February 2nd, 2023 Charlottetown – Speed Skating PEI has named a pair of long track speed skaters to the Island’s 2023 Canada Winter Games team. Andrew Binns and Carter Bruce, both from Stratford, will compete for P.E.I. on the Halifax Oval during week one of the Games. Both athletes are veterans of the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, where Bruce previously competed for P.E.I. in long track and Binns was a member of the Island’s short track speed skating team.
Andrew Binns, September 2022. Photo courtesy Tjerk Bartlema / Photographie TB.
Carter Bruce, November 2021. Photo courtesy of Darrell Theriault.
The coach of the team is Carolyn (“CJ”) Jarock, while Rob Binns is the manager. Jarock is returning as Games coach for the P.E.I. team, after coaching the Island contingent in Red Deer in 2019. She also coached Nova Scotia’s long track team at the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George. “Carter and Andrew have been training hard for this opportunity to represent P.E.I.,” said Jarock. “It has involved a fair amount of travel for them, to skate on the nearest long track Ovals in Quebec City and in Halifax. On the plus side, they’ll be well accustomed to the outdoor conditions of the Halifax Oval where they’ll be competing. We’re excited to see what they can do for Team P.E.I.”
Eric Reynard, President of Speed Skating PEI, says that the provincial organization is pleased that Islanders will be competing in long track at a second consecutive Canada Winter Games. “We’re extremely proud of Andrew and Carter. They’ve both been committed high performance speed skaters for many years and it is wonderful to see them both headed for a second Canada Winter Games. We congratulate them and wish them the very best in their next couple of weeks of training and in competition on the Oval in Halifax.”
The Island skaters found success at the Atlantic Canada Long Track Championships in Halifax recently, where Binns nabbed wins in both the 500- and 1,000-metre sprint events and Bruce took third in the overall classification.
The Island pair will each participate in up to five individual events at the Games, including Olympic-style races in the 500-, 1,000-, 1,500- and 5,000-metre distances, plus a 10-lap mass start race.
Speed Skating PEI named six short track skaters to its Canada Winter Games roster earlier this week.
For athlete profiles and photos, visit www.speedskatepei.ca/canada-games.
