Smith champing at the bit

Wanganui teenager Eden Smith cannot wait for the coming start of the next speed skating season as he tries to turn his Oceania honours into getting over "half way" up the pecking order with his home club.

The 14-year-old came back to speed skating at Cadet (Under 15) level in recent years after a break from previously being in primary age group.

He is part of a very strong Wanganui Speed Skating Club that has seen great national success and New Zealand representation from its female teenaged stars such as Rebecca Smith (no relation), Nicole Travers, Jessica van Bentum and Monique Cleeve.

But Wanganui High School student Eden Smith has been on a solid improvement to raise up the boy's side of the equation, joining the aforementioned ladies in the New Zealand team which contested the Oceania Championships in Brisbane at the start of the month.

He was the first Wanganui Speed Skating Club male skater to represent New Zealand since coach Gary Clark went as a masters skater in 2010, and the first junior boy since James Mitchell-Anyon in 2006.

Smith would win silver in the Cadet Boys 10km Elimination and gold as part of a very strong relay team along with South Canterbury's Finley O'Connor and Nick Frame.

"It was hot and hard. It was faster and harder," Smith recalled of the Queensland weather and level of competition for his first time wearing the silver fern.

"The Malaysian guy, he could outsprint us, then the other New Zealand boys were tough."

Smith also looked certain to medal in the 5km Points Race, until "my axel fell out" on the last race, a great disappointment, while he took fourth in the half marathon after an attempt at a long range solo breakaway was caught by the chasing pack.

The Oceania Championships represented the end of last season for Wanganui's best speed skaters; for the coming 2013 season Smith says his focus is to catch the top ones at his club and get faster.