The Pacific Blades Speed Skating Club has just finished its inaugural season on the Coast. By all accounts, it was a huge success.
Pacific Blades had 14 members this year with five competing at the southern regionals, two competing as B.C. Cup skaters and one member advancing to the provincials.
"It was a great first season," said club president Diaya Maseja. "In talking with the other clubs on the Lower Mainland, when they first started, they had six or seven members. For us to get 14 out was great for us."
The club's first event was in October last year in Langley. They finished the season with an event March 11 and 12 in Esquimalt.
All the skaters showed vast improvement from the first time they competed in Langley to the final event in March.
Max Forrester improved his personal best time from 0.49.55 to 0.43.47; Shealeen Flesher went from 1.00.22 to 0.54.67; Ondra Maseja went from 53.53 to 49.19; Nicole Maseja went from 0.59.71 to 56.64 in the 500 m; Declan Foody improved by more than eight seconds in the 500 m. Declan started with a time of 1.19.43 and finished at 1.10.78. Fergus Foody started with a time of 0.56.18 and finished with a personal best of 0.52.03.
"Throughout the season four skaters participated in more then five competitions, two skaters participated in two competitions and two skaters in one competition," added Maseja. "We also had one adult racing once and James Law tried his first race on March 5 and 6 and finished with a time of 1.03.85 in the 500 m.
James did very well for his first competition. His father (John) sent me an email saying James found a whole group of muscles he didn't know he had. He found that he was fit enough cardio-wise but his legs gave out on every race. I was surprised at that because he does do some very long mountain bike rides and I would have thought that should have prepared him for speed skating. I can see it would be very good cross training for biking. He did find it a lot harder than he expected."
Nicole was the club's lone entry at the provincials where she finished sixth in her age group.
"Nicole is a first year juvenile, so she is racing with girls one or two years older than her," Maseja added.
Nicole was also part of a B.C. junior development team this year.
"This year as a club our concentration was on technique," Maseja said. "It is important to get the technique first before the speed. Then the speed is practised with the safety mats around the borders. We did not get our mats for this season, but through great community support we were able to raise enough money to buy 25 safety mats, which are on order and will be here for our summer mini camp."
The club is looking forward to building on this year's success and hopes to see more skaters out for the mini camp, slated for Aug. 27 to 28.
For more information about the club, call Maseja at 604-885-9077 or email [email protected].
