The annual meet is named after local legend Charles Jewtraw, who won the first gold medal at the first Winter Olympics in 1924 and was involved in local speed skating development before his win. Last week’s meet allowed skaters to skate several distances “all-around,” with the total points determining the medalists.

The competitors skated a 500-meter and 1,500-meter race on Saturday, Jan. 4 and 1,000 and 3,000-meter distances through snow on Sunday, Jan. 5. Most competitors came from Canada, specifically Ontario, after having trained in Lake Placid throughout the Christmas week as part of a development camp.

“We were fortunate to be able to use the refrigerated Lake Placid Oval during the Christmas and New Year week to practice our technical skills,” said Gloucester Concordes head coach Mike Rivet, who coached Olympians Ivanie Blondin, Vincent De Hatre and Isabelle Weidemann. “Based on the results at this weekend’s competition, we could see improvements and personal best times which partially resulted from our time spent training in Lake Placid.”

East Coast clubs like the Saratoga Winter Club, Flushing Meadows Speed Skating Club and the Lake Placid Speed Skating Club also participated. The majority of these skaters also use Lake Placid as at least a part-time training base.

Many competitors used the Charles Jewtraw event to earn times and practice for national events or as preparation for the Empire State Winter Games in Lake Placid in February.

Medals were awarded by assistant referee Cynthia Patnode, a local speed skater who was coached by the late Jeannie Ashworth, and 2010 Olympic silver medalist Trevor Marsicano, who is also the Lake Placid Speed Skating Club coach.

The next Lake Placid Speed Skating club meet is the Irving Jaffee Single Distance Championships Jan. 11-12. For more information on the races, including how to register, visit the Lake Placid Speed Skating Club website, www.lakeplacidspeed.com.