The Eastman Speed Skating Club (ESSC) relocated from Steinbach to the Community Resource and Recreation Centre in Niverville this year, and Vice President Cassandra Tetrault says that the move to the large, brand-new facility has prompted a significant increase in interest and a growth in the club’s membership.
Tetrault played hockey for many years, but after the birth of her second child she quit the sport. Three years ago, she decided to try speedskating with her then-seven-year-old daughter, and they both fell in love.
Only three years after she began speedskating, Tetrault attended the Masters International Short Track Meet (MIST) this year. The MIST Games usually happen every two years—in the years when there isn’t a World Masters Winter Games—but these games were delayed by a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s Canadian event was held in Calgary, but the games are held all over the world. The MIST games are open to anyone over the age of 30 who is registered with a national speedskating governing body.
The MIST games were a tremendously success for Tetrault, who set new international masters records in her age category for the 500-metre, 777-metre, and 1500-metre distances. She finished first in the 35–39 age category and second overall in the Women’s Open category.
“It was such an amazing experience and I look forward to doing another Masters competition in long track next season,” Tetrault says. “It was an honour to skate with masters skaters from all over the world demonstrating such dedication and passion toward speedskating.”
Tetrault says there is a lot to love about the sport, like the ongoing challenge of learning better technique, striving for new personal best times, and the endurance component.
“I love that it is a lifelong sport that we can do as a family,” she says. “I get to share this passion for skating with both my 11- and six-year-old daughters. I also love the community around the sport as I have met so many great people that have become good friends. Lastly, I really appreciate… that the sport can be done in a competitive or non-competitive atmosphere.”
Another member of the ESSC is Rachel Spridzans, a 17-year-old from Lorette. Six years ago, Spridzans just happened to see a flyer for an upcoming event where people could try speedskating. She also fell in love with the sport.
“I love that [speedskating] is a sport that requires a lot of drive and resilience,” says Spridzans. “It’s something that you really have to throw yourself into. And if you’re not 1000 percent in it, I don’t know if you’ll be able to keep going.”
Spridzans has competed in the Canada Cup twice as well as in the Canadian Junior Championships. In the Canadian Junior Championships, she notched three new personal best times and was ranked twenty-third overall in Canada.
The very next weekend, she earned two new personal bests and was ranked fifteenth in the 500-metre and nineteenth in the 1000-metre.
Spridzans is currently on the provincial speedskating team but hopes to qualify for the national team in the next few years.
“The Olympics is the goal,” she says, “but I’m taking it one day at a time.”
To say Willa Dowse, another local competitor who is in her first year, loves skating would be an understatement. The 12-year-old member of the ESSC started skating on her family’s backyard pond when she was only two. Later, she played hockey and ringette, then figure-skated for four years.
“Willa had gone to a couple of ‘Come Try Speedskating’ events in Steinbach over the last few years,” says Willa’s mother, Cara. “And when her figure-skating coach moved on to another line of work during COVID and the ESSC moved to Niverville this year, it was the perfect time to try it again.”
“I love the speed and competition involved in the sport!” Willa adds.
The CanWest Canadian Youth Short Track is a national short track speedskating event held for 11- to 15-year-old-skaters across western Canada. Skaters need to qualify in their own province before attending CanWest.
Willa qualified to attend CanWest this year and took home a bronze medal in the 400-metre race. She also qualified for the long track nationals in Quebec City, but her family decided not to attend that event this year.
Finally, 12-year-old Kaylee Siemens from St. Jean also participated in CanWest this March despite having only joined the ESSC in December.