Speed Skating – Not Easy To Perfect

If you have never tried it, you should as it’s not the easiest of sports to manipulate, especially with the cross-overs through the turns at each end of the ice surface.

Some want to try it as it’s a sport that is for the individual, but can be a team sport as we have seen in the Olympic Games and it clearly takes lots of hard work to perfect it.

I have tried it, and after a while – I managed to sort it out, but it wasn’t without the help of an older man who was probably in his late  80ties, but he was patient with this rookie.

Well Canada has skaters that fall into the class of perfection or have the Olympic status and one happens to come from Fort St. John British Columbia.

He for one has grown the sport not only in that area, but throughout the Province as well as other areas of Canada and for this he should be commended in more ways than one.

Speed Skating Canada announced its 2015 Annual Award winners at its Awards Reception, in Winnipeg during its recent Annual General Meeting.

The recipients were elected based on nominations put forth by Speed Skating Canada’s members and committees.

Athletes of the Year – Long Track
Jeremy Wotherspoon Male Athlete of the Year Award
TIE: Laurent Dubreuil (Lévis, Saint-Étienne-de-Lauzon borough, QC) and Denny Morrison (Fort St. John, B.C.)

Catriona Le May Doan Female Athlete of the Year Award
Ivanie Blondin (Ottawa, ON)

Rising Star Athlete of the Year Award
Isabelle Weidemann (Ottawa, ON)

Athletes of the Year – Short Track
Marc Gagnon Male Athlete of the Year Award
Charles Hamelin (Sainte-Julie, QC)

Female Athlete of the Year
Marianne St-Gelais (Saint-Félicien, QC)

Guy Daignault Rising Star Athlete of the Year Award
Kim Boutin (Sherbrooke, QC)

Coach of the Year Award
Derrick MacLeod (Fredericton, N.B.)
(Presented to any SSC coach who has demonstrated meaningful, long term involvement with a club, regional, branch, or national association as a coach as evidenced by the achievements outlined in the nomination form.)

Honour Roll
Ivanie Blondin (Ottawa, ON)
2014-2015 Overall Mass Start World Cup Champion

Denny Morrison (Fort St. John, B.C.)
2014-2015 Overall 1500m World Cup Champion

(Presented to any speed skater or speed skating team who wins a gold, silver or bronze medal at a Winter Olympic Games, wins a senior or junior world championship title, wins an overall World Cup title, or holds an officially recognized Olympic, senior or junior world record; such athlete will automatically be recorded on the honour roll of the Speed Skating Canada Hall of Fame.

The same person or team can be recorded several times for different achievements.)

Jean R. Dupré Administrator of the Year Award
Gordon Rogers (Charlottetown, P.E.I.)
(Presented to an administrator who has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of speed skating in Canada.)

Jean R. Dupré Administrator of the Year – Certificates of Merit
Jennifer Gemmell (Ottawa, ON)
Nicolle Moskven (Landmark, MB)
Lynda Murch (Calgary, AB)

(Presented to an administrator who has made a significant contribution to the sport of speed skating in Canada.)

René Marleau Official of the Year Award
Michel Dumont (Trois-Rivières, QC)
(Presented to any Speed Skating Canada official who has demonstrated meaningful, long term involvement with a club, region, branch, or the national association based on the criteria in the nomination form.)

Gagné Family Award
Stickel Family (Fort St. John, B.C.)
(Richard, Dee-Ann, Dayna, Kathryn and Eryn Stickel)

(Presented to a family who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of the sport of speed skating in Canada.)

Coaches Awards of Excellence
Ian Mellors (Canmore, AB)
Sarah Taylor (Cornwall, P.E.I.)
Miriam Verschoor (Berwick, N.B.)

(Presented to those who have made contributions to the sport of speed skating in the role of a coach.

The award is not given based on the achievement of athletes, but on the demonstrated ability to assist in the development of athletes and the sport, including grassroots to high performance coaches.

Any Speed Skating Canada volunteer who has demonstrated meaningful involvement with a club, regional, branch, or national association as a coach as evidenced by the outline in the nomination form.)

Officials Award of Excellence
Robin Greig (Yellowknife, NT)
Ariadne Holness de Hiller (Prince George, B.C.)
Shirley Hons (Calgary, AB)

(Presented to an individual who has made contributions to the sport of speed skating in the role of an official.

The award is given based on the demonstrated ability to assist in the development of officials in the sport, including grassroots to high performance officials.

Any Speed Skating Canada volunteer who has demonstrated meaningful involvement with a club, region, branch, or national association as an official as outlined in the nomination form.)

Peter Williamson Memorial Trust Fund Bursaries
Ivanie Blondin (Ottawa, ON)
Samuel Bélanger-Marceau (Saint-Bruno de Montarville, QC)
Namasthée Harris-Gauthier (Montréal, Rosemont – La Petite-Patrie borough, QC)
Alec Janssens (Chilliwack, B.C.)

(Bursaries given to athletes who best combine athletic and scholastic achievement; have the ability to communicate well with coaches and fellow skaters; and show elements of leadership and are positive role models for other athletes.)

Canadian Championships Shields
Doreen Ryan Shields: Long Track
Alberta

Pat Underhill Shield: Short Track
Québec

(Presented to the best provincial/territorial teams in long track and short track speed skating, combining all the Canadian championships.)

Thanks to Speed Skating Canada for more info please visit: http://www.speedskating.ca/about/speed-skating-canada/staff