The Yukon Amateur Speed Skating Association held its 2010 Arctic Winter Games trials on Sunday.

Nine skaters competed to represent the Yukon in Grande Prairie in March. Other members of the Whitehorse Rapids Speed Skating Club raced in time trials against the clock and each other.

Eleven-to-13-year-old skaters in the Juvenile category raced distances of 500, 666, 777 and 1,000 metres. Kathryn Fortune. Alexis Gee, Rasheeda Slater, Hanna Wirth and Daryn Lovell earned the right to represent Yukon in this category.

Skaters between the ages of 14 and 18 raced distances of 500, 777, 1,000 and 1,500 metres. Named to represent Yukon are Junior skaters Heather Clarke, Emily Klassen, Donald Fortune and Shea Hoffman.

The team will be coached by Stacey Pennington and Phil Hoffman.

Short track speed skating is a dynamic sport emphasizing strategy, skill and conditioning. Due to the small number of short-track skaters in the Yukon, emphasis is placed on improving one's own personal best (PB's) times. Twenty-three new "PB's” were set by 12 skaters and seven skaters raced for the first time ever.

If you want to see how exciting this sport is, Whitehorse Rapids Speed Skating Club is offering a Learn to Speed Skate program and camp with former national team skater and coach, Shawn Holman in January. New members are encouraged to attend.

Visit www.shorttrack06.com for more details.

Submitted by Phil Hoffman