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”.