And so begins another speedskating season for Wren Acorn.
ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a season where sheSA国际影视传媒檚 hoping to serve notice to the rest of the country that sheSA国际影视传媒檚 on the cusp of big things.
Acorn, 19, was in the field at the Canadian Short Track Championships in Quebec City from Oct. 14 to 16, the first big national event of the season. She finished 13th overall, amassing a total of 4,219 points over the course of the event. Each race she skated awarded points based on where a skater finished, with the four best results out of the six races counting toward the final score.
Acorn said the final standing was about where she feels she should have finished.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 happy, because I know those who are above me are better than I am right now,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淢y result is what ISA国际影视传媒檝e been averaging, so ISA国际影视传媒檓 happy with where I was. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a promising start and a good jumping-off point. Mentally, ISA国际影视传媒檓 happy with where ISA国际影视传媒檓 at and ISA国际影视传媒檓 ready to have a good season.SA国际影视传媒�
Each distance SA国际影视传媒� 500-metre, 1,000-metre and 1,500-metre SA国际影视传媒� was run twice to make up a total of six. The initial 1,500-metre race was the event opener and itSA国际影视传媒檚 AcornSA国际影视传媒檚 bread-and-butter event. She scored 1,639 points from that, putting her in sixth place, her best result from the whole weekend.
She said the 1,500-metre is usually the kickoff distance and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 to her advantage.
SA国际影视传媒淭actically, itSA国际影视传媒檚 my best distance and itSA国际影视传媒檚 a big confidence boost when you know how to race it,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 some pressure because I need points off the bat, but I trust that my body knows what to do. Getting a good result in that was definitely a boost.SA国际影视传媒�
If there was one disappointing performance for Acorn, it was probably the first 1,000-metre contest. She ended up scoring just 338 points, her lowest of the weekend.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was my only bad race SA国际影视传媒� I panicked a bit and got in trouble,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
In the 500-metre races, Acorn made the B finals in both, and she said thatSA国际影视传媒檚 about where she should be right now.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 good with those results because it is my weakest event right now,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 didnSA国际影视传媒檛 put a lot of pressure on myself going into those races SA国际影视传媒� I just wanted to work on the things ISA国际影视传媒檝e learned in practice and ISA国际影视传媒檓 happy with how everything turned out in that.SA国际影视传媒�
The overall result wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 good enough to earn Acorn a spot on the senior national team, but she is back with the NextGen squad for her third and final season. AcornSA国际影视传媒檚 hope is that this will be the season she begins to show those above her that sheSA国际影视传媒檒l be one to watch out for.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 not quite punching up at the top-eight yet, but ISA国际影视传媒檓 no longer a junior, either,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 still developing as much as possible and ISA国际影视传媒檓 ready to get up there, be a threat and compete for a spot on the senior national team.SA国际影视传媒�
The next big event for Acorn is happening in December in Montreal. Because she finished inside the top-15 overall, sheSA国际影视传媒檒l get to race in the Canadian Invitational Meet taking place that month and the hope is to have skaters from several countries make the trip in to compete. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 also an important meet for Acorn because from that event, the Canadian short-track team for the World University Games in Montreal will be chosen.
Acorn had qualified for the team in 2021 in Lausanne, Switzerland, but that was cancelled because of the Omicron outbreak.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 really hoping to be able to re-make that team,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
