Whanganui speed skaters head for world champs in Italy

Whanganui's Chase Morpeth was crowned junior boys champion at the 2021 Speed Skating Nationals in his home town.

Whanganui speed skater Chase Morpeth has competed in the international Flanders Grand Prix three-day event in Ostende-Zandvoorde, Belgium, during the weekend of August 11-13.

This was his final European Cup event before heading the next day to Italy, in preparation for the World Speed Skating Champs, starting on August 27. New Zealand skaters Andrew Jones (Whanganui), Erin Green (Blenheim), and Serenity Griffiths (Palmerston North) also competed here, having joined Chase in July to train at Geisingen, Germany, as part of the five-strong NZ worlds team.

The fifth member, Mikaela Macdonald from Nelson, joined the group in Italy on August 19, along with the coach Roxanne Green of Blenheim, manager Scott Morpeth and assistant manager Dale Morpeth, both from Whanganui.

Whanganui's Andrew Jones winning the George Hailes Memorial Race ahead of Dunedin's Mark MacCormack in Timaru in 2018. Photo / Matthew Westwood

Over the three days of competition, skaters competed in six events testing their fitness and racing skills on the Vesmaco 200m track, finishing with a 30km road race around the streets of Ostende.

The first event on Friday was the 200m flying lap, followed in the afternoon by the 5000m points race. Chase placed a credible 13th in the field of 42 in his 5000m points race.

Many of the skaters in the top-level Flanders competition will be competing at worlds so this event gives the field a last chance to eye up one another’s form, having trained to peak in Italy in two weeks’ time.

Saturday started with the 500m sprint heats with five or six skaters in each heat. The fastest top 20 times recorded went through to the quarterfinals, then the semifinals, and the finals.

Unfortunately, Chase crashed on the last turn in his first heat and failed to qualify. He was on track to place in the top 20 but it was not to be. Undeterred, Chase put that behind him and focused on the 15,000m elimination race. He went out early with two of his Geiseingen teammates, lapping the field of 42 and crossing the line in third place, giving him a huge boost of confidence in his present form.

On Sunday, the arrival of rain made the scheduled road race difficult and dangerous. Out of the 103 starters in the men’s event, there were numerous crashes on the damp corners, keeping ambulance staff busy.

Andrew placed 27th and Chase was 39th in the finishing order. The last event of the day was the 5000m and Chase crossed the line in a battle for fifth place out of 38 starters.

The skaters then headed straight to Alte Ceccato, Italy, after racing ended on Sunday and will be based there now, for early trackwork and then the worlds event from August 27–September 3.

Chase has been based in Geiseingen, Germany, for the past five months and after the worlds, will compete in the bucket-list event Berlin Skating Marathon with his father, before returning to New Zealand to finish his Year 13 and then work to save up money to return next year as a first-year senior, rejoining Team Arena Geisingen to continue his quest to become a world champion