Spence Sisters finish first and second in CWG qualifier

Spence Sisters finish 1 - 2 at the second of two long track speed skating qualifiers for the Canada Winter Games. Both Tori (18yrs) and Josie (16 yrs) participated in a four day competition held at the Olympic Oval in Calgary over the past few days. Two competitions ran simultaneously. Top ranked skaters in Canada qualified to race in the Canadian Single Distance Championships from which the fastest skaters will secure spots on the National Team and participate in the World Cup series. Other skaters from across Canada competed in the Canada Cup 2 division.

Tori qualified to skate in 3 of 4 distances (1,000m, 1500m, and 3k) in the Canadian Single Distance Championships and Josie qualified to skate in one distance, the 3k. Tori had a 12th place finish in the 1500m and a 17th place finish in the 1000m with Kristine Nesbitt winning both distances. Tori posted a personal best and a 8th place finish in the 3k but later found out she had been disqualified.

Josie finished in 10th spot in the 3 K Canadian Single Distance and posted a new personal best time of 4:25.03. In the Canada Cup 2 Division Josie placed 2nd in the 500m with a new personal best time of 41.96 and a seventh place finish in each of the 1000m and 1500m.

Overall, amongst BC female junior skaters (between 15 and 19 years of age) Tori placed first (as she did in the first CWG qualifier skated in November 2010) and Josie moved up from a 4th place finish in November to a second place finish in the second qualifier.

In December 2010 Josie qualified for the CWG BC Short Track team so now is in the admirable position to make the decision as to whether she will participate on the CWG Long Track or Short Track team as she cannot participate in both at these games.

Aside but interesting to note - The BC CWG team is made up of 4 males and 4 females. 6 of the 8 skaters that have qualified for this team had part of their initial exposure to long track speed skating at Owen's Oval on Logan Lake. In fact the Daily took a picture (and put in the paper) several years ago of a male skater racing at the oval on Logan Lake (Alec Janssens ) who is now the top Junior Male skater in Canada!!