Competition for places in the GB Short Track Speed Skating Performance squad is hotting up after two days of skating at the Nottingham selection event.
The squad selected will go on to represent GB at the European and World Championships, as well as World Cups. Olympic places will be decided at these events, so the four days in Nottingham are also the first step on the road to selection for the 2022 Beijing Winter Games.
Day one saw each athlete complete a 7-lap time trail, 1 lap with a flying start and 1.5 laps from a standing start.
Niall Treacy completed the fastest 7 laps and 1.5 laps from a start, but a fall in the flying lap meant that he fell back to 4th place overall. Farrell Treacy was consistent throughout the day ending with the with the fewest points overall an in first position.
Kathryn Thomson completed a clean sweep across all three distances in the women’s trial, finishing ahead of Elise Christie in second place and Holly Hoyland in third.
There was a nervous tension in the air as day two got underway. Due to the covid-19 pandemic these were some of the first competitive races skaters had completed in over 12 months.
Thomson was once again in good form as she won each of 1000m, 1500m and 500m. Elise Christie and Holly Hoyland came second and third respectively in the 1500m and 500m. Isabelle Roberts picked up a podium finish in the 1000m, the final race of the day.
The men’s side of the competition saw a greater spread of skaters picking up top three finishes.
In the 1500m Farrell Treacy edged first place just ahead of Peter Riches. Jonathan Moody took bronze with Westley Yates narrowly missing out on a podium position.
Moody ended two places higher in the 500m final, finishing first in a race that saw Ethan and Farrell Treacy collide. Westley Yates came through to take second place.
Niall Treacy picked up his first win of the competition in the final race of the day. His time of 1:30:499 was enough to beat Farrell Treacy, Peter Riches and Theo Collins.
The next day of the competition is Sunday 22nd, where each distance will be completed once again. A final day of racing will take place on Wednesday 25th before the final squad is selected soon after.