Carolina Hiller proved in January she belonged running with a pack of the most proficient junior-aged short track speed skaters in Canada.
This weekend at Kin 1, she'll have the chance to show a hometown crowd just how fast she is at the Canadian age class short track speed skating championships.
Starting this morning at 9:05 a.m., Hiller, a 16-year-old veteran of the Prince George Blizzard Speed Skating Club, will dig her blades into the ice of the city's newest sporting facility for the start of the junior B women's 1,500-metre heats, the opening event of the three-day competition.
"It's going to be awesome, I'm totally focused and I'm ready to have some good races," said Hiller, the top-ranked B.C. skater among four in her category. "There will be some girls, especially from Quebec, who will be up there in the competition.
"The ice is fast."
Known as a strong distance skater, Hiller's quick 500 m starts could put her on the podium in that distance as well. In late January, she finished 25th out of 32 in the junior national championships in Montreal, which included the top skaters in the country in the under-19 age category. Just to qualify as a 16-year-old gave Hiller a surge of confidence she hopes will translate into speed on the ice into this weekend.
"I still have two more years after this year of being a junior, so I'll definitely climb the ladder," she said.
Fifteen skaters are representing B.C. at the age class meet and three of them will skate for the host Blizzard club.
Lina Hiller is among 20 junior B women, part of the B.C. contingent that includes 15-year-old Callie Swan of Prince George, 16-year-old Alison Desmarais of Vanderhoof, Amy Cave of Port Coquitlam, and Rebekah Clemons of Chilliwack.
Lina's 18-year-old brother Lucas is entered in the 16-skater junior A (17-and 18-year-old) boys category. His 500 m seeding time is tops on the B.C. team, which includes Zackery McLaren of Port Coquitlam, Christopher Poljer-So of New Westminster and Anton Shekter of Burnaby.
In the junior A women's class, Alyssa Skaalid of Salmon Arm is the lone B.C. hopeful among eight skaters from Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick.
"We have a lot of good kids and I think we should do pretty well this weekend," said B.C. coach Richard Stickel of Fort St. John. "[The local skaters] are all very good and I'm looking forward to seeing them skate here. It's really hard to say [who the medal favourites will be] because I haven't seen the kids from back east that they're going to be competing against. There are so many good skaters here."
Stickel predicts Carolina Hiller will be at her best in 1,500 m event, and Lucas Hiller could also push for a podium position.
"Lucas does a lot of long track and short track, he's very well-developed all around as a skater," said Stickel. "The Hillers have been a force for the last few years and Alison [Desmarais] has been coming on.
"It is an advantage being used to your home arena, waking up in your own bed and having breakfast at home, it does help out."
The Canada Winter Games next year are open to skaters aged 14-19. The provinces have sent their top four skaters in each of the four categories to the age class meet and many of them will be back next year to represent their home provinces at the Games.
