Michael Crowe named Canada's long track speed skating coach
American has been part of coaching staff since 2007
Long track speed skating coach Michael Crowe, who has accompanied speed skaters in five Olympic Games, has been promoted head coach of the Canadian long track team.
Crowe, who is from Butte, Montana and has been a member of the Canadian long track team coaching staff since 2007, will be in charge of planning, creating and leading the synergy of everyone involved with the Canadian team, including the athletes, coaches and support staff, in order to foster podium opportunities and enhance the performances of Canadian skaters.
"It is quite an honour to be selected for the responsibility of leading this world class team of coaches, skaters and staff", said Michael Crowe. "They all are willing to put in the work and commitment to compete as one of the top three teams in the world."
"This is a team that I believe is gaining the respect of the world, and that showed its potential last season, as Canada won four medals at the World Single Distance Championships and 15 in World Cups", he added.
Specializing in long track sprint events (500 and 1000 metres), Crowe started as a coach with the United States team, and was notably at the 1984, 1988 and 2002 Olympic Games. He became long track managing director from 2002 to 2006. In 2007 he moved to Canada and took part in the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Games..
As an athlete Crowe took part in the 1974 World Sprint Championships.
He then joined the United States coaching staff team from 1983 to 1991 and from 1999 to 2002.
During those years, his athletes won a total of 79 medals at World Championships and 92 in World Cups. He was also part of one of the most successful speed skating coaching staffs in American Olympic history – in 2002 in Salt Lake City, the United States won eight medals.
"Our new structure, which includes a head coach leading the Canadian long track speed skating team, will be an additional advantage for our athletes and coaches, helping to make sure they reach the potential we believe they can", said Speed Skating Canada's High Performance Director, Brian Rahill.
"And to have somebody as experienced as Michael in the preparation of high performance athletes and the management of different training programs will definitively be a plus in achieving our objectives at the upcoming Olympic Games."
Working with coaches Bart Schouten, Mark Wild, Xiuli Wang and Gregor Jelonek, Michael Crowe completed his eighth season last year with the Canadian long track team. He will now focus exclusively on the head coaching role, and also focus on making sure the athletes who are part of the pursuit teams will be optimally prepared for major competitions.