Virden area athletes are representing their province well at the Canada Winter Games.
In Red Deer, Kennedy Charles helped the Manitoba female long track speed skating team pursuit squad to a fourth-place finish. In addition, the daughter of Joel and Dori Charles placed 15th overall in the 1,500-metre against an elite field with a time of 2:33.74.
She also had a cumulative time of 1:37.22 over two 500-metre races. This week Charles was slated to compete in the 1,000, 3,000, and mass start events.
After Monday, the Manitoba male hockey team was 1-2. The team is led by head coach Garth Mitchell of Elkhorn and includes Virden’s Grady Lane, the son of Craig and Stacey, and Oak Lake’s Hunter Wallace, the son of Tod and Penny. Oak Lake product Brian Elder serves as a goalie consultant for the team.
Manitoba beat B.C. 4-3 on Feb. 16. Wallace scored in the contest. On Feb. 17, the team lost 6-5 to Alberta. Lane, who is an assistant captain, had an assist. Manitoba fell 7-1 to Saskatchewan on Feb. 18.
