Print This Article!


BURLINGTON — The members of the Skagit Speedsters seem to enjoy speed skating for different reasons.

“I like going fast and the hard work,” Colby Groves said.

“Traveling around,” Megan Wilburg added.

“It’s just an awesome sport, very good for you physically,” Raymond Burt said.

They all agreed on one aspect of the sport they enjoy — winning.

Beginning July 14, they will have their chance to do just that on the biggest stage in youth speed skating, the Indoor Speed Skating National Championships in Lincoln, Neb.

Six skaters who train at Skagit Skate will shoot for national titles: Cooper McLeod (primary division, ages 6-7), Bailey Brashler (primary) and Burt (junior, 16-17) of Burlington, Wilburg (juvenile, 8-9) and Groves (freshman, 12-13) of Sedro-Woolley, and Erika Harang (elementary, 10-11) of Bellingham.

Three of the six have already won national titles — McLeod and Harang last year, and Groves in 2005. All but Burt have been to nationals at least once already.

These six have spent a lot of hours at Skagit Skate to earn the right to go to Nebraska.

The six-member contingent generally discovered the sport during open skating, and found they not only enjoyed it, but were also pretty fast. Several years of training later, they’re among a group of 450 of the nation’s best.

Coach Adam Groves said typically the skaters practice about 25 hours a month from October through the spring, then increase that to about 40 for the months leading up to Nationals.

The skaters travel around the Northwest — and beyond — for competitions.

“We have been lucky in the aspect that we have a lot of parents willing to put the time in,” Adam Groves said. “It takes a lot of dedication, a lot of time.”

Each skater qualified for the national meet by placing in the top four of the Northwest Region, which includes Alaska, Oregon, Hawaii, Montana, Idaho and Washington.

“All of them have a very good chance of taking Nationals,” Adam Groves said, adding that McLeod and Brashler are among the favorites as a relay team.

Eric Francis can be reached at 360-416-2131 or by e-mail at