Men's Olympic Speed Skating Team: Who Who Who?

(Calgary) Unlike the massive hype and hoopla that surrounds the naming of the Canadian hockey team it seems few scribes are aware of the drama unfolding at the Calgary Oval as the High Performance Committee of Speed Skating Canada ponders naming the final members of the men's Olympic Speed Skating team. Every one knows about the past of the men's team Jeremy Wotherspoon's trials are well documented. The final selection will be about the future of men's speed skating in Canada.

Like in hockey Canada has incredible depth until it comes to long distance skating. The high performance people a re faced with sprinters galore and a serious shortage of long distance skaters. As a result of poor performance in the longer distances the men's team is only allowed eight skaters at Vancouver. The stronger women's performance in World Cups means ten Canadian women will skate in 2010.

The real dilemna becomes apparent when you understand that Canada is allowed four sprinters in the 500 and 1000 meter races where we have a shot at the hardware. In the 1500 we are still looking pretty good. After that it's a long shot until it comes to the team pursuit a pseudo-relay where two teams start three skaters on opposite sides of the track. The 3000 meter race is over when the last skater of each team crosses the line. The women are favoured to win. The men may be able to hit the podium too.

Back to the dilemna, naming the eight skaters. Sprinters or lungers? What is the right combination? Wotherspoon, Ireland, and newcomer Kyle Parrott are in as sprinters qualified in the 500. Wotherspoon, Morrison and Parrott are in again for the 1000. The tricky part is that we can send four skaters in each of these races and we have a World Cup medalist who could and perhaps should also skate those races; Jamie Gregg. So three or four sprinters out of eight spots; that is the question.

On the flip side of the coin we have Lucas Makowsky who is our best 5000 skater and also hit the podium in the World Cup with a second in the 1500 in Norway. Makowsky is in and on the team as a result of his win in the 5000. Denny Morrison was second, Giroux was third and Turin Olympic pursuit medalist Warselewicz was fourth.

The picture could become a little clearer after the men's 1500 on New Year's day. Favourites are Morrison, Makowsky and Giroux but it is close for the second third fourth position and as we know anything can happen that's why they race.

So here's this fan's choices for the men's Canadian Oympic roster for 2010.
Wotherspoon 500 + 1000
Ireland 500
Parrott 500 + 1000
Gregg 500 + 1000
Morrison 1000 + 1500 + 5000 + Pursuit
Makowsky 1500 + 5000 + Pursuit
Giroux 1500 + Pursuit
Warselewicz Pursuit

My picks result in one Humboldt boy, born not raised, and two Reginans. Go
Saskatchewan.

Regrets to long time Canadian National team member Steven Elm who could still make the team. It's a tough choice but it is time to look to the future of the team in both sprints and distances.

You are welcome and good luck gentlemen. See you on the podium!

Saskatchewan skaters at the Olympic Trials

(Calgary) (Calgary) The star of the Saskatchewan team is Lucas Makowsky the winner of the men's 5000 and a member of Canada's 2010 Olympic team. Makowsky 22 of Regina skated a personal best time in the 5000 narrowly defeating Denny Morrison to claim the title of Canada's 5000 champion. Makowsky has been steadily rising to the challenge this season and last. He scored his first podium finish in World Cup racing this fall a Silver in the 1500 in Norway.
"The pressure is off now, who knows what I can do in the 1500" a smiling Makowsky said following his victory. He could do what he'd love to do, win another Championship distance.
Other Saskatchewan skaters continue to fight for spots on the Olympic team, this years World Championships teams and next year's National team. Mykola Makowsky, Regina Speed Skating club, and William Dutton, Humboldt Speed Skating club meet today in the men's 1000 meter race. Twenty year old Dutton finished 9th overall in the combined 500.
Justin Warsylewicz, another Turin veteran finished 4th in the 5000 and still has a chance to be named to the men's pursuit team. He won a medal in Turin in the pursuit.
Kerry Dankers, Melville Speed Skating club, finished sixth in the women's 500. Dankers an Olympic veteran will compete in the women's 1000. Dankers has let it be known that she will be retiring after the season.
Marsha Hudey a junior from Regina speed Sakting club raced the 500 and finished 15th. Hudey will be a contender for the World Junior team this year.
Dustin Johnston of Moose also skated the 5000. Johnston has also let it be known he plans to retire following the end of this season.
Prince Albert's Elliot Nelson, a junior, skated in the 5000. This was his first National Championship race. Nelson will be a contender in the longer distances at the Canadian Junior Cahmpionships in Saskatoon.

Dutton Posts Blistering 35.20 sec 500

(Calgary) Skating with his training team mate, buddy and opponent Richard McLennan at the Oval Invitational meet, Humboldt Club member William Dutton hammered out a new PB of 35.20 sec in the 500. McLennan also skated a PB of 35.43 missing the Canadian Junior 500 record by .08.

Dutton's time ranked as the fourth fastest men's 500 in Canada this year. McLennan of Sault St. Marie has the fastest junior time in the world this year.

Best Speed Skating Story in Canada

Look no further the best story of speed skating is a no-brainer, a no doubter, a sure thing and the only grass roots speed skating story about triple digit percentage growth in the number of skaters in one club. Humboldt may be number two as hockey town Canada but it is definitely number one as speed skating town Canada. Intact Inc. sponsors a yearly contest to find and publicize the best speed skating story in Canada each year. Even the French and Russian figure skating judges of years gone by would vote Humboldt as 2009's hands down winner.

Humboldt has rocketed from a low of five skaters to a total of more than 100 skaters in less than two years. The Humboldt Speed Skating Club has moved speed skating into elementary schools in the town of 5000. Three elementary schools now send their grade four and five classes to speed skating classes every year. Each one of these skaters becomes a member of the club and the provincial and national associations.

Humboldt has always had a very strong competitive program. The little club that could often won more medals at National Age Class Championships than some provinces. Several Humboldt skaters have been National Age Class champions and many have won medals at the National level. The club presently has one member on the National development team and another in the Calgary Oval program. But the club was barely surviving, volunteers were pressed to the limit, and no new skaters were joining the club despite all the success.

Looking back the answer was simple, get the schools involved and let the kids race. As a last ditch recruiting measure the Humoldt Speed Skating Club offered a speed skating camp to a local elementary school in 2006. Forty kids showed up and the only plan was to let them race and make sure they had fun. They did and they did. The kids loved it and the teachers were having fun too. They agreed to come back the next year.

The word spread and another school joined the program he next year. Another forty kids were exposed to speed skating and racing. They loved to go fast. No one was telling them to slow down and their laughter filled the rink.

By 2008 three schools were involved and the 'per-capita speed skating capital of Canada - Humboldt Saskatchewan' had two more families and six more competitive skaters. The club now had more than 80 members. The fund raisers had been abandoned in favour of the camps. No more bingoes; just skating.

Every year the Humboldt club introduces more than 100 ten, eleven, and twelve year olds to the sport. The club keeps winning medals at the local, provincial, and national level. But the real story is happening at the local hockey arena when each spring every elementary school in town sends their grade four class onto the ice to 'speed skate' for three one hour sessions.

Humboldt Club and Saskatchewan Provincial President Steve Krueger says " the school program saved our club. I hope every club in Canada copies our program. Next year we are expanding it to include schools from neighbouring towns and villages."

The best speed skating story in Canada? You bet it is. Brought to you from the Hockeyville Canada 2009 runner-up; the per capita speed skating capital of Canada, Humboldt Saskatchewan.

"Who knows," says coach Lloyd Bernhard, "next year we could have two hundred members. Then maybe we'll be the biggest club in Canada."

Bernhard joins Oval Program

(Calgary) Sept/09
Humboldt Speed Skating Club skater and Saskatchewan Provincial Team member Ryan Bernhard joined Humboldt team mate and National Development Team member, William Dutton in the Calgary Oval speed skating program. Bernhard 17 attends the National Sports school in Calgary and trains daily with Crispin Parkinson, a national speed skating coach. Bernhard has two years left as a junior and is a favourite to make the Canadian Junior team.

Dutton skates with Olympic Medallists

William Dutton and fellow National Development Team skater Richard McLennnan skate with Olympic medal winners at the Richmond Oval.

Fanz at Zakopane Junior worlds

Canada's 2009 World Junior Championship Team

Kate Hanly, Sarah Gregg, William Dutton, Scott Bickerton, Coach Mark Wilder, Richard MacLennan, Coach Crispin Parkinson, Ivany Blondin

Dutton 7th in World Junior 500

Dutton Seventh in World 500

Press Release
Humboldt Speed Skating Club
For Immediate Release

February 21, 2009

(Zakopane Poland) Humboldt speed skater William Dutton finished in eigth place in the second of the two 500 meter races at the World Junior Speed Skating Championships in Poland Saturday. Dutton moved up from 10th position in the first 500 meter race to finish seventh overall in the combined time for the two races.

"I knew I had my work cut out after my first race." Dutton said. "I knew I had to make the top eight to make the Canadian Development team." he added. Conditions were not the greatest on Saturday with snow falling all day on the each flood caused the ice to become pebbled like curling ice. The rough ice slowed everyone down and caused some serious slips. Dutton was able to advance while many of those in front of him after the first race had slower times in the second race. Dutton's time in the second race increased by .07 seconds. Only one skater, Canadian team mate Richard MacLennan, improved their time on day two.

"We're looking for some great things from William in the future" said World Junior Coach Crispin Parkinson. "We know he will be faster next season. He has world class 100 meter times now and he's getting stronger" he added. Speed Skate Canada high performance Chairman Greg Planert said "William is being rewarded for his hard work and dedication, it's good to have him on the team."

Dutton and Humboldt Speed Skating Club teammates Nathan Bernhard and Ryan Bernhard will be in action again at the Calgary Oval Finale meet in March.

Dutton models Team Canada Gear

First and third fastest junior 500 in the world this year

Dutton wins Silver and Bronze at North Americans

(Calgary) Humboldt speed skater William Dutton skated to two medals in the North American speed skating Championship at the Calgary Olympic Oval this weekend. Dutton won silver in the 500 and bronze in the 1000 meter sprints.


The second of two junior men’s 500 meter races had everyone at the Calgary oval on their feet as Dutton lead fellow Canadian World junior team member Richard MacLennan into the final corner. With MacLennan gaining on the inside Dutton slipped and was forced to put his hand down to maintain his balance. MacLennan shot into the lead coming out of the corner but Dutton regained his balance and closed the gap down the final straight. MacLennan missed the Canadian record by one hundredth of a second and Dutton crossed less than two tenths behind.

“I think Richard would have broken the record if I don’t slip. It would have been a photo finish and he would have gone faster” said Dutton. His time lowered Dutton’s own Saskatchewan Junior record set earlier this year. Dutton and MacLennan have one more shot at the Canadian record this year in Calgary during the ING Finale meet in March.

The two skaters, who train together, were on the podium in the 1000 as well. MacLennan took the silver and Dutton the bronze as both skaters finished narrowly behind American Peter Whitmore.

Dutton’s success in the Canadian Junior Championship places him on the Speed Skating Canada 2018 prospect team. MacLennan and Dutton go into the World junior championships seeded as number two and three in the world in the 500. If either of the skaters finish in the top 8 in the World Championship they will move up to the Canadian LT development team. MacLennan presently has the 7th fastest time by a Canadian man this year and Dutton has the 10th fastest.

Humboldt skaters and brothers Nathan and Ryan Bernhard staged a meet within a meet at the North American championship culminating in their skating a 500 meter race one within one hundredth of a second of each other.

Nathan started the day with a personal best 38.19 and all the fans waited to see little brother Ryan straining to take over the family title to the fastest 500. Ryan had a great race and clocked 38.20. Nathan is a former N.A. Champion and Ryan was a double medalist at the 2007 meet.

The “Burning Bernhards” are not done this season as Ryan and youngest brother Terran have both qualified and are headed for the Canadian Age Class championships in Regina next weekend. Saskatchewan Provincial Coach Brian McSorley says “we expect Ryan to come home with medals and Terran is a dark horse in his first year in the division”.

Dutton Named to World Junior Team

NEWS RELEASE
February 1st, 2008
For Immediate release
Humboldt Speed Skating Club


HUMBOLDT SPEED SKATER HEADING TO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS



(Richmond BC) Humboldt's William Dutton won the sprint spot on Canada's World Junior speed skating team Sunday at the Canadian Junior Championship at Richmond Olympic Oval. Dutton qualified by posting a 1000 meter time of 1:14:05 in the last race of the championship. Dutton will represent Canada at the 2009 World Junior speed skating Championship in Poland February 20 - 22.

As always the Humboldt Speed Skating Club member saved his best for the last race of the meet. "I was very nervous for the first few races of the meet and it hurt my skating" Dutton said. "I managed to control my emotions in the thousand and now I get to wear the maple leaf. It has always been my dream to skate for Canada" he added. Dutton will skate in the 100,500 and the 1000 meter races at the World championships. He has skated some of the fastest junior 500 races in the world this year and presently has the 5th fastest time skated this season. He also set new Saskatchewan junior and men's records in the 500 in November.

Humboldt team members Nathan and Ryan Bernhard also raced at the new 2010 Olympic oval on the weekend. Ryan is junior with two more years of eligibility. He is presently the third fastest Canadian in his age category. Nathan, a senior, raced in the men's 500 and 1000.

Dutton Second Junior at Canada Cup 1

Plenty of personal bests as Canada Cup begins in Calgary
Date posted: 01/09/2009

Canadian athletes compete in the Canada Cup series to win points to qualify for National and Development team positions. On the first day of competition of the Canada Cup #1, over 75 skaters improved their personal best times. Among the skaters trying to make a name for themselves were several familiar faces.

In the junior men’s 3000m, first place was awarded to Richard Maclennan of Ontario who raced the distance in 3:53.82. William Dutton from Saskatchewan, a member of the Humboldt Speed skating club, finished second while British Colombia’s Scott Bickerton took third place with times of 3:56.72 and 3:57.87 respectively.

McLennan was the 2007 Canada Winter Games 500 gold medalist and Dutton won bronze in the 100. Dutton finished the meet second in overall among juniors behind McLennan.

Sask. and Humboldt Skaters set the pace at Canada Cup 1

Ladies from Saskatchewan took the top 2 spots in the ladies 500m with Kim Weger taking gold with a time of 39.40 seconds, and Kerry Dankers finishing in second place, 0.01 seconds behind Weger.

“I’m taking this meet as a progression towards the World Cup. The races were good, although I believe that my time could have been better - perhaps it was fatigue. I hope that some rest should help. In addition, I was skating a bit too high; by skating lower and being more aggressive in the first lap I should improve my time,” explained Weger.

“My next competition is going to be the World Cup in Russia later this month. I will focus on having the right knee angle, improving my turns and getting more into the ice. In all, I am very satisfied with this weekend and think of it as training for the big context in Russia.”

In the ladies’ 1000m, Dankers was at the top of the podium thanks to a time of 1:18.20 minutes.

In the lead-up to the Canadian Junior Championships up-and-coming skaters have left a lasting impression. Ontario skater Richard MacLennan had an outstanding meet and Humboldt Speed Skating club member William Dutton had a solid weekend. Both McLennan and Dutton established themselves as top contenders for the Canadian junior team.