Speed Skating Canada – Competitions will be held March 11-13 in Changchun, China

                                                                                      

Calgary, February 18, 2016 – Speed Skating Canada introduces today the eight athletes who will represent the country at the ISU World Junior Long Track Championships, March 11-13, in Changchun, China.

 

Véronique Déry of Lévis (Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Est (Saint-Jean-Chrysostome) borough), QC, Ben Donnelly of Oshawa, ON, Christopher Fiola of Montréal, (Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough), QC, Béatrice Lamarche of Quebec City (Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge borough), QC, Tyson Langelaar of Winnipeg, MB, Abigail McCluskey of Penticton, B.C., Antoine Roger of Quebec City (Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge borough), QC, and Gabrielle Sanson of Moose Jaw, SK, will be the Canadian skaters.

Donnelly and Fiola will lead the team as they will take part in their second consecutive participation at the World Junior Championships. Last year, in Warsaw, Poland, Fiola was the best Canadian with an eighth position overall finish while Donnelly took the tenth spot. Isabelle Weidemann took the fourth place in the 3000m, as the men’s team pursuit including Fiola, Donnelly and Alexandre Déry.

Todd McClements and Muncef Ouardi will be the Canadian team coaches.

All of them, except Ben Donnelly, have been selected following their performances at the last Canadian Junior Long Track Championships, held February 5-7 in Winnipeg.

Donnelly automatically got his ticket for the World Junior Championships by qualifying for the ISU Senior World Cup #5, held January 29-31, in Stavanger, Norway, and the Canadian Single Distance Championships, held January 3-6. In Norway, Donnelly actually qualified for the World Single Distance Championships and won a bronze medal in the men’s team pursuit event with Ted-Jan Bloemen and Jordan Belchos.

At the World Junior Championships in China, Donnelly will take part in the allround competition which one champion will be crowned for each distance and following the overall ranking including the combined performances in the 500m, 1000m, 1500m, women’s 3000m or men’s 5000m and mass start.

Skaters for the team sprint and pursuit events, who will already be part of the Junior National Team, will be announced during the competition.

Béatrice Lamarche and Christopher Fiola: Canadian Junior Champions
Canadian Junior Champions crowned following the National Junior Championships, Béatrice Lamarche and Christopher Fiola, as well as Abigail McCluskey, second in the women’s overall ranking in this competition, will also take part in the allround format of the competition in China.

Lamarche and Fiola swept all the events at the 2016 Canadian Junior Long Track Championships, except the women’s 3000m and men’s 5000m where they respectively took the second and third positions.

McCluskey won a silver medal in each of the events, except in the mass start. She also won the gold medal in the women’s 3000m.

Sanson, Déry, Roger and Langelaar will be in action in the sprint competition and will only take part in the 500m and 1000m events.

Déry and Sanson respectively took the third and fourth spots in the Canadian Junior Championships women’s overall ranking. Déry finished fourth in the 500m and in the 1000m, while Sanson took the seventh rank in the 500m and won a bronze medal in the 1000m.

On the men’s side, Langelaar also won a bronze medal in the 1000m and finished fifth in the 5000m. He also won silver medals in both the 1500m and 5000m.

Antoine Roger won a silver medal in the 500m and 1000m.

Competitions at the ISU World Junior Long Track Championships will start Friday, March 11, with the 500m and 1500m events, followed, Saturday, March 12, with the 1000m, women’s 3000m and men’s 5000m and team sprint events. The event will end Sunday, March 13, with the team pursuit and mass start events.

Members of the Canadian Team at the 2016 ISU World Junior Long Track Championships

 

WOMEN                                                              
-DÉRY, Véronique (Lévis, Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Est – Saint-Jean-Chrysostome borough, QC) – 500m, 1000m
-LAMARCHE, Béatrice (Québec, Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge borough, QC) – 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m, Mass Start
-McCLUSKEY, Abigail (Penticton, B.C.) – 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 5000m, Mass Start
-SANSON, Gabrielle (Moose Jaw, SK) – 500m, 1000m

MEN
-DONNELLY, Ben (Oshawa, ON) – 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 5000m, Mass Start
-FIOLA, Christopher (Montreal, Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough, QC) – 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 5000m, Mass Start
-LANGELAAR, Tyson (Winnipeg, MB) – 500m, 1000m
-ROGER, Antoine (Quebec City, Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge borough, QC) – 500m, 1000m

More details are available at Speed Skating Canada’s web site at 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, as well as our funding partners, the Government of Canada, Own the Podium, City of Montreal, Calgary Olympic Oval and WinSport Canada.
 

– 30 –

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