Presenting The 2007 Canadian Pan American Games Team

Presenting The 2007 Canadian Pan American Games Team: Speed Skate World will not be updated much for the next few days. I will not be reporting/ covering the Pan American Games on Speed Skate World. I am not allowed to- the rules are strict- and it's not my focus to report during the games. When I come back home, I will write about my wonderful experiences. So it looks like you'll have to wait and be patient a little for the goodies on the 2007 Pan American Games from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil!

Four athletes, a coach, and a delegate will travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to represent Canada in roller sports (speed) at the 2007 Pan American Games.

The team will compete in sprint and distance events on July 23rd and 24th. Coach Mike Murray (Dundas, Ontario) and manager Wayne Burrett (Mississauga, Ontario) will support sprinters Brian Jalbert (Montreal, Quebec) & Martine Charbonneau (Greenfield Park, Quebec) and distance skaters Sarah Hopkins (Toronto, Ontario) and I during the games.

Patin Carrera will be offering some coverage of the Pan American Games: click here to view the page which features a few updates and links. One link to note is some of the photos of the track (under construction) that will be used- click here to view the photos of the venue.

Here are a few links of interest: Patin Carrera's Pan American Games Page, Pan American Games site in English, and Pan American Games website. You can read up on the Roller Sports description and preview on the Canadian Olympic Committee's website. Here is the Canadian Olympic Committee website which will cover the Pan American Games.

You can view the athletes in roller skating speed- click here and read one of the more recent news items on PatinCarrera.

The Inline Planet has an article Six U.S. Skaters Headed for Pan Am Games and the Mississauga News published Nationals a great Pan Am tune-up and City athletes Pan-Am bound.

The Canadian Olympic Committee is posting a few pictures on a daily basis.


The venue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil- click here for more photos of the venue

The Canadian Pan American Team at the 2007 RSO Speed Series #2- left to right Brian Jalbert (with Axelle Echardour), Martine Charbonneau, Peter Doucet, and Sarah Hopkins

The Canadian Pan American Team at the 2007 Canadian Championships- left to right Peter Doucet, Martine Charbonneau, Sarah Hopkins, and Brian Jalbert
Some of the important supporters for the 2007 Pan American Games team include Wayne Burrett, Mike Murray, Il Peloton, the Montreal 24 Hours Inline, and the Toronto Inline Skating Club.

Below is a some information on the team members-

Name: Mike Murray
Role On Team: Coach
Home: Dundas, Ontario
Years Skating: Roller since 1991
Skating Background: Short track ice & inline competitor and coach
Acheivements: Pan Am Games 1999, top-20 at world champs inline



Mike Murray is going to accompany the team as coach. Murray has an extensive coaching and competition background in both roller and short track speed skating. A former Pan American Games and world championships athlete, Mike Murray is leading the team through comprehensive and well planned training programs, sessions, and camps.

Name: Wayne Burrett
Role On Team: Manager
Home: Mississauga, Ontario
Skating Background: President RSC, ex-competitor roller arts


Wayne Burrett is the president of Roller Sports Canada. He has been supporting the team and keeping all the administrative duties in check. Wayne Burrett is one of the few tireless volunteers who puts skating at the fore-front of his life. His hard work and support for roller sports are shadowed only by his love and passion for the sport.

Name: Brian Jalbert
COC Team Handbook Profile: Click here
Age: 25
Role On Team: Sprint
Home: Montreal, Québec
Years Skating: Roller since 2006
Skating Background: Short track and long track speed skater
Achievements: Top sprinter at 2006 Canadian Champs



Brian Jalbert, a former elite Canadian short track speedskater, made the transition to inline skating in early 2006 thanks to a friendship that he and I formed. Jalbert immediately proved to be a force to be reckoned with in the sprint and short races, earning top placements in the 300-meter sprint at the Canadian championships. Brian is currently part owner of SEB Boots and runs the Quebec Cup.

Name: Martine Charbonneau
COC Team Handbook Profile: Click here
Age: 29
Role On Team: Sprint
Home: Greenfield Park, Quebec
Years Skating: Roller since 1997
Skating Background: Competes in both roller and ice, worlds 2005
Achievements: Canadian Championships top-3, 2nd New York 100k


Photo from Eric Gee

Martine Charbonneau has many years of experience and top-performances behind her as she goes into her first Pan American Games. She is a fierce competitor and not afraid to go toe-to-toe and wheel-to-wheel with the top female and male skaters. She has earned podium finishes in the Eastern Seaboard Series, RSO Speed Series, Quebec Cup, Sanair Green Track, and of course the Canadian Championships. Qualifying for the Pan American Games has been one of Martine's career goals- she missed out on the 1999 Pan American Games squad by one position, so this year's participation is that much sweeter.

Name: Sarah Hopkins
COC Team Handbook Profile: Click here
Age: 26
Role On Team: Distance
Home: Toronto, Ontario
Years Skating: Roller since 2006
Skating Background: Ex figure skater, 2nd year with TISC
Achievements: RSO Indoor Series Champion


Photo from Eric Gee

As soon as Sarah Hopkins started skating with the Toronto Inline Skating Club in early 2006, it was thought that this powerful skater could threaten for top placements in Canada and beyond. Due to intensive coaching and a positive and competitive skating environment in Toronto, she blossomed as a skater very early on. Sarah Hopkins, a former figure skater, is a perfect example of the importance and effectiveness of the intermediate program and introduction to racing program at the Toronto Inline Skating Club.

Name: Peter Doucet
COC Team Handbook Profile: Click here
Age: 29
Role On Team: Distance
Home: Mississauga, Ontario
Years Skating: Roller since 1993
Skating Background: 6x Canadian World Team member
Achievements: Top-10 world inline cup Duluth


Photo from Eric Gee

That's me- Peter Doucet- your webmaster. Qualifying for and competing in the Pan American Games has always been a career goal. My top results include placing top-10 in the world inline cup, and earning podium finishes in the New York 100k and Athens to Atlanta.