Canadian Long Track Speed Skating High Performance Director Gone?

(Calgary) Sean Ireland Speed Skating Canada's Long Track High Performance Director will not be running the program in 2015. Sources in Calgary say Ireland, who led the Long Track Olympic preparation for Sochi will not be High Performance Director this season.

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It's Official: William Dutton Named to Olympic Team

Statement by Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport), on the Announcement of the Nominees to the 2014 Canadian Olympic Long-track Speed Skating Team

OTTAWA, Jan. 22, 2014 /CNW/ - I offer my heartfelt congratulations to the long-track speed skating athletes who were named to the 2014 Canadian Olympic Team.
The athletes named to the 2014 Canadian Olympic team are: Ivanie Blondin (Ottawa, Ont.), Anastasia Bucsis (Calgary, Alta.), Kali Christ (Regina, Sask.), Marsha Hudey (White City, Sask.), Kaylin Irvine (Calgary, Alta.), Christine Nesbitt (London, Ont.), Brittany Schussler (Winnipeg, Man.), Brianne Tutt (Airdrie, Alta.), Danielle Wotherspoon-Gregg (Red Deer, Alta.), Vincent De Haître (Cumberland, Ont.), William Dutton (Humboldt, Sask.), Mathieu Giroux (Pointe-aux-Trembles, Que.), Jamie Gregg (Edmonton, Alta.), Gilmore Junio (Calgary, Alta.), Lucas Makowsky (Regina, Sask.), Denny Morrison (Cumberland, Ont.), and Muncef Ouardi (Quebec City, Que.).
Our athletes are an enormous source of pride for all Canadians. That is why our Government is proud to provide continued support for Olympic sports and our Canadian Olympic athletes who will proudly represent this great nation on the world stage.
As Minister of State (Sport), I wish all these athletes the very best of success as they prepare to represent Canada this coming February in Sochi, Russia. This is an incredible milestone in your sport careers and all Canadians will be cheering for you and your teammates in your pursuit of world-class athletic excellence at the Olympic Winter Games.
SOURCE Canadian Heritage 

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.