Speed Skating Canada – Ottawa, May 15, 2017 – Speed Skating Canada unveiled today details pertaining to the long and short track selection process for the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, which will be held February 9 to 25.

In short track, 16 skaters per gender will battle for the five spots available at the selections that will be held August 12-20, 2017 at Maurice-Richard Arena in Montreal. Skaters will take part in three races in each of the events, i.e. the 500m, the 1000m and the 1500m, over the five days of competition, slated for Saturday August 12, Sunday August 13, Wednesday August 16, Saturday August 19 and Sunday August 20. The complete policy and procedures for Olympic selection as well as a one-page summary are available in the special section that can be found on Speed Skating Canada’s website at http://www.speedskating.ca/2018-og/short-track.

In long track, skaters will take part in selections set to be held from January 4-9, 2018 at Calgary’s Olympic Oval. The women’s 3000m and men’s 5000m events will kick off the competition on Thursday, January 4, and will be followed by the 500m on Friday, January 5, the 1500m on Saturday, January 6, and the 1000m on Monday, January 8, while the women’s 5000m and the men’s 10 000m will close it out on Tuesday, January 9. Skaters will have a day off on Sunday, January 7. The complete policy and procedures for Olympic selection as well as a one-page summary are available in the special section that can be found on Speed Skating Canada’s website at http://www.speedskating.ca/2018-og/long-track.

Media representatives can, as of now, make an accreditation request for the selections by filling out the available form included in the above mentioned special pages.

Improve from Sochi in PyeongChang

At the 2018 Olympic Games, Canada’s speed skating team will aim to improve from the 2014 Olympic Games where Canada won five medals in Short and Long Track Speed Skating together.

Canadian Short Track skaters won an average of six individual medals while the Long Track athletes climbed four and three times on the podium in the past two respectives ISU World Short Track Championships and ISU World Single Distance Championships for an average of nine medals in the past two seasons.

“Over the last few years, our long and short track speed skaters have shown they can perform when it counts the most, i.e. at the World Championships in short track and at the World Single Distance Championships in long track,” said Speed Skating Canada’s Chief Executive Officer, Susan Auch. “Let’s not forget the eleven times our Canadian skaters finished in positions fourth to sixth, as well as the near podium misses in short track relay racing and in long track team pursuit events.”

“Based on these performances, we strongly believe that our athletes will bring Canadian Short Track and Long Track Speed Skating back onto the Olympic podium in PyeongChang in more events than ever.”

Athlete availability over the next few months

Looking ahead to this Olympic season, Speed Skating Canada also wishes to bring the attention of media representatives to the fact that short track speed skaters will be more readily available for long interviews (over one hour) before June 4. Their availability after that will be limited (media will be informed on that at a later date).

As for the long track skaters, they will be more readily available for long interviews (over one hour) before August 1st. Their availability after that will be limited (media will be informed on that at a later date).

Please note that 16 skaters will be taking part in the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Media Summit leading up to PyeongChang 2018, set to take place June 3-4 at the Calgary Telus Convention Centre. Athletes will have participated beforehand, on June 1-2, in the Olympic Lab and then, on June 3, the short track speed skaters will take part in the Media Summit followed, the next day, by all the other long track skaters.

Media representatives interested in attending the Media Summit should contact Ricky Landry (rlandry@olympic.ca) or Joshua Su (jsu@olympic.ca) at the Canadian Olympic Committee. For any other request outside of the Media Summit, please contact Patrick Godbout (pgodbout@speedskating.ca) or Kerry Dankers (kdankers@speedskating.ca).

Following is the list of speed skaters set to take part in the Media Summit:

SHORT TRACK

BOUTIN, Kim

BRADETTE, Kasandra
COURNOYER, Charle

DION, Pascal

DROLET, Marie-Ève

GIRARD, Samuel

HAMELIN, Charles

MALTAIS, Valérie

ST-GELAIS, Marianne

LONG TRACK

BELCHOS, Jordan

BLOEMEN, Ted-Jan

BLONDIN, Ivanie

DE HAÎTRE, Vincent

HUDEY, Marsha

McLEAN, Heather

MORRISON, Denny

More details are available at Speed Skating Canada’s website 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.

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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