Lethbridge speed skaters compete at national championships
Recently, two speed skaters from the Lethbridge Speed Skating Association competed at the long track speed skating national championships. Claire Peake competed at the Canadian Youth Long Track Speed Skating Championships in Quebec City on Saturday, February 10th and Sunday, February 11th. Competing in the Youth Female 12 category, Peake competed in a 300-meter mass start heat and final, an Olympic style 500-meter race, a 1500-meter mass start race, seven-lap mass start 17th in the 500-meter race with a time of 51.6 seconds. She finished 17th in the 300-meter event, 13th in the 1,500, and tenth in the seven-lap race. Peake captured a bronze medal in the team pursuit event skating with a team of two other Alberta skaters and one skater from British Columbia.
Gavin Ogilvie competed in the Neo Junior Long Track National Championships in Fort St. John, British Columbia on Saturday, February 3rd and Sunday, February 4th. Skating as a Neo Junior 14 skater against skaters one year older, Ogilvie competed in four Olympic style events – 500-meter, 1000-meter, 1500-meter, and 3000-meter events – a ten-lap mass start race and a team pursuit race.Ogilvie achieved a personal best in the 3000-meter race, lowering his best time by eight seconds to a nationalleading time in the distance for his age of 4:27.88. He was consistent throughout the event finishing in fifth or sixth in all events except the 1,500. In the 1500-meter race, Gavin placed fourth only .15 of a second from earning a bronze medal.
With the completion of the national championships, long track season has ended for the skaters. They will now spend the remainder of the season competing in short track speed skating events. The next big event is the Alberta Winter Games in Grande Prairie from Feb. 16-19.