Morning Star Staff
Laura Hall of the Vernon Vortex helped Team B.C. by wining two bronze medals at the Western Canadian Short Track Championships last weekend in Selkirk, Man.
Hall, 12, started Day 2 by placing fifth in the 200-metre race to qualify for the A final in her stronger distance, the 2,000.
She got caught up with the field, allowing the leaders to gain a significant lead before being able to start her determined come-from-behind dash that is becoming expected from her. She took third and moved to fourth overall.
On opening day, Hall was sixth in a very fast 400 event.
In the second event of the day, the 1,500, Hall got stuck in traffic and ended up 50 metres behind the lead pack before breaking through and tracking down the leaders with a rentless pursuit to nip an Alberta skater, Venna Anderson, at the finish line for third place. She ended up fifth overall for the day.
The competition finished with the 3,000 relay, where Hall and B.C. teammate Michelle Kalkman skated with Wren Acorn and Hannah Jones from the Northwest Territories for bronze.
The Westerns experience gave Hall a good understanding of her competition and what will be needed during the off-season to move up the rankings.
Michael Hall is head coach of the Vortex, who have a Facebook page.
