Sitting in the same room with Kieran and Kyle Brown, though they’re twins it’s easy to see how different they are.
Kieran, who was born 30 minutes older than Kyle, is about an inch shorter, and enjoys sports and social studies at Shoreline Middle school, whereas Kyle enjoys reading, science and social studies.
But the one thing the 14-year-old twins do have in common is their passion for speed skating.
“I like skating fast, that’s how I got into it in the first place,” Kyle said. “The racing is a lot of fun … [on the ice] you forget about everything else.”
Now, their enthusiasm for the sport is taking them to new heights. They’ll both be representing Vancouver Island’s Zone 6 at the B.C. Winter Games in Kamloops next week.
“I’m nervous,” admitted Kieran, who alongside his brother, will be making their first appearance on a large multi-sport stage.
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Kieran and Kyle’s love for the sport began eight years ago when their parents put them into the Border Blades speed skating club in Lloydminster, Alberta. After a few sessions, they were hooked.
When the family moved to Victoria in 2010, the duo continued their passion with the Peninsula Speed Skating Club every Monday and Wednesday nights. In September, they also joined a speed skating academy in Vancouver, which they travel to once a month.
While they’ve competed in a number of tournaments individually both on the Island and on the Mainland, they’re most competitive when they hit the ice against each other. The prize: bragging rights.
“We just get to rub it in for the rest of the day,” said Kieran, adding by the end of the day they usually forget about who wins and concentrate on the next race.
But competing against one another also means a chance to learn from each other, as well as creating a bond on the ice that no one else has.
“We communicate a lot more and I think we have a lot more trust in each other, especially for relays,” Kyle said. “It’s good to have someone you skate with all the time.”
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Since qualifying for the Games, the duo, who leave for Kamloops next Wednesday, have their sights set on a medal or a top-10 finish. Following the Games, they will barely have enough time to unlace their skates as they will be competing in provincials about a week after.
The B.C. Winter Games, which take place from Feb. 22 to 25, is a multi-sport event that brings together more than 1,500 athletes, coaches and 247 officials in 19 sports.
For more information visit bcgames.org.