Kristina Groves

Like many Canadian speed skaters of her era, Kristina Groves was inspired to enter her sport at a young age by Gaétan Boucher’s Olympic performances. Born to a Norwegian mother, her first professional meet was the 1996 Canadian Allround Championships and she began competing at World Cups that same year. At the 1999 Canadian Championships she took gold in the 1,500 and 3,000 m events and silver overall and in the 5,000 m, her first professional medals. She participated at the 2002 Winter Olympics, but did not reach the podium. Her star began to rise in 2005 when she took home a silver medal in the team pursuit and a bronze medal in the 3,000 m at that year’s World Championships. The following year, she earned two silver medals at the Winter Olympic Games in the 1,500 m and team pursuit events, as well as the allround bronze medal at the World Championships. Over the next three years, she added three gold, three silver and seven bronze World Championship Medals, as well as numerous World Cup medals, despite lacking a personal sponsor. Maintaining her streak through 2010, she captured silver in the allaround at the World Championships and the 1,500 m at the Winter Olympics, as well as bronze in the 3,000 m at the latter tournament. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology and is involved in charitable organizations such as Right to Play and Clean Air Champions, and was one of several athletes that formed a committee to propose ways in which Speed Skating Canada could reduce its environmental impact.

Personal Bests: 500 – 38.75 (2006); 1000 – 1:14.51 (2007); 1500 – 1:53.18 (2007); 3000 – 3:58.62 (2007); 5000 – 6:54.55 (2006).