Speed-skating Spence sisters are cyclists, too
The Spence family is best known for its speed-skating talent, but it’s their cycling abilities that might take centre stage in Kamloops at the Western Canada Summer Games (WCSG) in August.
Tori Spence, who turns 19 on Sunday, June 19, has already earned one of five spots on Team B.C.’s female cycling squad and her sister, Josie, 17, is on the short list.
“Personally, I think that she will make it because she has the strength and we both have the racing mentality from short track,” said Tori, who competed alongside her sister for Team B.C. in speed-skating competition at the Canada Winter Games in Halifax in February.
“It’s not like we’re totally unfamiliar with how to prepare for the races.”
The choice, however, is not Tori’s to make. Team B.C.’s head coach Jeff Ain will make the final decision.
“All three of the Spence sisters are obviously incredibly talented athletes in both summer and winter sports,” Ain told KTW.
“They came off of long and very successful speed-skating campaigns this past winter and straight onto bikes where they were all competitive in the selection process for WCSG.”
The youngest Spence sister, Sara, 15, struggled through injury throughout the spring evaluation camps and did not receive enough points to be considered for the team.
Ain got one last look at the seven short-listed female riders — Tori, Josie, Kristin Drygas, Gillian Ellsay, Jasmin Glaesser, Christy Moser and Amanda Wakeling — at an evaluation camp in Kamloops on June 4 and June 5.
Ain said he will name the team and its alternate members “in the next couple weeks.”
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