Speed Skating Canada – Competitions will take place March 9-11 in Salt Lake City, U.S.A.                                                                                    

Calgary, March 1, 2018 – Speed Skating Canada introduced today the eight athletes who will represent the country at the 2018 ISU World Junior Long Track Championships, March 9-11, in Salt Lake City, U.S.A.

The Canadian Team will feature Béatrice Lamarche of Quebec City (Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge borough), QC, Tyson Langelaar of Winnipeg, MB, David La Rue of Saint-Lambert, QC, Brooklyn McDougall of Calgary, AB, and Connor Howe of Calgary, AB, who all represented Canada at last year’s World Junior Championships.

Gabrielle Jelonek of Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, QC, Kaleb Muller of Cranford, AB, and Alexa Scott of Clandeboye, MB, will be the other Canadian representatives and will take part in their first-ever World Junior Championships.

Muncef Ouardi and Crispin Parkinson will be the official Canadian team coaches, supported by Mark Wild as team leader and Tyler Derraugh and Mike Ireland as assistant coaches.

All of the skaters, except for Béatrice Lamarche and David La Rue, have been selected following their performances at the Canadian Long Track Junior Championships, which were held February 2-4 in Fort St. John, B.C.. They had to finish among the top three per gender in overall rankings, which included their best 500m and 1000m races in Fort St. John, as well as their results from the 1500m, women’s 3000m or men’s 5000m at that competition.

Lamarche, a two-time bronze medalist in the 1000m and mass start events at last year World Junior Championships, and La Rue, silver medalist in the team sprint event and fourth in the 1000m, were added to the squad as discretionary choices.

At the World Junior Championships, all skaters will take part in the 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m, team pursuit and mass start races. Medals will be awarded for each distance and World Champions will be designated based on the overall ranking that will take into account the cumulative performances in each distance.

Canadian representatives for the team sprint and pursuit events will be announced during the competition.

Tyson Langelaar and Brooklyn McDougall: 2018 Canadian Junior Champions

Tyson Langelaar and Brooklyn McDougall have been crowned 2018 Junior Champions following their performances at the Canadian Junior Championships in Fort St. John.

On the men’s side, Tyson Langelaar won a medal in each of the six races scheduled, including gold in the 1500m and 5000m, silver in the first 500m and the two 1000m races, as well as bronze in the second 500m.

“It’s exciting to be added to a list of previous winners who have gone on to compete at World Cups and the Olympic Games,” said Langelaar who, last year, won a silver medal and two bronze while finishing third in the overall standings at the World Junior Championships. “Our team this year is very strong and close to each other, so I think that we, as a team, can bring home some heavy hardware.”

On the women’s side, Brooklyn McDougall won the two 500m events, silver medals in the two 1000m, and bronze in the 1500m to be crowned Canadian Junior Champion.

“I am very excited to be representing Canada at the Junior World Championships in Salt Lake City,” said McDougall, who was part of the Canadian Sprint team which took the fifth spot at last year World Junior Championships. “I was very pleased with my performance and my results in Fort St. John.  Being crowned Canadian Junior Champion was unexpected and I’m very honoured.  It was a high level of competition and my coaches had me very well prepared.

“I’m looking forward to representing Canada at the World Junior Championships,” she added. “I’m confident in my racing ability and feel I can be very competitive in the sprint competitions. My goals are to improve on my previous results in Finland last year and gain more international experience.”

In the 2018 Canadian Junior Championships overall ranking, Connor Howe won two silver and three bronze to finish second overall, followed by Muller (one silver and one bronze). La Rue, who was disqualified in the 1500m, won gold medals in the two 500m and two 1000m events and took the third spot in the 5000m.

On the women’s side, Alexa Scott took second place overall following a performance of two silver medals and one bronze. Jelonek finished third (bronze medal in the 3000m). Lamarche won gold in the two 1000m events and in the 3000m, and a silver medal in the second 500m.

Races at the ISU World Junior Long Track Championships will start Friday, March 9, with the 500m and 3000m events, followed on Saturday, March 10, by the 1000m and team pursuit events. The competition will end on Sunday, March 11, with the 1500m and mass start events.

At last year’s World Junior Championships in Finland, Canada won a total of eight medals.

Members of the Canadian Team at the 2018 ISU World Junior Long Track Championships

WOMEN                        

-JELONEK, Gabrielle (Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, QC)

-LAMARCHE, Béatrice (Québec, Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge borough, QC)

-MCDOUGALL, Brooklyn (Calgary, AB)

-SCOTT, Alexa (Clandeboye, MB)

MEN

-HOWE, Connor (Canmore, AB)

-LANGELAAR, Tyson (Winnipeg, MB)

-LA RUE, David (Saint-Lambert, QC)

-MULLER, Kaleb (Cranford, AB)

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 long track and short track speed skating in Canada. Founded in 1887, SSC is comprised of 13 provincial and territorial associations. Speed Skating Canada is committed to Challenge and Inspire Canada to Thrive through the power of Speed Skating. 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. www.speedskating.ca

Speed Skating Canada would like to thank its sponsors: 

Premium partner: Intact Insurance

Funding partners: Government of Canada (Sport Canada), Own The Podium, Canadian Olympic Committee

Official On-Ice High Performance Apparel: Li-Ning

Long Track Team Sponsor: KIA

Official Suppliers: Auclair, USANA

Official Technical Equipment Supplier: Nagano Skate

Sport Development Partners: Winsport Canada, Calgary’s Olympic Oval, University of Calgary, Institut national du sport du Québec, Government of Quebec, Canadian Sport Institute-Calgary, City of Montreal, Quebec City, Excellence sportive Québec-Lévis

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For information:

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 

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