Short Track Age Group Nationals Wrap up the 2022-23 Season
by Aidan Liu
The short track speed skating season came to a climatic end as 116 skaters from 33 different speed skating clubs and programs competed at the US Speedskating Short Track Age Group Nationals. The event was hosted by the Pinnacle Speedskating Program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on March 24, 25 and 26 at the Pettit National Ice Center. The competition was open to anyone aged 11 years old and up.
Potomac Speedskating Club clutched through and won the Club Championship in a competition that featured 29 teams. Following Potomac in the club competition were Madison and Bay State clinching 3rd place.
This weekend featured four skaters who broke junior age-group records. Carl Tatelli, who claimed the Long Track Junior World Cup Final Mass Start Silver medal in February, set a record in the 1500m for the Junior A Men’s Division with a time of 2:19.447. For the Junior B Men’s Division, Sean Shuai of Oval Speed claimed a record in the 1000m with a time of 1:29.78.
In the Junior D Women’s division, Olympia Kazanecka from Flushing Meadow Speedskating Club set records in the 1000m, 500m and 777m, and in the process she also broke the 500m record that she had set in last year's Age Group Nationals.
For Masters, 21 skaters competed in 4 groups with ages ranging from 30+ to 75+. Our most senior competitor was Peter Smokler in the 75+ class. Last year, the Masters Task Force decided to introduce 5 year age group records. Records were set in almost every distance and age discipline as records were set by;
Mary Murphy (Madison)
Elise Griffiths (Wolverine)
April Chernoby (West Michigan)
Sara Cushman ( Bay State)
Melissa Koenig (Glen Ellyn)
Duree Brown (Full Throttle)
Tim VanFleet (East Penn)
Nicholas Higbee (Madison)
Dimitry Provod (East Penn)
Eddie Kim (Northbrook)
Dan Greene (Madison)
Jack Torrey (Oval)
Gary Martin (Park Ridge)
Peter Smokler (Santa Clarita)
Additionally, the Future of Speed Camp was held during the duration of the competition. 29 young skaters lit up the ice with full energy to display their skills and status as the nation’s next young stars.
Thanks to the Pinnacle Speedskating Program for hosting this year’s Age Group Nationals, and all of the volunteers and officials for making this event possible! We will see you all again in next year's Age Group Nationals!
For results from the competition, click here.
To access free downloads from the event, click here. Please remember to give photo credit when using photos.