The World Championships masters was on the program last weekend, 27 until January 29 2023. The location was Quebec, where since 2021 a brand new hall has been on the spot where an outdoor track used to be. And how beautiful that has become! Beautiful ambiance and beautiful ice floor. 130 participants participated in age categories from 30 years to 85+ competed in this championship over 3 days. Gaétan Boucher was also present, skating in the category 65-69 years. He still skates technically beautifully, enjoyed watching him race.
Start of the game half past nine! Getting up early in the morning for 3 days (06:30 h) to get the body working, first yoga, then working on the ice rink, skating, retraining, racing, working out, and talking, in short 3 days busy busy! In addition, the competition tension, which starts at the moment of the appearance of the first start list and ends after riding the last distance, ensures that it is not only physically, but also mentally tiring.
Asking yourself why you’re doing this to yourself? Well, always looking for your own limits and that one good race that makes you so happy that you want to ride another race. Maybe addictive?
Four distances skated: Friday the 500 and 1500 meters. Those went disappointing to my idea, technically not being able to drive well, and then, looking on the results screen that you would have liked a little faster. Driving a good race is not that simple, skating sometimes remains elusive. In any case, it is not a button that you only have to turn.
The period of skating PRs is behind me, I’m afraid, nowadays I am more focused on skating SB’s each season.
Saturday the 1000 m. I told myself that I really like the 1000 m as my favored distance and how nice it is that you can skate starting in the inner track. This distance felt much better than the previous two! Nice skating against training buddy Wendy which unleashed fighting spirit in me. Happy with the time on the screen. At this moment this feeling popped up in my head: Skating is really fantastic!
Sunday the last distance: 3000 meters. I planned to drive the straights as relaxed as possible and to go light footed through the curves. Skating from curve to curve, 15 pieces in total. In curve two I thought already “oow I can’t count the curves”, not enough “spare room” in my head. I was completely lost in which lap I was driving until the bell rang. The relaxed driving on the straight worked, light-footed curves were a lot more difficult. Very satisfied with my time. Although secretly you always want to go a little bit faster. In the end, the overall total points over 4 distances was enough for gold in my age category, ladies 55-59 years! Completely happy, and yes, I am already looking forward to the next championship: The Dutch Masters Championships in Breda, the Netherlands, on 11 and 12 February!
Henriëtte Goede
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