Years ago, a dedicated group of folks got together and set out to provide individuals the chance to participate in and eventually become competitive in the sport of speed skating. The London Speed Skating Club was formed. Today, the club is run entirely by volunteers who provide everything from coaching to fund raising.
There are several speed skating clubs through-out the Province of Ontario. London speed skating is one of a handful of Ontario clubs fortunate enough to have a Level III coach, Kristi Copeland. Kristi is the head coach of the club and has been with the Club for many years. Kristi is responsible for the Coaching program and the direction the coaching staff takes. Kristi works with the more experienced elite and intermediate skaters. Allison Nuttall and Shauna Van Lierop, both level II coaches and all former speed skaters themselves. Kristi adds "A lot of our skaters have come to us from other skating sports” says Copeland. There's a club in Kitchener where many of its members in-line skate in the summer and speed skate in the winter. The transition to speed skating isn't always easy. Those who skate well make it look effortless, when in fact it's a very technical sport."
Some might describe speed skating, specifically short track speed skating, as roller derby on ice. It is a sport not for the faint of heart. It requires speed, skill, stamina and the cunning mind of a chess player knowing just when to make the right move at the right moment.
In short track speed skating competitors race each other around an Olympic size ice surface traveling a certain distance on skates. In short track these distances range anywhere between 111 metres to 3000 metres depending on the age class. At ability meets, skaters compete by their skating level or prowess; at age class meets skaters compete by age. Clubs in Ontario host competitions annually and at the end of the season the Provincials; Nationals and North American meets are held. Skaters successful at the Provincial level in meeting time standards and finishing top 4 in their age class, are eligible to compete in the Nationals and North American meets. All skating meets are sanctioned by the Ontario Speed Skating Association.
And because speed skating has far fewer numbers as compared to team sports such as hockey and soccer, there is the potential to go relatively far in the sport, even as far as the winter Olympics. In 1992, short track speed skating was accepted as an Olympic sport. The London club has had many members compete at the national level including Matt Ryan, siblings Duncan and Cate Boyd, Jacob McKenzie, Benton McNichol, Erin Copeland and Christine Nesbitt Says Copeland, “Christine Nesbitt switched over from Devilettes hocky when she was twelve. She had also taken a lot of power skating courses along the way, which certainly helped her.” Nesbitt honed her skills in short track with the London Club only to switch gears and take up Long-track speed skating out in Calgary. Christine successfully competed in the 2006 Turin Olympics winning a silver medal in the women’s team pursuits along with teammates Cindy Klassen and Christia Groves. Christine hopes to grab gold at the Vancouver Olympics in February 2010. She is well on her way of achieving that goal after having just recently competed in the World’s and winning gold in the 1500 and 1000 metres in Berlin. And to think her speed skating career originated with the London Speed Skating Club.
You can be sure Kaitlin Reiners is thinking about that. Like Christine, Kaitlin, a grade 9 student at Medway High School, also made the switch from hockey to short track and would recommend this because as she says, “I like skating and I like going fast.” What she likes most about the sport though is the fact as she says, “competing doesn’t get in the way of being friends with your competitors.”
Every four years around this time interest in speed skating peaks and it’s the fact that the Olympics are right around the corner that arouses this interest. A better marketing ploy has never been invented. As in past Olympic competitions, Canada should be a strong contender in short track speed skating at the Vancouver Olympics in February, 2010.
Want to know more?
¦ The London Speed Skating Club's season runs from October to April. All ages are welcome and anyone interested can sign up for Try-b4-Joining at a cost of $50, skates included. For more information contact Lisa Pegg at 519-533-6247 or e-mail londonspeedskating@yahoo.ca.
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