Manitoba’s Alexa Scott earned her second consecutive top 10 result at the 2019 ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships in Italy, finishing eighth in the ladies 1000m on Saturday.
The resident of Clandeboye and reigning Canadian junior champion also earned an eighth-place finish in yesterday’s ladies 1500m race.
Scott’s time of 1:20.426 led all Canadians in the distance, ahead of Gabrielle Jelonek of Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, Que., who finished 18th (1:22.061), Ophélie Juneau of St-Raymond, Que., who was 22nd (1:22.159), and Gabrielle Sanson of Moose Jaw, Saks., who was 40th (1:24.6980).
A pair of Canadians also managed to crack the top 15 in the ladies’ 3000m, with Scott finishing the race ranked 13th (4:30.559) and Jelonek placing 15th (4:33.423). Rounding out the field were Juneau in 22nd (4:43.626) and Sanson in 31st (4:56.259).
“I’ve never been so happy to race,” said Jelonek. “It was very impressive to skate in such a beautiful place.”
Jack Deibert of Calgary, Alta. was the top performer on the men’s side, racing to a 12th place (6:55.497) result in the 5000m. He finished ahead of Connor Howe of Canmore, Alta. in 18th (7:01.734), Hubert Marcotte of Pont-Rouge, Que. in 22nd (7:05.382) and Frank Roth of Calgary, Alta. in 27th (7:19.776).
“For my first world junior experience, it has been an absolute honour to be able to compete with my fellow junior teammates and represent my home country on an international level,” said Deibert. “I’m unbelievably proud of myself and my fellow teammates for our efforts this weekend.”
Meanwhile, Howe made it into the top 15 in the men’s 1000m, placing 13th with a time of 1:12.991. He finished the race ahead of Marcotte, who was 20th (1:13.561), Roth, who was 29th (1:14.540), and Deibert, who was 37th (1:15.199).
The top medal winning country’s on Saturday were the Netherlands (4), Norway (2), Russia (2), Poland (2), Korea (1) and Germany (1). Poland’s Karolina Bosiek was the only multiple medalist, bringing home a bronze medal in both the ladies 1000m and 3000m.
The competition concludes Sunday with the team sprint, team pursuit and mass start races.
Ladies Team
- JELONEK, Gabrielle (Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, QC) – 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m, Team Pursuit
- JUNEAU, Ophélie (St-Raymond, QC) – 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m, Team Pursuit
- SANSON, Gabrielle (Moose Jaw, SK) – 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m, Mass Start, Team Sprint, Team Pursuit
- SCOTT, Alexa (Clandeboye, MB) – 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m, Team Sprint
Men’s Team
- DEIBERT, Jack (Calgary, AB) – 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 5000m, Team Pursuit
- HOWE, Connor (Canmore, AB) – 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 5000m, Mass Start, Team Sprint, Team Pursuit
- MARCOTTE, Hubert (Pont-Rouge, QC) – 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 5000m, Mass Start, Team Sprint, Team Pursuit
- ROTH, Frank (Calgary, AB) – 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 5000m, Team Sprint
