Growing up, I was always the shy one, but a lot has changed. I live in the moment. I leave nothing undone. I have no regrets. I live out loud.
Some might question how I’m able to do just that, but when I set my mind to something, there is no stopping me.
I am a skeleton athlete. I hurl myself headfirst down a giant ice slide on a glorified cookie sheet reaching speeds of up to 140km/h.
This Olympic sport isn’t for the faint of heart, but rather for the brave, adrenaline-addicted focused individuals who are willing to sacrifice their bodies for the chance to represent their countries at the pinnacle event: the Winter Olympics.
My name is Jane Channell and I am a Canadian Skeleton Athlete.
BIOGRAPHY
About Me
I was born and raised in North Vancouver, BC. I grew up a multisport athlete playing basketball, soccer, and softball and running on the track team. Moving on through high school, running was my favourite sport leading me to run on the varsity track and field team at Simon Fraser University.
I was a sprinter, the shorter the distance the better. It was when I was training and racing at top speeds that I felt free. This feeling is what saved me and brought me back from devastation when my boyfriend suddenly passed away in my fourth year at university. I learned many life lessons that year that I still live by today.
In my fifth year, I became a multisport varsity athlete playing on the softball team. I then graduated in the spring of 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Geography.
In that same winter, I moved to Whistler on a whim to fully immerse myself in the sport of skeleton. I worked full time, and trained full time for two winters where I worked on my sliding skills, making the Canadian National Development Team in my second year. I made the move out to Calgary for my third year to be with the rest of the team. I moved up the ranks on the Intercontinental Team, all the way up to the World Cup in the second half of my 4th (2014-2015) season. In the 2017/18 season, I finished 5th overall on the World Cup circuit and competed for Canada in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang where I had the fastest push times and finished 10th.
Athletics
2011 – Placed 1st at the AII Regionals with the SFU Varsity Softball team
2011 – Competed for the SFU Varsity Softball team
2011 – SFU Athlete of the Week
2011 – Placed 1st in the 60m and 200m at the NCAA div. II GNAC Indoor Track and Field Championships
2010 – Attended the Skeleton BC driving school
2010 – Named Team Captain of the SFU Varsity Track and Field team
2009 – Attended two Canadian National Bobsleigh Camps
2008 – NAIA All American in the 4x100m relay for SFU
2006-2011 – Various finishes in the Indoor and Outdoor Varsity Track and Field NAIA nationals
2006-2011 – Competed for SFU Varsity Track and Field team
2001-2006 – Played on the Handsworth Secondary Basketball teams in grades 8-12
1994-Present – Play both in school and out of school team sports
Education
2011 – Bachelor of Science in Physical Geography (BSc) (SFU)
2010 – Recipient of the Bernd Dittrich Hero Amongst Us Award (SFU Athletics)
2010 – Recipient of the Most Inspiring Athlete (SFU Track and Field Team)
2010 – Champions of Character Award –NAIA Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field
2010 - Serving it Right (BC)
2010 - Food Safe (BC)
2001-2006 – Honor Roll (GPA>3.6) at Handsworth Secondary
2006 – Geography 12 Award at Handsworth Secondary School
2005 – Nominated for the Mayor Campbell Unsung Hero Award (HSBC Basketball)
2005 – Ceramics and Fabric Design (Senior) Award at Handsworth Secondary School
2004 – ‘Athlete of the Month’ and ‘Athlete of the Year’ at Handsworth Secondary School
SKELETON
See Jane Slide
See Jane Slide
It takes discipline, patience, perseverance, hard work, determination, and a willingness to learn to perform well in anything you do; whether it is school, work, or play. I feel like I have a very good grasp of these concepts through my years of competition.
I have competed in sports ever since I was little. I’ve played basketball for 6 years, soccer for 13 years, ran track for 14 years and softball for 16 years. Now am looking to continue my athletics by transferring what I have learned to a new sport: skeleton.
I am heading into my 11th year of sliding. I have finished third overall on the World Cup Circuit and have been on the podium four times. I have been able to learn 13 tracks: Whistler, Calgary, Sigulda (Latvia), Park City (Utah), Lake Placid (New York), Igles (Austria), Altenberg (Germany), Konigsee (Germany) Winterberg (Germany), St. Moritz (Switzerland), La Plagne (France), Sochi (Russia) and PyeongChang (South Korea). Each of these tracks are completely different from each other and have allowed me to learn new skills and concepts needed to succeed. With my fifth year starting up, I'm excited to revisit these track to perfect my skills.
With the explosive sprint start being one of the crucial components of the race, I believe my previous track background has helped me to achieve my goal of representing Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics and will take me to my next goal of competing again for Team Canada in Beijing 2022. It's what drove and still drives me to become the best I can be. My work ethic is nothing to be questioned.
Results
02/16-17/18 - Placed 10th in the Olympics Games (PyeongChang, South Korea)
01/19/18 - Placed 6th in the WC Race #8 (Konigsssee, Germany)
01/12/18 - Placed 14 in the WC Race #7 (St. Moritz, Switzerland)
01/05/18- Placed 6th in the WC Race #6 (Altenberg, Germany)
12/15/17 - Placed 14th in the WC Race #5 (Igls, Austria)
12/08/17 - Placed 6th in the WC Race#4 (Winterberg, Germany)
11/24/17 - Placed 2nd in the WC Race #3 (Whistler, BC)
11/17/17 - Placed 11th in the WC Race #2 (Park City, Utah)
11/09/17 - Placed 6th in the WC Race #1 (Lake Placid, NY)
10/15/17 - Named to the World Cup Team
03/17/17 - Placed 13th in the WC Race #8 (Pyeongchang, South Korea)
02/03/17 - Placed 6th in the WC Race #7 (Igls, Austria)
01/27/17 - Placed 11 in the WC #6 (Konigssee, Germany)
01/20/17 - Placed 9th in the WC #5 (St. Moritz, Switzerland)
01/15/17 - Placed 12th in the WC #4 (Winterberg, Germany)
01/06/17 - Placed 11th in the WC #3 (Altenberg, Germany)
12/17/16 - Placed 16th in the WC #2 (Lake Placid, NY)
12/02/16 - Placed 16th in the WC #1 (Whister, BC)
2015/2016 Season - Placed 3rd overall on the World Cup Circuit
02/26/16 - Placed 11th in the WC Race #8 (Konigssee, Germany)
02/19/16 - Placed 13th in World Champs 2016 (Igls, Austria)
02/19/16 - Placed 5th in World Champs Team Event 2016 (Igls, Austria)
02/05/16 - Placed 9th in the WC Race #7 (St. Moritz, Switzerland)
01/22/16 - Placed 4th in the WC Race #6 (Whistler, British Columbia)
01/16/16 - Placed 2nd in the WC Race #5 (Park City, Utah)
01/08/16 - Placed 6th in the WC Race #4 (Lake Placid, New York)
12/11/15 - Placed 6th in the WC Race #3 (Konigssee, Germany)
12/4/15 - Placed 3rd in the WC Race #2 (Winterberg, Germany)
11/27/15 - Placed 7th in the WC Race #1 (Altenberg, Germany)
11/06/15 - Named to the World Cup Team
03/6/15 - Placed 4th in World Champs 2015 (Winterberg, Germany)
02/13/15 - Placed 13th in the WC Race #8 (Sochi, Russia)
02/08/15 - Placed 11th in the WC Race #7 (Igls, Austria)
02/07/15 - Placed 7th in the WC Race #6 (Igls, Austria)
01/23/15 - Placed 7th in the WC Race #5 (St. Moritz, Switzerland)
01/15/15 - Placed 13th in the WC Race #4 (Konigssee, Germany)
01/09/15 - Placed 11th in the WC Race #3 (Altenberg, Germany)
12/14/15 - Named to the World Cup Team
12/06/14 - Placed 2nd in the ICC Race #3 (Winterberg, Germany)
11/29/14 - Placed 5th in the ICC Race #2 (Konigssee, Germany)
11/28/14 - Placed 9th in the ICC Race #1 (Konigssee, Germany)
11/06/14 - Named to the Canadian ICC Team
11/06/14 - Set new Canadian Start Record on the Calgary Track
11/06/14 - Placed 5th in the 2nd Canadian Selection Race
11/01/14 - Placed 4th in Canadian Champs
01/24/14 – Placed 18th in WC Race #8 (Konigssee, Germany)
01/12/14 – Placed 4th in ICC Race #8 (Park City, USA)
01/11/14 – Placed 4th in ICC Race #7 (Park City, USA)
01/06/14 – Placed 6th in ICC Race #6 (Whistler, Canada)
01/05/14 – Placed 10th in ICC Race #5 (Whistler, Canada)
12/14/13 – Placed 14th in ICC Race #4 (Altenberg, Germany)
12/13/13 – Placed 15th in ICC Race #3 (Altenberg, Germany)
12/07/13 – Placed 12th in ICC Race #2 (Igls, Austria)
12/06/13 – Placed 11th in ICC Race #1 (Igls, Austria)
2013 – Named to the Canadian National Intercontinental Team
2013 – Set the Whistler push start record (4.88s)
2013 – Placed 7th in the Canadian Selection Race #2 (Whistler)
2013 – Placed 6th in the Canadian Champs (Selection Race #1) (Calgary)
2013 – Placed 1st in Alberta Skeleton Association Push Competition
2012/2013 – Placed 1st overall on the North American Circiut
2013 – Placed 3rd and 1st in the NAC races in Lake Placid
2012 – Placed 4th, 5th and 4th in the NAC races 5, 6 and 7 in Whistler
2012 – Placed 8th and 6th in the NAC races 3 and 4 in Calgary
2012 – Placed 9th and 6th in the NAC races 1 and 2 in Park City
2012 – Named to the Canadian National Development Team
2012 – Named Skeleton Athlete Representative for BCBSA
2012 – Placed 12th at Canadian Nationals for skeleton
2012 – Placed 2nd at the BC Provincial Championships for skeleton
2012 – Placed 1st and 2nd at BC Cup races for Skeleton from Ladies start
Personal Bests
30m sprint: 3.96s
30m fly: 3.57s
20m sled pull: 2.84s
Broad Jump: 2.65m
Vertical Jump: 69.6cm
5xdouble leg bound: 12.2m
Standing Triple Jump: 7.55m
Calgary ice house time: 4.98s*
Altenberg track start time: 5.38s
Calgary track start time: 5.23s"
Igls track start time: 5.24s
Konigssee track start time: 4.85s
La Plagne track start time: 5.37s
Lake Placid track start time: 5.17s
Park City track start time: 4.90s
PyeongChang track start time: 5.02s
Sigulda track start time: 5.06s
Sochi track start time: 4.90s
St. Moritz track start time: 5.14s (2014/15)
Whistler track start time: 4.79s*
Winterberg track start time: 5.22s
*Track record
"Canadian Track Record
SPONSORSHIP
Sponsors
To ensure you See Jane Slide in the future, any help big or small will make a difference. It will allow me to focus on training, bettering myself and enabling me to perform at my full potential therefore bringing me closer to my goals.
Please contact me for more information.
I would like to thank you for your support and the opportunity to keep training and competing in skeleton.
PHOTO GALLERY
MEDIA
Articles
- Globe and Mail - Global News - Round House Radio - Olympics.ca - CBC Road to the Olympics - CBC Player - Wisp Podcast - The North Shore News -The Vancouver Sun - The Province - BBC Sports - The Whistler Pique - Getty Images - YouTube - Instagram - Twitter -
11/08/17 - 'Help me fly': Jane Channell Turns Heartbreaking Loss into Olympic...
03/27/16 - Channell 3rd Overall in First Full Skeleton World Cup Season
01/27/16 - Jane Channell, Rising Skeleton Star, Reaps Benefits of Vancouver...
01/22/16 - Jane Channell Finishes 4th in World Cup Skeleton Race
01/21/16 - North Vancouver's Jane Channell Misses Podium in Whistler World...
01/19/16 - Canada's Jane Channell Sets Sights on Conquering Corner 6
01/16/16 - North Vancouver's Jane Channell Continues Great Season with...
12/04/15 - North Vancouver's Jane Channell Wins Bronze at Skeleton World...
03/22/15 - World Cup Skeleton: A Rookie Season to Remember
12/06/13 - Whistler Sliding Centre's 'field of play'...
10/30/13 - Road to Russia begins with Revamped Calgary World Cup
03/09/13 - Skeleton Pilots Jane Channell...
07/04/12 - Skeleton Looking to Recruit Strong Muscles
03/11/11 - SFU Clan Softball Team Comes Home to Burnaby Mountain
02/23/11 - Clan Women Second at First NCAA Championships
02/11/11 - Quick Footed Clan Stars at GNACs
Public Speaking
Although I don't have much experience public speaking, I am confident that I can inspire any group through the life lessons I've learned on my journey to where I am today. I was fortunate enough to speak and engage a group of Pharmacists from the BC Cancer Agency and a group of Oncologists from the BC Cancer Agency. Through working with them, I was able to tailor an individualize presention to meet their requests.
If this is something that interests you, please contact me for more information.
References availale upon request.
The Broom Run
For circumstances outside my control, during a race in Igls, Austria, I hit a broom that was dropped into the track as I was entering corner 1. Luckily I was unhurt, but during my rerun, because of the snowy conditions, my 'broom-free' run was actually slower. The video of this incident has almost 10 million views on youtube, and was featured on many sports channels such as being number 2 for "TSN's MisPlays of the Month" for February, being number 27 "TSN's Year in Review: Top 100 MisPlays of the Year" for 2015, "BarDown," BBC Sports, and other various news stations across the World. Since then, I still have nicknames stemming from this and face jokes about it more often then you'd think. If you haven't seen it yet, below is the video of "The Broom Run" and yes there is a slo-mo of it near the end.
CONTACT
See Jane Slide
Jane Channell
See Jane Slide
Vancouver - Calgary - Canada