‘Sky’s the limit for Van Horne’

Winnipegger earns silver in team sprint at World Junior Speedskating Championships

By: Mike McIntyrePosted: 5:31 PM CST Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025

Competing in the Winter Olympics used to be a dream for Winnipegger Skylar Van Horne.

Now?

“It’s a goal,” the 18-year-old speedskater told the Free Press on Tuesday. “As I’m getting older I’m setting myself up well to have that opportunity in the future.”

Van Horne took some big strides towards that this past weekend in Italy as part of Canada’s eight-member team consisting of four women and four men. She helped the three-member women’s team win a silver medal in the team-sprint event at the World Junior Championships along with teammates Julia Snelgrove (Dartmouth, N.S.) and Isabelle Champagne (Calgary). They narrowly missed edging Poland for top spot, but improved upon the bronze they captured a year ago at the event held in Japan.

“There was a lot of hope and faith that we’d be able to repeat a medal. So it was great to be able to accomplish it,” said Van Horne, who is currently attending grade 12 at Vincent Massey Collegiate.

To put those accomplishments in perspective, Canada has been sending a team to the event since it was added in 2015 and didn’t reach the podium until last year.

Van Horne also finished fourth in the women’s 1,000 metres — tops among all Canadian competitors and a huge improvement from 21st last year — while showing well in the 500 metres (ninth, second-best among Canadians and up from 22nd last year), the 1,500 (24th) and 3,000 metres (26th).

“When I was younger, the 1,000 wasn’t really my favourite distance, but I’ve grown to really enjoy it over the last couple years. I was very excited when I crossed the line and saw fourth,” she said.

Van Horne is fresh off winning the 500- and 1,000-metre events at the Canadian Junior Championships in December and finishing second in the overall standings, which is how she got her spot on the national team.

“We are so proud of her,” said Marnie Hilland, a board member and coach at the Winnipeg Speed Skating Club where Van Horne also helps mentor kids in the “learn to skate” program.

“She has been an inspiration to all our club skaters. Skylar was a small skater when she started but always fast and we all knew she would be this great.”…

Go to Winnipeg Free Press for the full article!