Lyons improves personal best time with bronze-medal showing

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Lyons led the way as a half dozen of P.E.I.’s fastest short track speed skaters hit the ice in Matane, Que., during the weekend for their season-opening competition on the Quebec provincial circuit.
In his Quebec debut, Lyons earned a bronze medal in the 1,500-metre Group 3 race by beating his personal best by six seconds.
Andrew Binns just missed a second podium finish for the Island team, placing fourth overall in Group 2. Binns nabbed a pair of personal-best times and took second place in the 500-metre sprint. Matt Kozma brought home a new personal best time by knocking nearly five seconds off his previous best in the 1,500 metres, en route to eight-place overall in Group 3.
Peter McQuaid of Charlottetown notched the fastest times among P.E.I. skaters, landing an 11th-place finish in Group 1 and securing a place in the inaugural Short Track Canada Cup, to be held Nov. 16-18 in Laval, Que.
Also competing for the Island in Matane were Kyle Connell (14th place, Group 2) and Jenna Larter (11th place, Group 1). Larter will also represent P.E.I. at the Short Track Canada Cup in Laval, after pre-qualifying based on her prior season performances.
The six Island skaters comprised the largest P.E.I. contingent to ever qualify for the Quebec circuit and are among hopefuls vying for a spot with Team P.E.I. for the 2019 Canada Games in Red Deer, Alta., in February.
All six will be back in action in less than two weeks, this time on home ice, as Speed Skate P.E.I. plays host to the Atlantic Cup Speed Skating Championships at the Eastlink Centre on Oct. 27 and 28.
Speed Skate PEI is taking online registrations for its programs, including learn to skate and learn to speed skate, at www.speedskatepei.com.