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Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010 29 PHOTOS BY MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER DIVISION CHAMPS: Oakville Speed Skating Club's Samuel Chin-Cheong (left) and Bridgitte Layfield both won their divisions at last weekend's regional meet at River Oaks Recreation Centre. Speedsters shine on home ice at regional skating meet Competing in front of family and friends at their own meet didn't unnerve members of the Oakville Speed Skating Club. Oakville's 64 skaters combined to set 71 personal-best times and win 12 medals in the fourth Western regional meet last weekend at River Oaks Recreation Centre. The Oakville meet drew 205 competitors, making it Ontario's largest speed skating meet of the season. Katherine Slattery, Bridgitte Layfield and Samuel Chin-Cheong led the way for the Oakville Speedsters, winning gold medals. Evan MacHattie and Greg Dabrowski earned silver, while Mathieu Masaro, Daniel Nelson, Michelle Merringer, Michael Lowrey, Daniel Mackinnon, Mitchell Kothleitner and Jaroslaw Dubicki claimed bronze. Seventeen more Oakville skaters posted top-six finishes in their divisions. Ian Welsby, Scott MacHattie, Christopher Sturino and David Watson placed fourth; Alexander Giannotti, Daniel Giannotti, Annalise Layfield, Ryan Quesnelle, Jessica Silla, Brett Sullivan, Natalie Bilokrely and Don Clements came fifth; and Alina Santos, Zubin Khan, Samiah Dhingra, Angelique Sturino and Don Abbott finished sixth. Several personal milestones were also reached by Oakville skaters at the meet. Masaro broke the 50-second barrier in the 500-metre distance for the first time, crossing the line in 49.26 seconds. Suan Chang (59.12) and Silla (59.27) completed their 500m races in less than a minute for the first time. Michelle Meringer, Michelle Woo, Katherine Slattery, Samuel Ritchie, Letissia Taricani, Chloe Dickison and Travis Winteler competed in their first-ever meet. Volunteers, particularly meet co-ordinators Liz Heidecker, Lori Whibbs and Harold Kothleitner, helped make the meet a success, as did Kathy O'Donnell and her team in the results room.