Local speed skaters are putting up some solid early season results this week.
Jesse Keca rounded out Day one of four with a gold medal in the 1,500 metre race in the Under 16 year age category at the Canadian Short Track Championship currently being held in Montreal.
Keca is coming off a silver medal win in the Canada Winter Games 3,000 metre relay. Her Team BC relay team has also qualified for Sunday’s final. Jordan Rosborough finished a respectable 4th over-all in the 1,500m. He was up against a tough field involving four Quebec skaters and one AB skater.
Switching to long track, Dan Medland-Marchen, Cameron Bennett and Kerry Bennett competed in the Oval Finale All-round Championship this past Tuesday and Wednesday. Medland-Marchen broke personal best times in the 1,500m and 5,000m while Cameron Bennett broke his personal best time during a gutsy skate in the 5,000m. Kerry Bennett, a relative newcomer to the long track racing broke a personal best in the 1,500m.
Meanwhile, Keara Maguire and Nick Goplen took part in Day 1 of the Canada Cup in Calgary. Maguire posted a 7th place finish in the 3,000m with a personal best time while Goplen posted a 500m time mere tenths off his personal best. This is Goplen’s return to action in almost a year after recovering from surgery. Both skaters have more races ahead this weekend.
Local action in short track speed skating will occur Mar 26-27 in Kelowna as the “Best in the West” 11-15 year olds compete in the Canada West Short Track Championship. Action begins Saturday and Sunday from 9-4 at the Capital News Centre.
