Carolina and Nico Hiller just gave the people of Prince George two good reasons to come out and support the Canada Winter Games long track speed skating competition in February.
They both made the B.C. long track provincial team and will pose twin medal threats when they dig in for their races on their home track during the first week of the Games, Feb. 13-20.
The 17-year-old twins, who skate for the Prince George Blizzard Speed Skating Club, doubled up their chances to compete in the Games, having also qualified in short tack speed skating.
Nico followed up a silver medal win in the long track team sprint at the ISU Regional Junior World Cup in Calgary two weeks ago with a first-place finish in the B.C. long track team selection meet last weekend in Fort. St. John.
His sister Carolina, who won a women's distance mass start race two weekends ago at the Can-Am International meet in Calgary, placed third overall at the B.C. team trials.
Sixteen-year-old Blizzard skater Callie Swan and 17-year-old Allison Desmarais of the Nechako Lake Clippers club in Vanderhoof, both made the B.C. short track team a month ago at the team trials in Prince George. Desmarais posted a top-35 finish last weekend at the senior national qualifying meet in Montreal.
The B.C. short track team also includes Christopher PoljerSo (Burnaby), Cormac Chui (Burnaby), Alex Chizawksy (Matsqui), Anton Shekhter (Burnaby), William Park (Langley), Amy Cave (Port Coquitlam), Alyssa Skaalid (Kelowna) and Maria Kim (Port Coquitlam). Shota Inoda (Burnaby) and Dominique Hawkenson (Sardis) are alternates on the team.
Joining the Hillers on the long track team are: Jacob Graham (Dawson Creek), Tyler Hartleb (Nelson), Eric Spence (Kamloops), Sara Spence (Kamloops), Abigail McCluskey (Kelowna) and Emilie MedlandMarchen (Kelowna). Connor Johnson (Fort St. John) and Pauline Sutherland (Dawson Creek) are the long track team alternates.
Lorelei St. Rose of Prince George has been named an apprentice coach for Team B.C. for the short track events.
