It’s been a wild couple of weeks for the Vernon Vortex Speed Skating Club.
It started in Calgary last weekend at the World Masters Games where Peter Blokker finished second in his age group and continued on in Saskatoon where Laura Hall won a bronze medal in the 3,000-metre race at the Canadian Championships.
Hall finished fifth overall, missing out on a second bronze in the 100 by just one hundredth of a second.
Closer to home, the Vortex hosted a Valentines Day meet at Kal Tire Place where athletes from Kelowna, Salmon Arm, Nelson, and Kamloops competed.
The entire Vernon club did well, winning the overall meet and setting 14 personal best times in the process. Logan Stewart recorded three best times while Daniel Hall, Declan Fitzpatrick, Lauryn Eddy, Mattias Isobe, and Nathan Stewart all set two new time standards.
Tadhg Boyle continued his improvement with a best time in the 1500.
The coaches of the Vortex team would like to thank all the volunteers that pulled together to help organize and run a great event.
The Vortex, who have their own Facebook page, will skate in the Provincial Short Track Championships, March 7-8, in Vanderhoof.
Vernon has qualified nine skaters for the B.C. finals, the best showing for the Vernon club in 23 years.
