Lucas Hiller was just a little guy the last time he raced on an outdoor speed skating oval in Prince George.
Now he's 19 and the novelty of racing outdoors in his hometown was not lost on him Sunday at the Exhibition Park ice oval.
"I raced here like 10 years ago, and I was young," said Lucas. "I've been practicing here often so I know what it feels like to skate outside and it's been good. The ice is better than it has been in the past."
Hiller had a jackrabbit to chase over the weekend at the B.C. long track provincial championships. His 17-year-old brother Nico, the top qualifier on the B.C. provincial long track team, was racing him in the open men's category and wasn't holding back against his older brother.
"It's pretty tight between me and him," said Lucas. "We had a 500, and a 3K and [on Sunday] I skated a 1,500 and Nico beat me in all of them. I've raced him in the past and we've been skating together for years. He spent a summer training in Calgary and he's a great skater."
Nico and Lucas finished 1-2 overall in the open men's category and their 17-year-old sister Lina [Nico's twin], carved a path to the open women's overall title.
For many of the 80 skaters who gathered at the Exhibition Park ice oval for two days of racing, it was their first-ever opportunity to be exposed to the elements in a skating race. That's because most long track speed skating events are held indoors in either in Fort St. John or Calgary.
"We haven't had a meet here in 15 years, and even then it was only a one-day meet when the oval was in the old location," said Blizzard club coach Adam Ingle. "Otherwise, it's at Fort St. James."
The snow slowed the skaters down on Sunday as compared with the fast conditions Saturday morning. Snow, slush or water, the condition of the ice didn't take away from what was a memorable weekend for Lina Hiller.
"It's different with the weather but the ice has been great," said Hiller, as she prepared for her 3,000m race. "The last time I skated outdoors was three or four years ago in Fort St. James. It's good practice for the Games so we know how to warm up, how to prepare."
The three Hillers and Sam Dalla Lana will be in Quebec City this weekend for Canada Cup No. 3 races, which double as the junior national long track championships. That will be the final race tuneup for Lina and Nico before the Canada Games, which start Feb. 14.
"It's good to reintroduce the [weather] challenges to people, Including the Hillers, who are going to an outdoor competition in Quebec," said Ingle.
