International Competitions

A summary of  Christine’s  speedskating achievements in International  events,  including – Awards, Records, Medals and Best Times.

Sources of information:  the official results of the International Skating Union, and the Speedskating Canada biography of Christine Nesbitt. Links to these sites are given on the Media page.

2003-05

World Cup Competitions: Christine began long track training in August of 2003 under National long track coach Marcel Lacroix. She was selected to the Canadian National Team in January 2005 and that winter she competed in three World Cup competitions at Baselga di Pine, Italy,  Erfurt, Germany and Heerenveen, Netherlands.

Single Distance Championships: In March 2005, having participated in just three World Cup events, Christine qualified for her first Single Distance Championships (World Championships). At these competitions, the top 24 world-ranked skaters compete to be World Champion at one or more of the distances,  500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m, 5000m and Team Pursuit. She qualified to skate the 1000 and 1500m events, finishing 17th in both races. Qualifying for the Championships was a major accomplishment considering that she had competed at the International level for just three months.

2005-06

World Cup Competitions: She won her first individual world cup medal, a bronze in the 1500 m at Salt Lake City on November 20, 2005. That year she also won two silver medals with the Canadian women’s team pursuit and ended the season ranked 11th in the 1500 m and 21st in the 1000 m.

 

 

Turin Olympics: In December, 2005 she was selected as a member of the Team Pursuit to represent Canada at the Turin 2006 Olympics. At the Canadian Single Distance Championships in Calgary, Christine qualified for the Olympic team in both the 1000 m and 1500 m. At Turin she won a silver metal in the Team Pursuit, finished 7th in the 1500m and 14th in the 1000 m events.

All Round Championships: Nesbitt first qualified for the All Round Championships in 2005-2006, which were held in Calgary. Her overall rank was 16th at the competition, after finishing 8th in the 500 m, 10th in the 1500 m and 22nd in the 3000 m.

 

2006-07

World Cup Competitions: During the 2006-07 world cup season, she reached the podium 9 times, capturing five silver and two bronze medals in the 1000 m and 1500 m distances, and two silver medals in team pursuits. At the end of the season, her World Cup rankings were 4th in the 1500 m and 7th in the 1000 m.

Single Distance Championships: The 2006-07 Championships held at Kearns (Salt Lake City), Utah brought her a gold medal in the team pursuit (with Shannon Rempel and Kristina Groves), a bronze medal in the 1000 m and a 6th place finish in the 1500 m race.

All Round Championships: At the Hereenveen All Round Championships she received an overall rank of 9th, having won a bronze medal in the 1500 m, placing 6th in the 500 m, 14th in the 3000 m and 11th in the 5000 m.

2007-08

World Cup Competitions: The 2007-08 World Cup competitions saw Nesbitt win her first gold medal in the first competition of the year, a win in the 1500 m at Salt Lake City. There she skated four distances the 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m and 3000 m, setting personal best times at each distance. During the season she had 12 podium finishes, amassing 2 gold, 6 silver and 4 bronze World Cup medals. Although suffering an injury before the final World Cup meet, she ended the season ranked 2nd in the 1500 m and 6th in the 1000 m.

Single Distance Championships: The 2007-08 Single Distance Championships in Nagano were somewhat of a disappointment. She skated while carrying a groin injury, placing 4th in the 1000 m, 5th in the 1500 m and winning a silver medal in the Team Pur suit.

All Round Championships: These Championships were held in Berlin where she won a gold medal in the 500 m, a bronze medal in the 1500 m, placed 5th in the 3000 m and 9th in the 5000 m, and had a final rank of 4th overall among the 24 qualifiers.

2008-09

World Cup Competitions: The 2008-2009 World Cup competitions commenced with a new coach, Ingrid Paul. Her season opened with a 1500 m competition in Berlin in which she finished a disappointing 6th, but she rebounded the next day with a gold medal at 1000 m. She had three 1000 m gold medal performances during Fall World Cup competitions, and ended a successful racing season with 11 podium finishes including 3 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze medals. She ranked first in 1000 m World Cup Competitions, thus capturing the 1000 m World Cup title. Although she missed the Salt Lake City World Cup Finale 1500 m race due to injury, she ended the season ranked third in the 1500 m World Cup Competition.

 

Single DistanceChampionships: The Single Distance Championships in Vancouver, she became World Champion at 1000 m and won a bronze at 1500 m. She was also a member of the World Champion Pursuit team, thus amassing two Gold medals and a bronze medal at these Championships.

All Round Championships: Hamar, Norway was host. Nesbitt won the 500 m and placed second in the 1500 m. She finished 13th in the 3000 m and 11th in the 5000 m, her final ranking being 6th among the 24 competitors.

2009-10

World Cup Competitions: Marcel Lacroix coached her during the season. The first World Cup was in Berlin where she had two gold medal performances in the 1000 m and 1500 m races, equalling the track record set previously by the great Anni Freisinger. At the next event, Heerenveen, she again won gold at 1000 m, a silver at 1500 m, and another gold in Team Pursuit and set a track record in the process. Calgary was the third World Cup stop where she won a third consecutive gold medal at 1000 m, a silver at 1500 m and a gold in the Team Pursuit setting a world record of 2 min. 56.75 sec. The fourth stop, Salt Lake City, saw her win the 1000 m in a personal best time, and the second fastest time ever skated – 1 min. 13.36 sec which set the track record. She also won the 1500 m and took a silver in Team Pursuit. During the Fall World Cup events she amassed 8 Gold and 3 Silver medals. She won her second consecutive World Cup Championship in the 1000 m and was ranked 2nd in the 1500 m.

Vancouver Olympics: The Christine qualified for the Olympic team in the 500 m at the Canadian Single Distance Championships in Dec., 2009, was selected to the Pursuit team and had qualified for 1000 m and 1500 m on the strength of her World Championship performance the previous year and on her 2009 Fall World Cup results. At the 2010 Vancouver Olympics Christine won Gold in the 1000 m, placed 6th in the 1500 m and a disappointing 5th in the Team Pursuit.

Single Distance Championships: The Olympic results serve as the Single Distance Championships in Olympic years, hence she was the single distance champion at 1000 m in 2010.

All Round Championships: She suffered a neck injury before the All Round Championships in Heerenveen and did not compete.

2010-2011

World Cup Competitions: There were 8 World Cup competitions in the 2010-2011 season and Christine competed in 7 of them. She collected 10 Gold medals, and 2 Bronze medals. Five Gold medals were won at 1000 m, 4 Gold medals and 2 Bronze medals at 1500 m, and a Gold medal was won in Team Pursuit. During the year, 4 track records were set in the 1000 m, and two in Team Pursuit. She was the 1500 m World Cup Champion and placed 2nd in the 1000m World Cup Championship. In all the World Cup season was very successful.

 

World Sprint Championships: Christine won the World Sprint Championship in her first ever competition. In doing so she won her first medal at the 500 m distance, a bronze. She also won both 1000 m races, one in a track record time of 1:15.01, breaking the record set by Anni Friesinger by more than 0.3 seconds. This was the highlight of her 2010-2011 skating season. Aside from the thrill of winning, having done so in Heerenveen at Thialf Oval made the weekend one of dreams.

World Single Distance Championships: Held at Inzell, Germany, Christine competed in the 1000 m, 1500 m and Team Pursuit, winning Gold medals in the first and last of these events setting track records in each event. She finished a disappointing 5th in the 1500 m. In all it was a successful Championship, retaining her World Championship in the 1000 m and in the Team Pursuit.

World All Round Championships: The All Round Championship was held in Calgary. Christine ranked second upon completion of the All Round competition, in which each skater competes in the 500 m, 1500 m, 3000 m and 5000 m distances. She established a personal best time in the 500 m (37.72 sec) and this helped her to achieve her highest ranking ever in this prestigious competition.

2011-2012

World Cup Competitions: Christine competed in 6 World Cup competitions, winning 11 Gold (8 individual, 3 pursuit), 2 Silver (1 individual, 1 pursuit) and one bronze (500m) medals. She was World Cup Champion at 1000m and 1500m and was a member of the World Cup Champion Canadian Pursuit Team. She was also the first Women’s World Cup Grand Champion for accumulating more World Cup points than any other female.

World Record at 1000m:  On Jan. 28, 2012, Christine skated a 1000m world record at the Calgary Olympic Oval. The time was 1:12.68, 0.43 seconds faster than the previous record set by Cindy Klassen in 2006. It was her crowning performance of the year and earned her the Oscar Mathisen Award for the best speedskating performance of the year (male or female).

World Sprint Championship:  Christine finished second at the 2012 championships. She was separated from first place by 0.02 sec. (samalog score) compiled over two 500m and two 1000m races. She broke the previous world record in both her 1000m races.

World All Round Championship: Christine ranked third in the these championships. She won gold medals at the 500m and 1500m distances and was exceedingly happy with her overall result.