2023-2024 Speed Skating Ontario Annual Awards

Speed Skating Ontario is excited to announce the winners of the 2023-2024 Annual Awards!

Club of the Year

Sudbury Sprinters Speed Skating Club

The Sudbury Sprinters Speed Skating Club demonstrated Speed Skating Ontario's values of Fairness, Excellence, Inclusion and Fun in the 2023-2024 season. Their goal to provide access to long track training and fun competition in Ontario was realized when they hosted the inaugural Sudbury Long Track Event in February 2024. This event included a long track camp led by experienced Ontario long track Coaches, followed by a long track competition which allowed novice and seasoned long track enthusiasts in Ontario to access in-province long track competition for the first time in many years. The Sprinters have also shown commitment to their short track programs by hosting Regional Meets and building a strong cohort of competitive short track racers who regularly travel to compete in the Provincial Circuit and Provincial Championships. The Sprinters will host the 2025 Provincial Short Track Championships and are looking forward to bringing speed skating to Northern Ontario!

Coach of the Year

Benton McNicol (Barrie)

Benton McNicol is a dedicated Coach who supports skaters of all ages and abilities. His positive approach and passion for speed skating combined with his attention to technical and tactical detail help his skaters excel on and off the ice. Benton will represent Team Canada as the Assistant Coach of the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Italy and France, and he is actively preparing the Team Canada Training Squad for the Games. Benton moved from his home club of London to Barrie and is the lead coach of the growing Barrie Speed Skating program. Benton coached for Team Ontario at the 2024 Canadian Youth Short Track Championships in Rimouski, Quebec and supports the Ontario Development Hubs and High Performance programs.

Volunteers of the Year

Amanda Velicevic (Milton) & Dan Morton (Kitchener-Waterloo)

Amanda Velicevic is a dedicated volunteer from the Milton Speed Skating Club who supports the running of Provincial and Elite Circuit meets as an E-Timer. Amanda is always willing to offer her help to allow meets to run smoothly, even when her family isn't directly involved in the competition.

Dan Morton from the Kitchener Waterloo Sertoma Speed Skating Club is a dependable Lap Counter who offers his support at Regional, Provincial and Elite Circuit meets across Ontario. This often undervalued volunteer position is critical to the smooth functioning of meets and we value Dan's commitment and reliability to this vital official role for the benefit of skaters in Ontario.

Officials of the Year

Murray Ebel (London) & Will Mason (Hamilton)

Murray Ebel from the London Speed Skating Club has been a Chief Timer and Timer Recorder for many years. Murray's dependable support has allowed Speed Skating Ontario to host many Provincial and Elite Circuit Meets. Murray’s commitment to speed skating is often demonstrated by his involvement in training and evaluating new timers across the province.

Will Mason, president of the Hamilton Speed Skating Club, has been one of Ontario's key E-Timers over the past number of seasons. Will has volunteered at Regional, Provincial and Elite Meets in Ontario, as well as the Canadian Youth Short Track Championships in 2023. His knowledge in E-Timing is an asset as we continue to build our E-Timing capacity at meets in Ontario.

Short Track Rising Stars of the Year

Emilie Caserta (Oakville), Jianing Wang (Oakville) & Ryan Chen (Oakville)

Emilie Caserta had an outstanding breakout season in Ontario and on the national racing stage. She was the Ontario Elite Champion in the girls 14 age group and won Bronze in the 500m (1) and 500m (2) at Short Track Canada Cup Junior Final, finishing as Ontario's top female skater in 6th overall.

Jianing Wang has demonstrated passion and dedication for the sport of speed skating. She volunteers at club activities in Oakville and is a leader in training sessions. Joining was the Ontario Provincial Champion in the girls 11 age group. She won Gold in the 800m, Bronze in the 400m and finished second overall at Canadian Youth Short Track Championships.

Ryan Chen had another dominant season in 2023-2024. Ryan was the Ontario Provincial Champion in the boys 12 age group and won Gold in all four individual distances at Canadian Youth Short Track Championships, earning first overall in his age class.

Long Track Rising Stars of the Year

Felix Paiement (Cambridge) & Noah Logan (Kingston)

Felix Paiement consistently improved his personal best times over the course of the 2023-2024 season. He won Silver in the 300m and Bronze in the 500m and finished third overall in the boys 12 age group at Canadian Youth Long Track Championships.

Noah Logan had a breakout season as a long track skater. At Canadian Youth Long Track Championships, he won Gold in the 500m, 7-lap Mass Start and 1500m, and Silver in the 300m, finishing first overall in the boys 11 age group, which was Ontario's top placement at the Youth Championships.

Short Track Skaters of the Year

Aaralyn McGill (Cambridge) & Adam Law (Toronto)

Aaralyn McGill had an outstanding season on the national racing circuit and represented Canada internationally at the ISU World Junior Short Track Championships in Gdansk, Poland. Aaralyn finished 3rd overall at the Canadian Junior Short Track Championships, winning four Bronze medals in the 1000m (1&2) and 1500m (1&2). In senior national racing, Aaralyn finished 16th at Canadian Championships, 14th at Canada Cup 1 and 12th at Canada Cup Final. Aaralyn was named to the SSC NextGen Team in 2024.

Adam Law had an outstanding season on the national and junior international stage in 2023-2024. Adam finished 3rd overall at the Canadian Junior Championships (2nd in the top-4 distance ranking), winning Gold in the 500m (2) and Silver in the 500m (1) and 1000m. Adam qualified for the 2024 ISU World Junior Short Track Championships in Gdansk, Poland, where he finished 12th in the 500m. Adam continued his strong season on the senior national racing circuit, finishing 10th at Canadian Championships, 8th at Canada Cup 1 and 9th at Canada Cup Final where he won Bronze in the 500m and 1500m (2). Adam was named to Speed Skating Canada's NextGen Team.

Long Track Skaters of the Year

Connor Waters (Oakville) & Ivanie Blondin (Gloucester)

Connor Waters had a breakout season on the national stage in long track in 2023-2024. Connor won Silver in the 5000m at Canadian Junior Long Track Championships and earned a spot representing Canada at the ISU Junior World Cup # 3 and the ISU World Junior Long Track Championships in Hachinohe, Japan. Connor qualified for the 10,000m at Canada Cup 1 and is becoming a long distance specialist in the senior national racing scene.

Ivanie Blondin had another dominant season nationally and internationally in long track. In addition to her usual success in the long distance, team and Mass Start events, Ivanie also showed her strengths in the sprints, earning Gold at the Canadian Long Track Championships in the 1000m, along with Bronze in the 3000m and 5000m. Ivanie represented Canada on the World Cup circuit in multiple distances - 1000m, 1500m, 3000m, Mass Start, Team Pursuit, Team Sprint and Mixed Relay over the course of the season! Her international Championships accolades in 2023-2024 include Gold in the Team Pursuit and Mass Start, and Bronze in the Team Sprint at the ISU Four Continents Championships; and Gold in the Team Sprint, Silver in the Mass Start and Team Pursuit at the ISU World Single Distance Championships. Ivanie also qualified for the Canadian Short Track Championships, placing 12th overall.

Congratulations to all the winners!