Members of the Vernon Vortex Speedskating club started the fall season by spending the last two weekends in Calgary.
First up was the Fall Classic Long Track meet, where Laura Hall’s and Nate Benn’s summer workout programs were put to the test. Attending this meet were several Olympic quality skaters, including the Canadian national team and national teams from China and Korea.
Benn recorded personal best times in all three distances and skated in his first-ever mass start race. He finished the 500-metre distance ranked 19th for 14-year-olds in the world.
Hall, finishing as the top female in the 3,000 event, is now ranked seventh in the world for her age group.
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The second weekend in Calgary brought the Western Elite Circuit (WEC) #1 Short Track Race with Benn, Hall and Daniel Hall again making the trek to Calgary.
Daniel Hall, skating in the Open Category in his first WEC recorded personal best times in the 500, 1,000 and 1,500m distances, finishing 63rd overall and 19th for B.C. skaters.
Benn also had personal best times in the 500, 1,500m and 1,000 races, placing first in the 1,000 D final. Benn finished 54th overall and 15th for B.C. skaters.
Laura Hall recorded personal best times in her 1,000 and 1,500 distances. This put her 18th overall and second for B.C.
Laura and Nate have both made the list of the top-16 skaters selected for the Canada Games Time Trials, Oct. 12-14, in Red Deer. This is the qualifier for the Canada Winter Games to be held in Red Deer in February.
The Vernon Vortex gratefully carries sponsorship from Interior Savings, Manulife Financial, Intact Insurance, Mackenzie Financial, Sproing Creative and Tolko. For more visit their website https://vernonspeedskatingclub.com
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