A Central Alberta speedskater has been named to the Canadian long track team for upcoming competitions in Japan and China.
Ponoka's Maddison Pearman will be one of 16 skaters joining the team to start the 2024-25 international season, Speed Skating Canada announced on Friday, Nov. 8.
"It's always exciting to represent Canada at the World Cups," said Pearman.
The international campaign gets underway next weekend with the International Skating Union (ISU) Four Continents Speed Skating Championships in Hachinohe City, Japan. This marks the first time this competition is being hosted outside North America since it was added to the international calendar in 2019.
Hachinohe City will then host the first ISU World Cup Speed Skating of the season the following weekend, from Nov. 22-24, before skaters make their way to Beijing, China, for the second World Cup of the season from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.
"The Four Continents doesn't count towards World Cup points and placing, but it's nice to have a competition in Asia to get over the jet lag and get some races in. That way, we can be more prepared for the World Cups," said Pearman.
Canada’s long track team is coming off one of its most successful international seasons of the past decade, in which they won an impressive 23 World Cup medals across six events, including four on home ice in Quebec City last February. The team also took advantage of home-ice to win a record 10 medals (two gold, six silver and two bronze) at the season-ending World Championships in Calgary.
Following the three events in Asia, the world’s top long track skaters will make their way to North America in the New Year, with World Cup stops in Calgary (Jan. 24-26) and Milwaukee (Jan. 31-Feb. 2). The circuit will conclude with events in Zakopane, Poland (Feb. 21-23) and Heerenveen, Netherlands (Feb. 28-March 2), before the World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships in Hamar, Norway.
"Getting to the World Championships is always the pinnacle of every season. I qualified last year when it was in Calgary and the year before," said Pearman.
"It's a pre-Olympic year so every race and every international competition is important, so you can get that experience and learn what you need to do better. My goal every year is to record some good times and get some good races in while learning from every competition."
