Short track team full of Sochi Olympians for next season
Speed Skating Canada has announced the members of their 2014-15 short track national team. Nine of ten Sochi Olympians are back including multiple Olympic medallists Charles Hamelin and Marianne St-Gelais.
In full, the women’s team includes all four skaters from the Sochi silver medal 3000-metre relay team. That is, Marie-Ève Drolet, Jessica Hewitt, Valérie Maltais and Marianne St-Gelais. Also on board are Keri Morrison, Namasthée Harris-Gauthier and Caroline Truchon. According to Speed Skating Canada, Vancouver 2010 silver medallist Jessica Gregg has jumped over to long track.
The men’s squad has two sets of brothers. Of course, the Olympic champion Hamelins, (François and Charles), as well as Olympic bronze medallist Charle and his older brother Vincent Cournoyer. With nine members compared to the women’s seven, the other five athletes are 2010 Olympic gold medallists Guillaume Bastille and Olivier Jean, plus Patrick Duffy, Yoan Gauthier, and Sochi Olympian Michael Gilday.
Seven members were also named to the development team. All athletes have a shot at the World Cup tour, based on a selection meet this September. It’ll then be on that group to match or better the strong 2013-14 World Cup season, that led up to Sochi 2014.
