SASKATOON, SK - January 26, 2015 - SGI Canada and the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club are honored to host the Canadian Age Class Long Track Speed Skating Championship on February 7 & 8, 2015. The championship is a national event for Train to Train and Junior skaters, providing our young athletes the experience of competing at a national level.

The event will take place at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval. Located in the Gordon Howe Recreation Complex (11th Street and Avenue R) and named after the first coach of the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club, the 400-metre Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval is Saskatoon's best kept secret. Recreational and competitive skaters alike enjoy the atmosphere of one of the best natural ice surfaces in Western Canada.

Speed skating is one of the most successful Canadian elite sports. Virtually all of the Canadian Olympic medalists have raced at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval. This year will be no exception and will be a great opportunity for the people of Saskatoon to see and meet Canada's future Olympians.

"Saskatoon is proud to host the Canadian Age Class Championships," said Tim Comfort, Saskatchewan Speed Skating Provincial Coach. "This is long track speed skating's premier national event, aimed at athletes from 11-15. This meet is the biggest meet most of them will attend and serves as a stepping stone to national and international Junior competitions. Saskatchewan is home to two reigning age class champions, Marco Schumann (Saskatoon) and Olivia Moyse (Moose Jaw). As a club, the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club has hosted numerous national events and is known across the country for its ability to organize great meets."

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For more information, contact:

Fritz Schumann
Meet Coordinator and Volunteer Director
Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club
Direct: (306)-221-5861
fritz.schumann@sasktel.net

 

About SGI CANADA
SGI CANADA has been in business for more than 60 years, selling property and casualty insurance. It operates as SGI CANADA in Saskatchewan; SGI CANADA Insurance Services Limited in Alberta and Manitoba; and Coachman Insurance Company in Ontario. Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) is the province's self-sustaining auto insurance fund.

About Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club
Established in 1942, the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club is the longest running club in Canada. Over the past 69 years, the club has produced over 40 National Champions, with 12 of those individuals advancing to represent Canada at the Winter Olympics. Club members have been a part of Canadian Olympic Teams since 1948 with Craig McKay and multiple Olympic Champion, Catriona Le May Doan, the fastest woman in the world in the 500-metre race. The Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club has over 200 members in Saskatoon and a fast growing fan base. For more information, visit www.slspeedskating.com.

About Saskatoon Sports Tourism
Saskatoon Sports Tourism was created to guide the attraction, retention and creation of sports tourism activities in Saskatoon. Saskatoon Sports Tourism assists event organizers to locate local suppliers, sports venues, and hotel accommodations and helps increase local awareness and attendance at events. For more information, visit www.saskatoonsportstourism.com.