHIER, Namasthée (Montréal, Rosemont – La Petite-Patrie borough, QC)

-MALTAIS, Valérie (Saguenay, La Baie borough, QC)

-PHANEUF, Audrey (Boucherville, QC)

-ST-GELAIS, Marianne (Saint-Félicien, QC)

MEN

-COURNOYER, Charle (Boucherville, QC)

-FATHOULLIN, Sasha (Calgary, AB)

-GIRARD, Samuel (Ferland-et-Boilleau, QC)

-HAMELIN, Charles (Sainte-Julie, QC)

-HAMELIN, François (Sainte-Julie, QC)

More information is available at 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