COMPETITIONS

Our club offers regular weekly practice ice times and dryland sessions for skaters to develop their abilities, but another huge component of the speed skating community is challenging yourself by competing against your peers. BC Speed Skating offers a wide range of options for skaters to compete, from top level provincial championships to local interclub meets and everything in between. 

For those new to the sport, it can seem daunting to take that first step into competitions, so here’s a few tips on how to get started.

  • Interclub meets usually start up in Metro Vancouver in October, and run to late February or early March. These meets are open to club skaters of all ages and abilities.
  • Provincial meets happen 3x a year in BC and require skaters to meet qualifying times as outlined in a Competition Bulletin issued every August (found in Competition Resources on this page). The 3 meets are BC Cup (short track fall meet), BC Long Track (long track meet in Fort St John in Jan), and BC Short Track (short track end of March meet). Skaters qualify for national meets through these competitions.
  • Other competitions
  • How to find out about upcoming meets
    • Speed Skating BC maintains a calendar of events which shows all competitions happening in the province. We also have an upcoming meet list on our Calendar page
    • We send out regular notifications of upcoming competitions via our email newsletter. Make sure you are subscribed to get these in your inbox.
  • Registration for most events in BC is via IceReg
  • We will send an email or WhatsApp message out with details a few days before registration opens
  • If you plan to compete, we recommend signing up right away. Some events are very popular and will sell out. 
  • IMPORTANT: Please email competitions@vancouverspeedskating.com if you DO register for a meet. We have no way of seeing who signs up for meets, and it’s important for us to track who is going so we can arrange for coaches, preparation and seed times!
  • Many events have a waitlist. If you are unable to register, send an email to competitions@vancouverspeedskating.com so we can get you added to the waitlist.
  • Sharpen your skates at practice before the meet
  • Bring all your safety equipment (knee pads, cut protection, gloves, glasses with strap, helmet, neck guard). Here is a handy checklist.
  • Your glasses MUST have a strap to keep them around your neck if they fall off. If you don’t have one, please get one before the meet. You can ask other skaters where they got theirs
  • Pack a change of clothes (or a hair dryer) in case you fall during a race. There will be water on corners, and if you get wet it will be a cold day
  • If you don’t have a speed skating helmet or a VSSC skin suit, you can borrow one from the club room
  • If you are competing for the first time, ask a coach check your blades to see if the corners need to be ground down BEFORE race day
  • Consider following this SSC example program for nutrition, sleep, and exercise during a meet
  • Many meets are an all day event. There will often be options to buy food at or near the venue, but it’s a great idea to bring a healthy lunch and LOTS of snacks
  • Consider following this SSC example program for nutrition, sleep, and exercise during a meet
  • Our club will typically be assigned a changeroom to leave bags, but it will not be locked and we may share with other clubs. Keep valuables at home where possible, or leave them with a spectator/parent
  • We will be given a set of helmet covers…each racer gets a cover with their identifying number on it. Make sure you return this after your last race (there’s usually someone collecting them when you come off the ice)
  • The coaches will send out a copy of the race schedule a few days before the event, but here’s the general timeline:
    • Warmups start early. Older skaters will warmup first, followed by younger. Each group usually gets about 10 minutes to skate and test their setup
    • Aim to be at the rink 45-60 minutes before your warmup time so you can find the room, do some off ice warmup, and be ready to go on the ice 5 minutes before your warmup time
    • There will be an ice flood after the last group has had their warmup, then on to racing
    • Typically the schedule will start with older skaters and work down to younger. Each skater will race once before flooding the ice and starting back at the top of the order again
    • Expect to race 4 times throughout the day. Distances will vary by skater, and we should find these out the day before
    • Make sure your skater has all their equipment on properly during every race! Here is a handy equipment checklist.
  • Ask one of the other parents to help understand how the race schedule works. Each race has a number, and they will post who is in each race somewhere in the rink for you to see. Make note of your race number. They typically display the current race on the scoreboard so everyone can track progress.
  • There will be a “heat box” where skaters assemble before their race. It is your responsibility to get yourself there 3-4 races before yours so they can mark you present and group you with your opponents. This is key to making sure they have time for all races
  • When it’s your turn to race, there will be a bucket by the entrance to the ice where you can place your skate guards. A “runner” will take these to the exit for you to pick up after your race
  • While in the “heat box”, you will be told which lane you start in. Lane 1 is on the inside, and the lanes count outward from there. In most races there will be 5 or fewer skaters, but for longer distances they may add more. If a second row is needed, the on-ice refs will help with this
  • For most interclub meets, the races are “ability based”, meaning you will race against other skaters of similar ability/speed where possible. 
    • This means you may race older/younger skaters, but the organizers do their best to keep the races exciting for everyone
    • If you are going to be lapped in a race (a common thing on longer distances), make sure you take a wide path on the track to let the other skater get by. You may hear your coach yelling “track wide!!!” to remind you of this.
  • Between races you will probably have an hour or longer, so take your skates off, relax, and cheer on your teammates! 
  • Make sure you warm up again before your next race to avoid getting caught flat footed.
  • It may take some time for them to input everything, but results will be posted near where the race schedule is.
  • HAVE FUN!!! 

Questions about competitions? Please email competitions@vancouverspeedskating.com and our meet registrar will get back to you!