Credit to Minh Tang for the amazing photography for this event.
From August 4–8, Nora attended the Summit Performance Camp at the Olympic Oval in Calgary—a world-class opportunity for speed skaters to sharpen their skills and connect with athletes from across Canada. Hosted annually by Speed Skating Alberta and Speed Skating Ontario, the camp offers training in both short track (111m track) and long track (400m track), giving skaters valuable experience in both disciplines.
This year’s camp brought together athletes from coast to coast, creating an environment filled with skill-sharing, learning, and camaraderie. Nora trained alongside new faces and reconnected with friends she has skated with over the years. The camp is held at the University of Calgary, where participants can explore campus life and even watch the Canadian Long Track National Team train in the very same facility. This was Nora’s second year attending, and she’s already looking forward to next summer’s event!
In addition to on-ice training, the program features Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialists in the weight room, age-appropriate strength sessions, nutrition workshops, dryland training, and plenty of fun activities. This year’s participants even got to learn from Alphonse Ouimette, a retired Canadian Short Track National Team member, who shared his expertise with the short track group.
For younger skaters aged 8–12, the Summit Kids Camp offers a similar experience with both long and short track sessions, off-ice training, games, and the occasional water fight—making it as fun as it is valuable for skill development.
To cap off the week, Nora took to the ice for a short track competition on Saturday morning and long track time trials in the afternoon—an exciting way to get a head start on the upcoming season.
If you’re a younger skater looking to improve your skills, make new friends, and experience the thrill of training at one of Canada’s top facilities, the Summit Camp is an incredible opportunity you won’t want to miss. As we look ahead to the start of our new season on September 2, we can’t wait to see our skaters back on the ice, ready to put in the work and chase new goals!