Better get your skates on - you're veterans now

Rebecca Smith and Nicole Travers may find the label of veterans bemusing given they've just turned 16 - but that is their role in New Zealand speed skating.

They head to Brisbane next Thursday with Wanganui team-mates Jessica van Bentum, Monique Cleeve and Eden Smith to take on the Australians in the Oceania Championships.

Smith and Travers are competing in their fourth consecutive championship, while van Bentum will be competing for the third time, having missed last year with injury. All three 16-year-olds will be in the Junior Women's (Under-19) class.

Wanganui club spokesman Ken Smith said Rebecca Smith won four silver medals last year and will be hoping to go one colour better.

However van Bentum is a hot favourite at least in the sprints after comprehensively winning the Under-17 Class at the New Zealand Banked Track championships in February in Timaru.

"In the longer-distance events she will face tough competition from reigning Oceania champion Steff Challis of Upper Hutt, Emily van der Hayden of Timaru and her teammates Smith and Travers," said Ken Smith.

"Hopefully the Australians will put up some good opposition but recent years have been a New Zealand benefit in this class and Australia's best hopes rest with their Junior World Championship team member Ariel Chu making herself available to compete."

Cleeve and Eden Smith are representing their country for the first time and will compete in the Cadet (Under-15) class for girls and boys respectively.

"Cleeve, 13, has been a New Zealand champion in the Under-12 class and on current form should be a medal prospect ,especially in the 5km points and the 21km half marathon," said Ken Smith.

"Eden Smith, 13, has only been back in the sport for a couple of years, having previously competed in the primary age group and will face intense competition from his Timaru teammates as well as the Australians.

"However he have been on a constant improve since his comeback to the sport and now has added endurance over the longer distances to his already impressive speed."

The teenager will also be the first male skater from the Wanganui club to represent his country since his coach Gary Clark competed as a masters skater in 2010, while being the first Junior Boy since James Mitchell-Anyon in 2006.

The championships will be raced on the cycling criterion circuit at Nundah in Brisbane, starting March 29 and finishing with the marathon on April 5.