Speed Skating Canada – The competitions will take place this weekend, January 29-31, in Sofia, Bulgaria

Sofia, January 27, 2016 – Speed Skating Canada announced today its final line-up for the ISU World Junior Short Track Championships to be held this weekend, January 29-31, in Sofia, Bulgaria.

In the women’s side, Genève Bélanger of Montréal (Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough), Danaé Blais of Châteauguay, QC, Alyson Charles of Montréal (Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension borough) and Jade Quevillon of Laval, QC, will represent the country after they took the four first spots in the overall ranking at the Canadian Junior Championships, December 18-20, in Lévis, QC.

Brendan Corey of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Steven Dubois of Lachenaie, QC, Maxime Laoun of Montréal (Rosemont – La Petite-Patrie borough) and Marc-Olivier Lemay of Montréal (Rivière-des-Prairies – Pointe-aux-Trembles borough) will be the Canadian representatives in the men’s side.

Brendan Corey, fifth at the Canadian Junior Championships, will replace Maxime St-Jules of Saint-Constant, QC, fourth in Lévis. St-Jules dislocated his shoulder at the Canadian Senior Championships, January 15-17, in Montreal.

By finishing in the top three at the Canadian Junior Championships in their respective category, Bélanger, Blais and Charles, as well as Dubois, Laoun and Lemay will be in action in the individual events, i.e. the 500m, 1000m and 1500m. The six best skaters of the competitions following the three first events will then skate in the 1500m super final.

Corey and Quevillon will take part in the relay events with their team-mates.

Marc Gagnon and Jeffrey Scholten will be the coaches for the Canadian team.

Bélanger and Lemay crowned 2015 Canadian Junior champions
Genève Bélanger, member of the Short Track National Team, represented Canada at two senior World Cups last season while qualifying for the 2015 World Senior Championships held in Moscow. At the Canadian Junior Championships in Lévis, she won the 1500m and the 1500m Super Final events while taking the third spot in the 1000m to be crowned 2015 women’s Canadian Junior champion. The 18 year-old skater will take part in her fourth World Junior Championships after she skated in the 2012, 2013 and 2015 editions.

Danaé Blais, 16 years old, climbed on the podium in each of the event held at the Canadian Junior Championships: gold in the 1000m, silver in the 500m and bronze in the 1500m, as well as the third position in the 1500m Super Final.

On the men’s side, Marc-Olivier Lemay won two gold medals (1500m and 1000m) as well as a silver in the 500m to win the men’s Canadian junior title. He also finished second in the 1500m Super Final. The 17 years old skater shined last season by winning three medals at the 2015 Canada Games.

Steven Dubois, 17 years old, was also on the podium in each of the events held in Lévis by winning a gold medal in the 500m, silver in the 1500m and bronze in the 1000m.

Alyson Charles and Maxime Laoun will compete in their second consecutives World Junior Championships.

In Lévis, Charles won the 500m event while finishing second in the 1500m Super Final, while Laoun got a silver medal in the 1000m and won the 1500m Super Final.

Brendan Corey, bronze medalist in the 1500m super final and finalist in two of the three other events, and Jade Quevillon, silver medalist in the 1000m, will complete the Canadian team.

Last year in Osaka, Japan, Audrey Phaneuf was the only Canadian to be on the podium following her silver medal in the 500m. Other than Phaneuf, Canada was also represented by skaters on the National Team for the World Cups last fall: Samuel Girard and Sasha Fathoullin.

Members of the Canadian national team for the ISU World Junior Short Track Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria:

WOMEN                                                             

-BÉLANGER, Genève (Montréal, Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough, QC)

-BLAIS, Danaé (Châteauguay, QC)
-CHARLES, Alyson (Montréal, Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension borough, QC)

-QUEVILLON, Jade (Laval, QC)

 

MEN

-COREY, Brendan (Fredericton, N.-B.)

-DUBOIS, Steven (Lachenaie, QC)

-LAOUN, Maxime (Montréal, Rosemont – La Petite-Patrie borough, QC)

-LEMAY, Marc-Olivier (Montréal, Rivière-des-Prairies – Pointe-aux-Trembles borough, QC)

 

More information, including the competition schedule, 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, 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