Humboldt Speed Skater Qualifies for Olympics

Six weeks after being carried off the Calgary Oval ice on a stretcher William Dutton returned to race for a spot on the Canadian Olympic team. His first race was a personal best of 34.66 seconds but it was only fast enough to tie him for sixth in a competition to become one of four Canadians eligible to be named to skate the 500 in Sochi.

Skating in the third last group Dutton finished the second in 34.71 slower than race one but fast enough to move him into first place in combined times with four skaters left to race. One of them was speed skating legend and world record holder Jeremy Wotherspoon. 

Wotherspoon had a 34.59 in race one. His opponent in race two was Muncef Ouardi who had clocked a 34.65 earlier. When they Wotherspoon and Ouardi hit the finish line Dutton was still on top of the leader board and assured of at least a Bronze medal and he was eligible for a spot in the 500.

"I was watching from the inside of the track and I knew I was on the podium when they crossed the line" said Dutton. "I let out the biggest cheer of my life" he added. In the end, he finished second in the second race beaten only by the Gold medallist Jamie Gregg.

Dutton chose to train in Norway this year under American coach and Olympic medallist Peter Mueller with team CBA. Returning to Calgary Dutton placed second in the fall world cup trials and it looked like a promising start to the season. Then he hit the ice in the first 1000 of the season and suffered a cut on his right leg that required 12 stitches and kept him out of racing for two weeks.

"I knew that if I skated two solid races I would be one of the top four" said Dutton. The competition for the a spot on the Canadian team is intense and the difference of hundredths or even thousandths of a second can be the difference between making the Canadian team or staying home.

Racing begins at 6 pm Monday for the spots in the 1000 at Sochi.

(Berlin) - Humboldt Speed Skating Club alumni William Dutton hit the top step of the podium in Group B in the first win of his comeback from injury. Dutton was out of action for two weeks while recovering from a 12 stitch cut suffered in the men's 1000 in Calgary World Cup action.

Dutton's win was the 15th fastest 500 time on the first day of men's 500s in Berlin and matched his 15th in the first race of the season in Calgary. Dutton matched that 15th fastest placing again in his second 1000 since the injury. Dutton was the fastest Canadian of the day in the men's 1000 at Berlin.

Berlin was the last World Cup race before the Olympics in Sochi. It was also the last race for Canadian's before the Olympic trials in Calgary beginning December 28.

Dutton Hits the Podium at Astana World Cup

William Dutton hit the podium at the World Cup in Astana continuing his remarkable come back from an injury suffered at the Calgary World Cup on November 10, 2013. Dutton fell and cut himself for 12 stitches during the men's 1000.

Dutton returned to the ice in Astana last week. In the first meet back from his injury Dutton finished 4th in the first Group 500 with the 18th best time overall. He finished third and hit the podium in the second Group B 500 with a time that was 20th overall.

In the 1000 Dutton finished 4th in B Group with a time that placed him 19th overall. He was the second fastest Canadian behind Denny Morrison.

Dutton Injured in World Cup 1000

Humboldt Speed Skating Club member and Canadian World Cup speed skater William Dutton crashed into the mats suffering 12 stitch during the men's 1000 meter race Saturday November 9, 2013. Dutton who finished second in the Canadian Fall World Cup trials 500 and 1000 was forced to miss the remainder of the Calgary World Cup.