Morning Star Staff
Anyone wishing to try speed skating is urged to attend the RBC Try It Day Monday at Kal Tire Place.
Pro coaches will be in attendance from 4:45-6:45 p.m. with skates and helmets provided by the Vernon Vortex Speed Skating Club.
“If it’s love at first skate, we are always accepting new members and have different plans available,” said Vortex head coach and former Olympian (1994 Lillehammer Games) Michael Hall. “No skating experience is necessary. We have a great group with amazing coaches.
The Vortex started the new competitive season with success last weekend in Kamloops with 22 skaters recording personal best times.
Laura Hall led the Vortex with five medals while making some daring passes against her B.C. Winter Games competition from the Coast.
Tadgh Boyle made a noted commitment to training this year and was rewarded with four best times.
Declan Fitzpatrick, Lauryn Eddy, Mattias Isobe, and Daniel Hall each achieved three personal best times in some challenging races that involved multiple lead changes, forcing them to adapt to strategy changes on the fly.
Nate Benn was within tenths of a second of his best times in multiple distances, setting a new mark of 25.38 seconds in the 200m.
“Overall, the team is has picked up their development right where they left off last season,” said coach Hall, in his fourth season. “They have plenty of speed and just need to hone their racing skills to be able to make the best use of their available speed.”
Daniel Hall, Benn and and Laura Hall are in Regina this weekend to showcase their skills against prairie skaters. They will rejoin the rest of the team in competition in Salmon Arm for the final tune-up prior to the B.C. Winter Games selection for the Zone team at the end of the month.
