GB Short Track Speed Skaters on the Road to Vancouver 2010

After the two Olympic Qualifying Events in Montreal (CAN) Nov 5-8th and Marquette (USA) Nov 12-15th the Great Britain Short Track Speed Skaters have succeeded in qualifying* a Men’s Relay team for the Vancouver Games along with 10 places overall in the Men’s and Ladies 500m, 1000m and 1500m individual distances.
Great Britain have not been able to send a Relay team to the Olympics since 1998 with only the top 8 ranked countries qualifying for the Games. After finishing in 6th place in the Relay at the first of the qualifying events hopes were high that the British men could finish in the top 8 again this weekend and gain a place at the Games in Vancouver. The team reached the Semi finals (top 8) on Friday but the Italians, who had finished 4th in the first event were placed 9th this time so Great Britain needed to finish no lower than 7th to stay in the hunt for qualification.
If tension wasn’t high enough a collision with another skater in the warm up before the Semi finals saw Paul Stanley taken to hospital with a suspected broken arm. Tom Iveson stepped into the team and they pulled out all the stops to finish the event in 6th place, giving them 6th place over the 2 events and qualification* for the Olympic Games.
In the individual distances Great Britain have gained qualification* for 2 men in the 500m, 1000m and 1500m, 2 ladies in 500m and 1 lady in the 1500m and 1000m.
The British Olympic Association will announce the names of the Short Track team that will travel to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in January.

*All results are provisional pending the full announcement by the ISU and BOA.