At 84, Peter Blokker cycled between 20 to 40 kilometres a week and entered speed skating competitions all over the place.
The founder of Vernon’s speed skating club (Vortex) in 1992 after moving from Prince George, Blokker will be remembered for his smile, kindness and love of fitness.
Blokker died last week after a fall. He was visiting a brother in Holland on his way to Italy for the World Masters Speed Skating Championships.
Pete Kapak signed up his daughter, Connie, for speed skating and through Blokker’s coaching, Connie is now training full-time in the Canadian Olympic development program in Calgary.
“He was my daughter’s first coach and was also responsible for providing her the opportunity to be a member of the Vernon club, despite being three years old” said Kapak, via Facebook. “Peter is known for his social skills; he always had time to chat with my daughter during his frequent trips to the Calgary Oval, where he competed as recently as a few weeks ago.”
Trevor Rasmussen, now a coach with the Vortex, was 11 when he first met Blokker in 1992.
“I was part of the Sardis Flyers Speed Skating Club when a group of skaters from the Lower Mainland hopped in a van and went on tour to the Okanagan with the intention of gaining interest in speed skating,” said Rasmussen. “Shortly after that tour, Peter started the club at the Priest Valley Arena in Vernon. Peter always showed great interest in his skating family and genuinely cared about what you were doing. His kind-spirited nature allowed him to be an amazingly patient coach.
“Cruising laps around the ice and talking with Peter always lifted my spirits no matter what was going on. Peter’s commitment to speed skating and our club will be unmatched. The longevity of fitness and kind-hearted camaraderie that Peter portrayed in all his sports has always inspired me to be more like him. Peter was an amazing athlete and good friend. Peter’s sudden and tragic departure has left me very saddened and he will be greatly missed.”
Blokker competed in multiple B.C. Seniors Games, and was featured in The Morning Star before last September’s 55+ BC Games in Vernon.
“Oh, I have no idea,” he said, when asked about his medal haul. “I’ve given some of my medals to my grandkids.”
Blokker was born in the Dutch community of Alkmaar, an hour of Amsterdam. He lived in Vernon with his wife, Gerda.
“He really was the nicest guy,” said longtime skating parent Karen Benn. “He was actually only two weeks ago helping (her son) Nate with his starts for the meet in Prince George. He was always so positive and cracking jokes about how he wasn’t as fast as he used to be, and how the kids were getting so fast. The last meet we were at, he was so relieved when they cancelled his last race due to time constraints. He said his legs were still shaking from the last race he did. Heart of gold that guy.”
Blokker loved seeing people of all ages involved in sport. At 84, winning was not his ultimate goal.
“I think win or lose, when you’re older, working your butt off to have a good results, it doesn’t affect me as much if I don’t win. It’s not the end of the world.”