"As soon as I found out there was racing, I was dead set on it. I went to nationals that year and pretty much cleaned everything up in my grade."
Remember, Chase was 6, competing in a national competition and coming home with titles and gold medals. Since then, he has always been at the top of his grade, competing in all subsequent New Zealand National Road, Flat Track and Marathon events. His coach is Gary Clark.
His prowess and obvious commitment to the sport has meant his parents, Scott and Dale Morpeth, have come into the sport at a practical and administrative level. They travel a lot to competitions. Regularly to Timaru is normal. This week Chase is competing there in the Oceania competition.
"I've been to Australia three times for skating, and I recently got back from the Australian Nationals where I got two gold medals, four silver medals and two bronze medals. I raced two guys over there that I'll be racing at Worlds.
"I've also been to Colorado Springs, USA, for the American Nationals, and I skated at the Pike's Peak International Raceway — that would be one of the highlights of my career."
There are three types of track for speed skating: banked, flat and road. Whanganui skaters train on the flat surface of Mitre 10 Mega carpark after business hours most nights of the week.
Chase wants to be a world champion which is why he is doing extra training in preparation for the World Skating Championships in Buenos Aires in October and November this year.
"I'm training harder than I ever have, at the moment."
He trains every day except Friday; sometimes twice a day.
Chase is going from the dizzy heights of New Zealand competition to a stage where champions from all over the world will be competing. He says he should be ranked somewhere near the middle. He is the only male going from New Zealand and, because of Covid-induced travel restrictions, this is the first time anyone from this country has competed since 2019.
Because skaters have to raise the money for the trip, they have help from sponsors like Wanganui Vets, Future Champions Trust, Leedstown Trust, GOME, and, of course, mum and dad. Scott Morpeth is going along as assistant manager. They will arrive early to give them time to get to know the track.
"Because when you're in a big pack of skaters ... you're not looking where you're going. You're looking at everyone around you," says Chase.
At the moment Chase competes in everything, but after the Worlds, he might look at distances in which to specialise, but right now, this is another step on the way to the top.
