About

Anastasia Winchester Bucsis was born and raised in

Calgary, Alberta, Canada and started speed skating at the age of four. She was introduced to the sport by her father, who was impressed with the facilities from the 1988 Olympics the city hosted. Anastasia quickly began her skating career traveling around

the province and competing in small regional competitions, where she made lifelong friendships with a number of her competitors (whom still skate and train with her to this day.)

Although she was competitive from an early age, her biggest breakthrough came when she was 18 and found herself qualifying for the World University Games in Harbin, China. This success was particularly bittersweet as she had hoped (and failed) to represent Canada for the Junior World Championships which were held in China the previous year. In 2009, she qualified, somewhat unexpectedly, for her first World Cups in the 500m under her coach, Mark Wild. More surprisingly, two months later, she found herself representing Canada in the Vancouver Olympic Games.

Since 2010, Anastasia has represented Canada in numerous World Cups and World Championships. She is now taking from acclaimed coaches Mike Crowe and Bart Schouten, who have been instrumental in such speed skating success’ as Bonnie Blair, Dan Jansen, Joey Cheek, Kip Carpenter, Derek Parra, Chad Hedrick, and Jeremy Wotherspoon.

Anastasia is working diligently towards her goals of representing her country in further World Cups, World Championships, and future Olympic Games. She trains twice a day, six days a week, eleven months out of the year. When she isn’t training, traveling or competing, she is currently enrolled in courses at the University of Calgary, majoring in Communications with hopes to work in Public Relations and Management.