About 150 athletes at the National Speed ​​Skating Championship in Calheta

This year, it is up to the Clube Desportivo e Recreativo dos Prazeres to organize the National Track Speed ​​Skating Championship, which takes place next Saturday and Sunday, at the track recently built in that parish in the municipality of Calheta.

According to Alípio Silva, responsible for the modality at the host club, around 152 athletes from the categories of cadets, juveniles, juniors and seniors will be involved, who will dispute eight national titles, between men and women.

17 national clubs will be represented, including from the mainland and islands. A large part of these athletes – in the order of 70 athletes – will be from Madeira, said the coach

On Saturday, the tests take place between 9 and 21 hours. While on Sunday the challenges are scheduled between 9 and 16:30.

For Alípio Silva, holding this championship in the Region, in addition to highlighting the potential of the new track in Prazeres, is also a way for clubs in the Region to save on travel costs. “In addition, Madeira has been, in the last six to seven years, the area of ​​the country that has won the most national titles, namely for the CDR dos Prazeres, and now, more recently, Marítimo has also won many titles”, he maintains.

In Madeira, at the moment, there are about 300 effective federated athletes in this modality, although, given the levels that make up the National Championship, there will be close to 70 participants in the ‘races’ on Saturday and Sunday. 

Among the athletes competing in Prazeres will be the two-time European champion of the sport, Jéssica Rodrigues, as well as the senior athlete Marco Lira, as well as many other skaters from the various levels in dispute.

From Diário Notícias