Canterbury’s notorious nor’wester was strenuous for even Nelson’s elite at the recent National Road, Flat Track and Marathon Speed Skating Championships.
Seven from the Nelson Roller Sports Club were in Christchurch for the event between 29 December and 4 January, with six golds, a silver, and three bronze medals garnered with some personal bests to boot.
Speed skating coach Alan Bartlett says seniors Mikaela MacDonald and Charlotte Scott, junior Emily Olthof and cadet Cleah-Bella Fuller’s tenacity in the elements got them to the podium in the Road section.
“The Canterbury winds can be pretty nasty, and the road event was at the Canterbury A&P Showgrounds, which is quite an exposed area, so the winds had quite an effect on their ability on the track,” he says.
“Although we got golds in the road, none of them were PBs because they were skating against a headwind.”
Mikaela topped the podium in the 100m sprint with Charlotte second in that category, and a gold in the 500m race.
Emily and Cleah-Bella also tasted gold in their 100m sprints. For the Flat Track events at Pioneer Recreation and Sport Centre, Mikaela got the top gong in the 300m time trial, 1000m, 1500m and 3000m races and a bronze in the 5km open event.
Emily picked up a bronze in her 300m time trial. Alan says in these Flat Track events, all Nelson skaters achieved personal best times in their time trials.
He adds six skaters also participated in the full and half marathons down the road in Rolleston, and Mikaela, Charlotte, and Emily withdrew due to the fierce heat and wind.
But juniors Madison Gray, Nina Cochrane and Harlin Lines-Thomas overcame the odds to finish their 21km course.
Mikaela, Charlotte and Emily will be on wheels up to 110mm again at Waitangi weekend for the Banked Track National Championships in Hamilton.
Two-time world championship competitor Emily also has her hat in the ring for selection in the New Zealand Junior Ladies team to compete at the next world championships in Paraguay in September.
