Barrett Martineau- Promo Video

Barrett Martineau Canadian Skeleton Athlete from Nathaniel Mah on Vimeo.

The Fastest Push

My entire summer consisted of training hard and preparing for the October testing camp during which the coaches test our push start times in the Ice House.

The Canadian Skeleton team is blessed to have the Ice House in Calgary. It’s a building that contains about 200m of straight track replicating the starting portion of the Skeleton track. In the Ice House, we are able to practice our push starts all summer long when there is no ice on the outside track. The ‘push start’ consists of about 30m of sprinting, and the clock starts recording your time from the 15m mark to approximately the 50m mark.  Your ‘push’ time is determined once you pass both these timing eyes.

For this testing camp, we were required to make three attempts to push start our sleds with a time of 4:85 or better in order to be eligible to compete for a spot on the World Cup circuit.   If your push start was not 4.85 or less, you could not compete for a World Cup spot this season.  For example, if an athlete wins the Team Selection Races but did not push the ‘standard’ (4:85), s/he is not eligible to compete on the World Cup circuit.  So, to say the least, this testing day was very important!

Last season, I pushed a time of 4:86, missing the camp “standard” by 0.01. As a result, I was not eligible for any funding even though I qualified for – and competed on – the World Cup circuit. That 0.01 cost me upwards of $15,000 since I had to self-fund the World Cup circuit. I trained hard this entire off-season to ensure I wouldn’t miss the standard this time.

The Canadian National Team Push Testing Camp occurred on Oct 7, 2015. I was ready and pumped to perform and show the coaches what I was made of.  I wanted to prove not only to myself that I could run the standard, but to impress the coaches, earn my spot on the team, and claim some funding along with it.

I got called to the line, put my sled on the ice, took a deep breath and sprinted my heart out. I hopped on my sled, got to the end of the track to look up and see that I ran a 4:74!  Not only had I achieved the standard, but also I blew my personal best time out of the water!  A tenth of a second may not sound like very much, but I assure you, it is huge in the sport of Skeleton where hundredths of a second matter. After all was said and done, I had the fastest time of the day, and am currently the fastest pusher in Canada. I couldn’t be happier!

Unfortunately, we have since been advised the fee to compete on the World Cup circuit this year is $22,500 – all completely self-funded. Add in the equipment upgrades required to be competitive, this season will cost almost $30,000.

Thanks to all of you who have supported me through the off-season and cheered me on. I’ve proven that I can be competitive, but I require financial support in order to continue to compete for Canada.  If you are able to donate to my upcoming season  - or know anyone who can - please do so by clicking "donate" or contact me for further information.  Any and all support is appreciated.

The next races are the Canadian Selection Races, to determine who makes which team. These races are the 23^rd and 24^th of October in Calgary, and the 5^th and 6^th of November in Whistler. Stay tuned for my results! Thanks for the support.

Cheers!

Barrett Martineau

Summer Training 2015

My Rookie Season on the World Cup. 2014/2015

This past season was an amazing journey that took an incredible amount of hard work and dedication to achieve. At the beginning of the season, my goal was to make the World Cup team and to have the opportunity to race in the World Championships.  Team Selection races/ Canadian Championships took place in early November; I finished 2^nd in Canada. This earned me the 2^nd of three spots on the Canadian National Team World Cup circuit.  I couldn’t have been happier.  

The season started with a two week training camp in Winterberg, Germany, which is also where the World Championships were held in early March.  From Winterberg I flew back to North America (Lake Placid, NY) for my first ever World Cup race in Skeleton. It was a total thrill and a rush of pride being able to stand on that start line wearing a World Cup bib while representing my country. I finished in 16^th place which was a great result for my first World Cup race. From Lake Placid, I travelled to my hometown track in Calgary AB before the Christmas break. 

The second half of the season started off in Altenberg, Germany then moved to  Konnigssee, Germany, St.Moritz, Switzerland,  LaPlange, France,  Igls, Austria,  and finally Sochi Russia. After those eight races, my first World Cup season was complete. 

The season had its ups and downs, struggles and successes, but I gained some invaluable experience that will push me to be better in the upcoming seasons leading to the 2018 Olympics. I finished the World Cup circuit ranked 17^th overall which qualified me to compete in the World Championships in Winterberg, Germany. This was a dream come true!  The World Championship race was a difficult race with an incredibly high level of competition. There were thousands of enthusiastic spectators. I pulled off one of the best races of my season, finishing in the top 20, ranking me top 20 in the world. 

The whole season was a great experience and I can’t wait to see what next season brings. I’ve been training hard every day since World Championships to make myself more competitive in the next season’s races. Thank you to my family, friends, sponsors and supporters for making this season a possibility. Your help and support is beyond appreciated.  Stay tuned for updates on the coming season.

Cheers!

Barrett Martineau

The Selection Races

The summer training season is now over and I’m back on the ice, doing what I love…sliding and racing on my Skeleton sled.  This past summer presented me with some exciting highs and some crippling lows with regards to performing at testing camps and trying to get me in top condition for my selection races.

Throughout the summer, I participated in several testing camps where I got a personal best on my 30m sprint (3.75 seconds), my Power Clean (130 kg), and my push start in the Ice House (4.86 seconds).  I was pretty satisfied with the majority of these results, but am motivated to improve on these numbers in future.

Every year, our sport organization, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS), wipes the slate clean, and everyone has to compete for a spot on the team. Regardless of previous results in prior seasons, you must compete in the two selection races at the beginning of the season in order to qualify for a team. There are two selection race; the combined point totals from both races for each athlete are added up, and the top six males and females are selected to the National Team. Spots 1-3 are Top Tier World Cup and spots 4-6 are Second Tier Intercontinental Cup.

Last year I had a rough season. I entered the selection race series with the hopes of making the Intercontinental Cup circuit. In my second selection race, the team and I traveled to Whistler. On my first run, I experienced a freak accident when my sled went sideways before I could get onto it. This resulted in me crashing horribly down the fastest tack in the world. When I came to a stop at the bottom of the track, I was rushed to the hospital. I suffered a fractured rib and some bumps and bruises, and major disappointment in not being able to complete the race. I was devastated because that one run prevented me from making the team I had hoped to be on. That last season crash stuck with me and was at the back of my mind going into this year’s selection series.

This year’s races went much better! Both races were on my home track in Calgary. After the first race, I was sitting in second place behind teammate Dave G, and ahead of teammate Greg R. I placed third in my second race behind teammates Greg R and Patrick R. The combined total from both races put me in second place overall. BCS selected me to the World Cup team to represent Canada. I couldn’t be happier!

My World Cup debut will be in Lake Placid New York on December 13th, and then back to Calgary AB for the second World Cup race on December 20th.  After these races, the coaches will do an evaluation to see if the teams will be switched up for the second half after Christmas. I hope to still be on the WC tour for the second half.

For now, I am very happy. My hard work has paid off, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to compete for Canada on the World Cup stage. As I blog, I’m in Germany for a two week training camp in Konigsee and Winterberg. The Wold Championships are here in Winterberg at the end of the season, and i'm hoping to be back here to represent Canada in that major event.   I just want to thank everyone who has supported me throughout the seasons and helped me get to this point. A special shout out to my personal coaches - strength and mental, my physical therapists, and of course my family and friends. It’s going to be an exciting journey.  Thanks for being part of it!

Cheers!

Barrett Martineau

Follow My Journey

This is where you can come to follow my journey and keep up to date with my experiences along the way. I ask for your support to help me achieve my life long goal of standing on top of that Olympic podium for Canada one day. Due to funding cuts, my sport is now completely self-funded; training and competing are costly.  

Born in Calgary in 1991, I am currently 23 years old and I compete for Canada on the National Skeleton team. I’ve been training as an athlete since I was seven years old.  From the moment I first sped down the Skeleton track at Canada Olympic Park, I fell in love with the sport and knew I wanted to devote myself to training, with the goal of standing on the Olympic podium one day as a Skeleton champion.

Though I started Skeleton in 2010, my intense training and Olympic dream started long before then.  In 1998, at the age of seven, I began training in Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined.  I trained for 12 years in those disciplines - four years on the National team - during which time I had the opportunity to compete in several World Junior Championships along with Continental and World Cups around the world.

Those 12 years as a Ski Jump/Nordic Combined competitor shaped me into the athlete and person I am today, and provided me with the competitive edge that fuels my dedication, determination and drive to be the best. I had the incredible opportunity to forerun the Ski Jumping events at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver – being part of the Olympics in that small way confirmed my unwavering desire to experience it as a contender athlete one day. Today, I remain involved with Ski Jump/Nordic Combined as a provincial level coach.

I’m now entering my fifth season as a Skeleton athlete; I am a World Junior medalist, winner of the America’s Cup circuit, and the top North American Junior. Over the next several years, it’s my goal to stand on the podium at the Junior World Championships (again), World Championships, various World Cups and, eventually, the Olympic Winter Games.   In order to do that however, I need assistance with the expenses of training and competing since the sport is now completely self-funded.

I am just one guy with a big dream; they say it takes a village. Won't you please become part of my village and help me bring home the Gold for Canada?  Please visit the Support Me tab for more information on how you can get involved.  

Cheers!
Barrett Martineau