2026 Inaugural Award Recipients 

Tim Howell and Sandra Grenier-Howell

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The Buffalo Speedskating Club is proud to recognize Tim Howell and Sandra Grenier-Howell of Canada's Milton Speed Skating Club as the recipients of the 2026 Carl Cepuran Memorial Award.

The award was established in memory of Carl Cepuran, founder and first Director of the Heartland Racing Series, who passed away in June of 2026. Carl was a passionate champion of speedskating who understood that the sport was about much more than competition. He understood the importance of bringing people together, supporting athletes, and building a strong skating community.

In Carl's honor, each of the six Heartland Racing Series meets will recognize individuals who reflect his values of sportsmanship, generosity, dedication, and service to the sport.

As the opening meet of the series, the Buffalo Speedskating Club was especially pleased to recognize Tim and Sandra, whose outstanding contributions to speedskating are matched by their longstanding friendship and generous support of our club.

Tim, a Level 3 Track Steward, has served as our Chief, leading the team responsible for maintaining a safe racing surface and helping ensure that competitions run smoothly and on schedule. His dedication and tireless efforts have been invaluable to the success of our events.

Sandra, a Level 3B referee, brings exceptional knowledge, experience, and judgment to the ice, helping ensure that every skater competes fairly and safely. Her contributions to the sport were recognized when she was named Ontario Speed Skating's Official of the Year for the 2021–22 season.

Together, Tim and Sandra have devoted countless hours to speedskating as coaches, officials, mentors, and volunteers, supporting athletes, competitions, and camps throughout Canada and the United States. Their involvement in the sport began through their three children, Machell, Arielle, and Raphael, and over the years they have become cherished members of our Buffalo speedskating family.

Carl understood that the strength of speedskating lies not only in the athletes who compete, but also in the people who generously give their time and talents to make those competitions possible. Carl was one of those people. And so are Tim and Sandra.

Congratulations, Tim and Sandra, and thank you for all you have done—and continue to do—for the Buffalo Speedskating Club and the entire speedskating community.

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