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 Feb.10-11. Competing in the Youth Female 12 category, Peake competed in a 300-metre mass start heat and final, an Olympic style 500-metre race, a 1500-metre mass start race, seven-lap mass start race, and team pursuit.  

Peake finished 17th in the 500-metre race with a time of 51.6 seconds. The skater finished 17th in the 300-metre event, 13th in the 1500, and 10th in the seven-lap race. Peake captured a bronze medal in the team pursuit event, skating with a team of two other Alberta skaters. 

Gavin Ogilvie competed in the Neo Junior Long Track National Championships in Fort St. John, BC. Feb. 3-4. Skating as a Neo Junior 14 skater against skaters one year older, Ogilvie competed in four Olympic style events – 500-metre, 1000-metre, 1500-metre, and 3000-metre events – a 10-lap mass start race and a team pursuit race.  

Ogilvie achieved a personal best in the 3000-metre race, lowering his best time by eight seconds to a national-leading time in the distance for his age of 4:27.88. The skater was consistent throughout the event, finishing in fifth or sixth in all events except the 1500. In the 1500-metre race, Ogilvie 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. The southern region will be represented in speed skating by Lethbridge members Ryker Olsen, Peake, Zosia Adelman and Ogilvie.