Christine Nesbitt
Encyclopedia
Christine Nesbitt is a Canadian
long track speed skater
who currently resides in Calgary
, Alberta
. Her personal best in the 1000m is the second fastest of all time, right after Cindy Klassen
's world record. Nesbitt won the Gold Medal in the 1000 m
event at the Vancouver
2010 Winter Olympics
. She had previously won a silver medal in the team pursuit
at the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin
.
. Christine played competitive hockey with the London Devilettes until switching to short track speed skating at age 12. Nesbitt continued her interests in running and speed skating while at Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School
London
where she graduated as an Ontario scholar. She entered University of Calgary
in the Autumn of 2003 as an Engineering student.
Nesbitt took up long track speed skating in August 2003 and moved to Calgary
, Alberta
to train at the University of Calgary Olympic Oval
. She earned a spot on the national team in January 2005, commenced ISU
World Cup competitions the same month, and competed in her first World Championships (Single Distance Championships) that year. The 2004-2005 Single Distance Championships at Inzell Germany were her first World Championships, finishing 17th at both the 1,000 m and 1,500 m distances. Nesbitt won the Canadian long track "Rising Star Award" in the spring of 2005, in part on the strength of her results in the 2005 Single Distance Championships.
Nesbitt first qualified for World Cup competitions in January 2005 and skated in her first world cup meet during the winter season of 2004-2005 under guidance of her coach, Marcel Lacroix. The next season (2005-06 season), she won her first world cup medal, a bronze in the 1500 m at Salt Lake City on 20 November 2005, and later won two silver medals with the Canadian women's team pursuit. She ended the season ranked 11th in the 1500 m and 21st in the 1000 m.
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.
and Kristina Groves
set the team pursuit Olympic record, and won her first Olympic medal, a silver, in the team pursuit on the following day. In the 1000 m event, Nesbitt placed 14th with a time of 1:17.54 and placed 7th in the 1500 m with a time of 1:59.15.
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.
At the 2006-07 Heerenveen 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. The 2006-07 Single Distance Championships held at Kearns (Salt Lake City) Utah brought her a gold medal in the team pursuit (with Shannon Rempel and Kristina Groves), bronze medal in the 1000 m and a 6th place finish in the 1500 m race.
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. 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 Pursuit.
The 2007-2008 Allround Championships were held in Berlin where she finished first in the 500 m, third in the 1500 m, placed 5th in the 3000 m, and 9th in the 5000 m. Nesbitt thus completed the competition with a final rank of 4th overall among the 24 qualifiers.
Richmond British Columbia hosted the 2008-2009 Single Distance Championships. Nesbitt competed in the 1000 m, 1500 m and Team Pursuit, collecting gold in the 1000 m and Pursuit races, and a bronze medal in the 1500 m. Hamar, Norway hosted the 2008-2009 All Round Championships. 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.
Nesbitt qualified for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. On 16 February, she finished 10th in the 500 metres
. Two days later, on 18 February, she won gold in the 1000 metres
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
long track speed skater
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
who currently resides in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. Her personal best in the 1000m is the second fastest of all time, right after Cindy Klassen
Cindy Klassen
Cindy Klassen, OM is a Canadian long track speed skater. Klassen is a six-time medalist at the Winter Olympics. She is tied with Clara Hughes for Canada's all-time most decorated Olympian with 6 medals each...
's world record. Nesbitt won the Gold Medal in the 1000 m
Speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 1000 metres
The women's 1000 metres speed skating competition of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics was held at Richmond Olympic Oval on 18 February 2010.-Records:Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.-Results:...
event at the Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
. She had previously won a silver medal in the team pursuit
Speed skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Women's team pursuit
The Women's team pursuit competition at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy began on 15 February at Oval Lingotto. The team pursuit consisted of a qualifying round, then a series of elimination races, with the winners of the elimination races progressing to the next round of the 'knockout...
at the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
.
Personal
Christine Nesbitt was born to a Canadian father and an Australian mother in Melbourne, Australia. As a youth Christine Nesbitt took an interest in track events, in cross country competitions, and in ice hockey while attending Jeanne Sauvé Primary School in London, OntarioLondon, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
. Christine played competitive hockey with the London Devilettes until switching to short track speed skating at age 12. Nesbitt continued her interests in running and speed skating while at Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School
Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School
Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School is a high school located in London, Ontario, Canada. It was officially opened in 1969, and has history of excellence in the arts, in sports and in community service. Banting is recognized for having a strong French Immersion program and a music program...
London
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
where she graduated as an Ontario scholar. She entered University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
in the Autumn of 2003 as an Engineering student.
Early career
While a short track competitor Nesbitt was nationally ranked and was the top ranked short track junior in Ontario setting numerous provincial records, some of which still stand. In 1999, at age 13, she won a silver medal with the Ontario short track 3,000m relay team in the Canada Winter Games, and also won a bronze in the same event in the 2003 Canada Winter Games.Nesbitt took up long track speed skating in August 2003 and moved to Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
to train at the University of Calgary Olympic Oval
Olympic Oval
The Olympic Oval in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is a covered speed skating oval built for the 1988 Winter Olympics. It is the official designated training center for Speed Skate Canada and the Canadian National Speed Skating team. It is located on the University of Calgary campus...
. She earned a spot on the national team in January 2005, commenced ISU
International Skating Union
The International Skating Union is the international governing body for competitive ice skating disciplines, including figure skating, synchronized skating, speed skating, and short track speed skating. It was founded in Scheveningen, Netherlands in 1892, making it one of the oldest international...
World Cup competitions the same month, and competed in her first World Championships (Single Distance Championships) that year. The 2004-2005 Single Distance Championships at Inzell Germany were her first World Championships, finishing 17th at both the 1,000 m and 1,500 m distances. Nesbitt won the Canadian long track "Rising Star Award" in the spring of 2005, in part on the strength of her results in the 2005 Single Distance Championships.
Nesbitt first qualified for World Cup competitions in January 2005 and skated in her first world cup meet during the winter season of 2004-2005 under guidance of her coach, Marcel Lacroix. The next season (2005-06 season), she won her first world cup medal, a bronze in the 1500 m at Salt Lake City on 20 November 2005, and later won two silver medals with the Canadian women's team pursuit. She ended the season ranked 11th in the 1500 m and 21st in the 1000 m.
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.
Turin to Vancouver
Nesbitt clinched a spot in the 2006 Winter Olympics after winning two golds and a bronze in the 2005 Canada Post Single Distance Championships. On 15 February 2006, Nesbitt, with Cindy KlassenCindy Klassen
Cindy Klassen, OM is a Canadian long track speed skater. Klassen is a six-time medalist at the Winter Olympics. She is tied with Clara Hughes for Canada's all-time most decorated Olympian with 6 medals each...
and Kristina Groves
Kristina Groves
Kristina Groves is a Canadian speedskater. She is Canada’s most decorated skater in the World Single Distances Championships with 13 career medals in this event. She won four Olympic medals: She won two silver medals at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, in the 1,500 meters and team pursuit....
set the team pursuit Olympic record, and won her first Olympic medal, a silver, in the team pursuit on the following day. In the 1000 m event, Nesbitt placed 14th with a time of 1:17.54 and placed 7th in the 1500 m with a time of 1:59.15.
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.
At the 2006-07 Heerenveen 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. The 2006-07 Single Distance Championships held at Kearns (Salt Lake City) Utah brought her a gold medal in the team pursuit (with Shannon Rempel and Kristina Groves), bronze medal in the 1000 m and a 6th place finish in the 1500 m race.
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. 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 Pursuit.
The 2007-2008 Allround Championships were held in Berlin where she finished first in the 500 m, third in the 1500 m, placed 5th in the 3000 m, and 9th in the 5000 m. Nesbitt thus completed the competition with a final rank of 4th overall among the 24 qualifiers.
Olympic Gold
The 2008-09 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 rebounded the next day with a gold medal in the 1000 m race. 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.Richmond British Columbia hosted the 2008-2009 Single Distance Championships. Nesbitt competed in the 1000 m, 1500 m and Team Pursuit, collecting gold in the 1000 m and Pursuit races, and a bronze medal in the 1500 m. Hamar, Norway hosted the 2008-2009 All Round Championships. 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.
Nesbitt qualified for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. On 16 February, she finished 10th in the 500 metres
Speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 500 metres
The women's 500 metres speed skating competition of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics was held at Richmond Olympic Oval on 16th February 2010.- Records :Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.500 meters...
. Two days later, on 18 February, she won gold in the 1000 metres
Speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 1000 metres
The women's 1000 metres speed skating competition of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics was held at Richmond Olympic Oval on 18 February 2010.-Records:Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.-Results:...
.
After the 2010 Olympics
The summer after the Olympics Nesbitt was involved in a car accident. Nesbitt usually commutes to and from the track by road bicycle and was t-boned by an SUV suffering a fractured elbow and injured her knee. Despite the injuries, she qualified with ease for the 2010-11 World Cup by winning the 1,500 m at the national World Cup trials.Personal records
- 500 m 37.72 (9 January 2011, Calgary)
- 1000 m 1:13.36 (13 December 2009, Salt Lake City)
- 1500 m 1:52.75 (10 November 2007, Salt Lake City; 17 November 2007, Calgary)
- 3000 m 4:03.49 (6 January 2011, Calgary)
- 5000 m 7:07.15 (13 January 2008, Calgary)
- Team Pursuit 2:55.79 (6 December 2009, Calgary) World Record with Kristina Groves and Brittany SchusslerBrittany SchusslerBrittany Schussler is a Canadian speed skater. Since 2002 she has been a member of the national High Performance Long Track Team....
- Team Pursuit 3:01.24 (16 February 2006, Turin) Olympic Record with Kristina Groves and Cindy KlassenCindy KlassenCindy Klassen, OM is a Canadian long track speed skater. Klassen is a six-time medalist at the Winter Olympics. She is tied with Clara Hughes for Canada's all-time most decorated Olympian with 6 medals each...
External links
- Christine Nesbitt's Official Website
- The traditional Adelskalender ranking is based on a skater's best time in the 500 m, 1500 m, 3k and 5k distances
- Jakub Majerski's Speedskating Database provides numerous rankings of skaters, based on career best times
- Speedskating Canada Biography
- Interview: Christine Nesbitt confident about future, October 2007
- Canoe.ca Profile