The New Zealand short track skating team which selected our 3 top Senior CAISSC members,  continued to go from strength to strength this season with their most impressive results yet. With the help of Paul Carpinter and Mike Gilbert in the off season, the team was fit, fast and ready for whatever the 2008/09 had in store.

CAISSC's two top male skaters relocated to Calgary Canada to join a collaboration of international athletes preparing for the 2010 Olympic qualifiers. The results were pleasing. Both Blake Skjellerup and Mark Jackson consistently placed within the top 32 (the ISU Olympic qualification standard) across all world cup events. Furthermore Skjellerup had a break-through season placing 10th in the 1000m and 14th in the 1500m in back-to-back world cups. .

 Bringing experience to the table, Mark Jackson also stepped up in his return to a full season  competing after three seasons off. Building throughout the year, Mark skated the 9th fastest 1500m time at the World Championships in Vienna and placed within the top 32 in overall rankings. Mark’s experience is invaluable to the team.

 Though short track is a strategic sport more than time-based, time is a key indicator on the likelihood for our skaters to be competitive within the world top 16. Both Blake and Mark are now performing comfortably within that standard, regularly skating times that place them as competitive within the world top 10, and exceeding the 2006 Olympic Gold Medalist time.

 New Zealand’s sole women’s competitior, and CAISSC coach and athlete, Francesca Jackson, similarly relocated this season to North America, This was a break-through season for Francesca, stripping over 10 seconds off her previous seasons best time in her preferred event the 1500m. Francesca, if she continues this performance trajectory, has the potential to step into the worlds top 32 this 2009/10 season.

 As a continuation of our development strategy, ISSNZ additionally selected the top two junior skaters and CAISSC members, Tom Pearce and Corey Williams, to compete in their first World Cup events. Sadly New Zealand’s other top senior skater, Mathew Fuller was unable to compete due to Glandular Fever. Both skaters found the experience invaluable and are keen to continue their international athletic growth.

 The experience of these competitions is vital to our skaters. We have only a small number of  regional competitions and championships, and this represents one of the few opportunities for our skaters to compete  against world class competition. These athletes are active in supporting our junior skaters in the club, and we are proud to see them perform with such class on the international stage.