(Calgary) Humboldt Saskatchewan speed skater William Dutton is following a trail blazed by another Humboldt native, world renowned speed skater Jeremy Wotherspoon. Dutton, in his second year as a National development team long tracker, is on his way to the World Cup of speed skating where the name Wotherspoon is as revered as the name Gretzky.
"We (Humboldt skaters) used to look for Jeremy at the Oval when he was World Champion" Dutton said. "Now we see him every day and he helps with the coaching" he added. Apparently it's working. Dutton skates in the glory race of speed skating the 500. He moved up to second in Canada at the Canadian fall World Cup trials this weeend in Calgary. At the end of the 2009 season he was ranked 5th. He qualified for this years World Cup fall circuit in the sprints; the 500 and the 1000 meter races.
Dutton raced Wotherspoon last year as the Canadian team prepared for the Olympic team qualifier. In the Olympic trials he skated another Canadian speed skating Icon former World Champion Mike Ireland. "It seemed like every time I stepped up to the line I was skating one of the fastest guys in the world" Dutton laughed. He went on to race Denny Morrison, Jamie Gregg, and Kyle Parrott all Canadian 2010 Olympians. "I didn't win any of those races but when I was done I knew I could skate with them, that I belonged on the ice with them" he said.
Apparently he was right. Now he is on the ice with Gregg and the senior sprint team every day. Dutton skated against the fastest man on the Canadian team, Olympian Jamie Gregg, in the 1000 and both races of the 500 this weekend. When the skating was done he was fourth in the 1000 and second in the 500.
Dutton has worn the maple leaf twice in his young career. In 2009 he was a member of the Canadian junior team at the World Junior Championships in Poland and in 2010 he skated at the World Sprint Championships in Obihiro Japan. This will be his first time as a member of the Canadian World Cup team. "We race in four cities on two continents in the next six weeks. I won't have the same kind of first time jitters when I skate this year" Dutton said.
The Canadian team is young this year. Veterans Wotherspoon and Ireland have retired. They were followed off the ice by 2010 Olympic sprinters J.F. Roberge and Kyle Parrott. Gregg, an Own the Podium athlete, who came to speed skating from hockey is a veteran at age 25. Quebec skaters Vincent LaBrie and Muncef Ouardi are 27 and 24 respectively. Dutton is 20 and his Sault St. Marie room mate Richard MacLennan is 19. Junior Gilmore Junio is 18.
These young athletes are Canada's future in long track sprints. It remains to be seen if they can carry the torch thrown from Wotherspoon and Ireland. They quietly go about their business. Learning about the tension and stress of being on the line with the fastest skaters in the world.
When you ask them about it they shrug and smile. Then they head back out to the ice. After all, when you've raced Wotherspoon who could possibly intimidate you?We'll find out soon.
