Hamelin, St. Gelais headline Canada’s short-track squads

MONTREAL — There were no surprises as Canada named its shorttrack speedskating team for the 2017-18 season, which begins in August with trials for the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Charles Hamelin and his brother Francois of St-Julie, Que., as well as Saint Felicien, Que., native Marianne St-Gelais are back on the squad. Other long-standing team members include Valerie Maltais of La Baie, Que., and 2014 Olympic bronze-medallist Charle Cournoyer of Boucherville, Que.

Charles Hamelin, 33, has won three gold and a silver medal in three Olympics. St-Gelais won a pair of silver medals at the 2010 Games in Vancouver.

Rising star Samuel Girard of Ferland-et-Boilleau, Que., is also on the squad.

Others on the team are Guillaume Bastille of Riviere-du-Loup, Que., Kim Boutin of Sherbrooke, Que., Kasandra Bradette of Saint-Felicien, Que., Pascal Dion of Montreal, Sasha Fathoullin of Calgary, Namasthee Harris-Gauthier of Montreal and Jamie MacDonald of Fort St. James.

A familiar name no longer with the team is Marie-Eve Drolet, who retired on June 22.

Up-and-comers

The national development team includes Geneve Belanger, Camille De Serres-Rainville and Alyson Charles, all of Montreal, Joanie Gervais of Saguenay, Que., Audrey Phaneuf of St. Hyacinthe, Que., Renee Steenge of Brampton, Ont., Alison Desmarais of Prince George and Courtney Shmyr of Langley on the women’s side.

The men’s team has Samuel Belanger-Marceau of St. Bruno, Que., Cedrik Blais of Chateauguay, Que., Steven Dubois of Lachenaie, Que., Patrick Duffy of Oakville, Ont., Sebastien Gagnon of Ste. Anne des Plaines, Que., William Preudhomme of Toronto and Maxime Laoun of Montreal.

Olympic trials begin Aug. 12 in Montreal.