Forbes excels on national speed skating stage
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/03/2025 (247 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Zoe Forbes nearly hit the podium on a national stage last month, and she’s determined to get there in a few weeks.
The Brandonite posted three fourth-place finishes at the youth long track national championships in Fort St. John, B.C., in February, sitting one spot from a medal in the 1,500-metre, team pursuit and the seven-lap race.
“It was really fun and I had a good time,” Forbes said, adding it was her second trip to the long track event.
Zoe Forbes, left, of Brandon, competes in long track speed skating nationals in February. The 13-year-old speedster is preparing for short track nationals later this month. (Submitted)
“I felt more comfortable but everyone changes so much from year to year and it’s super close so I never know what to expect with the results.”
Forbes also competed in the 300-metre mass start, finishing eighth, and added a ninth-place showing in the 500m Olympic Style event.
It’s a lot of work, but she puts in the hours to prepare.
Forbes trains in Brandon on Tuesdays and Thursdays and in Shilo on Sundays, generally a longer and tougher session than the other two.
While it’s challenging to train for such a demanding and tiring sport, Forbes has plenty of motivation at the Westman Speed Skating Club.
“I really like skating fast and with my friends and I’m really competitive with a bunch of them,” she said.
She’s heading to Kamloops, B.C., at the end of the month for short track, where she’ll race in the 300m, 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m.
The 13-year-old finished third overall last year and feels she can return to the podium. However, she isn’t fixated on it.
“My goal is just to skate really hard and have fun,” she said.
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