Woman South Canterbury speed skaters win individual awards at national speed skating championships

Along with the Unity Shield, three woman South Canterbury speed skaters have walked away from the national speed skating championships in Palmerston North with individual awards.

Coach and veteran speed skater Bill Begg said against expectations South Canterbury had retained the shield for more than a decade with an “excellent’’ final day on the track on Friday.

South Canterbury took most of the big awards at the function night including the Unity Shield, for the 11th consecutive year, with 188 points followed by Whanganui with 171, Hutt Valley, 62, Manawatū, 55, Auckland, 53, and Blenheim, 42.

Kyla Beveridge won the prestigious Joe Bright Memorial Trophy for outstanding performance in the female speed skater category for her performance in the open ladies 5000-metre race.

READ MORE:
* South Canterbury’s speed skating team win Unity Shield at national championships
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* Speed skating: South Canterbury top of leader board in national championships alongside Whanganui

She also won the skating Oscar for “outstanding performances” in the 1500m and the 3000m record in the indoor events.

Gemma Thornley, juvenile, and Oceania Purukamu, primary, both won the Dick Mahon trophies for overall grade aggregate winners being undefeated in all their races, as was Shannell Wooding in the masters’ category.

“As a club of 17 competing, only the very young Luke Rae missed a medal, but still three years still in primary division, with South Canterbury winning all six junior relays – two girls, two boys and two mixed gender, rounding out another successful championship.”

Begg said the two junior 21-kilometre half-marathons on Saturday and senior 42km marathons were held in “damp and raining” weather on Mansfeild Raceway in Fielding.

“Callum Sandri finished as he started with a win taking out the title from Brayden Teague, with Tom Crawford at fourth,” Begg said.

“In a unique championship double winning the shortest race the 100 metres and the longest the 21km. But under the conditions and a day of surprises, three of the four titles were not hard throughout and ended in close sprint finishes.

“The junior girls got down to a close sprint, with unfortunately for us, the two biggest, fastest and strongest were still in the group of four, with local Manawatū star Katie McIlhaton taking the title, Lauren Crawford in fourth just missing a medal.”

Begg said the senior ladies’ category saw a number of small attacks with the field whittled down early to an all South Island field, with two from Blenheim, two from Nelson and South Canterbury pair Emily Thompson and Shannell Wooding.

“Once again another sprint finish with the five together still 100m out, In a lunge finish, world representative Mikeala Macdonald, of Nelson, a twice covid sufferer, got her first title from the young Paige Horne from Blenheim and Emily Thompson from Waimate, who had her chances towards the end, Shannell Wooding, fourth, got the trophy for first master to finish.

“The men’s was an all Andrew Jones from Whanganui affair. He took a gamble with wheels not renowned for wet weather and took off like a shot out of a gun before the predicted heavy rain arrived, in a brilliant display of grit and determination he lapped his teammates, Chase Morpeth and Drew Brennan who earlier on had to see off a challenge from South Canterbury master Derek Tan who finished fourth taking out the first Master trophy.”

The Oceania team of 34 was announced for Australia includes 11 speed skaters from South Canterbury –Cadet girls – Georgia Kortright, Grace Worner, Kyla Beveridge and Lauren Crawford.

Cadet boys – Brayden Teague, Callum Sandri and Thomas Crawford. Junior girls – Emily Thompson and Samantha Clarke. Junior boys – Karl Boles de Boer and Masters ladies – Shannell Wooding.

Begg said Timaru lost out on its bid for next year’s road and indoor championships which has gone to Blenheim for 2024.

The 2023 New Zealand bank track champs will be in Timaru on February 4 and 5, with 30 South Canterbury skaters entered.

This will be preceded the weekend before with the Tour of Timaru to be held at Waimate on January 28 and Timaru on January 28 and 29.