Perseverance and dedication to one's goals has paid huge dividends for Nick Goplen.
After years of training in Kelowna and Calgary, Goplen, a member of the Kelowna Speed Skating Club and Team Crossover will make his World Cup debut at the ISU World Cup long track speed skating event in Stavanger, Norway, Jan 29-31.
Goplen, to skate in the 1,500-metre event, earned the position on the Canadian Team by placing fourth at the Canadian single distance championship earlier this month. He skated to a best personal time in the 1,500 metres, as well as the 500 metres. An unfortunate incident during a lane change in the 5,000 metres resulted in a disqualification, but Goplen was able to put that behind him and skate the fastest times in his career in the 1,500.
Goplen will battle against the best skaters in the world as they all try to earn berths in the world single distance championships in Kolomna, Russia Feb. 12-14. He’ll be pitting his times against two other Canadian skaters at the World Cup for the remaining Canadian quota position for the world single distance championship.
Goplen, 25, skated his first lap on the frigid track in Saskatoon shortly after learning to walk, but like any Canadian boy, he also played hockey and competed in many sports such as soccer, basketball, football, track and field, sailing and cycling.
At the age of eight, he and his family moved to Kelowna and he momentarily gave up long track speed skating (due to the lack of a long track oval in the Okanagan) and honed his skating craft while racing short track around a 111-metre track under the watchful eye of his mom, Nancy Goplen, head coach of the Kelowna Speed Skating Club.
Over the course of the next eight years, Goplen skated to various national and provincial age-class records while periodically making trips to Calgary to skate on its 400-metre oval.
At 16, he moved to Calgary to pursue long track skating full time, while finishing up high school at the National Sport School and attending the University of Calgary.
He continues to train in Calgary.
For more information on the Kelowna Speed Skating Club.
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