HEERENVEEN, Netherlands - Canadian speedskaters Isabelle Weidemann, Ivanie Blondin and Valérie Maltais claimed the world title in women's team pursuit on Friday after the Dutch team was disqualified due to a technicality.
Canadian women set new track record to win gold; men’s squad earns silver
HEERENVEEN, NETHERLANDS – For the second time in as many weeks, Canada earned a pair of World Cup medals in the Team Pursuit. The Canadian women’s team set a new track record to win their second straight gold medal in the discipline, while the men’s squad earned silver earlier in the day to kick-off the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Heerenveen, the Netherlands.
The women’s team of Ivanie Blondin (Ottawa, Ont.), Isabelle Weidemann (Ottawa, Ont.) and Valérie Maltais (Saguenay, Que.) made it back-to-back gold medals on Friday, posting a time of 2:54.640 – a new track record at the historic Thialf oval – to finish ahead of the Netherlands (+0.94) and Norway (+3.58).
Thirteen Canadian speed skaters gearing up to compete internationally for the first time since March 2020
HEERENVEEN, NETHERLANDS – After a series of negative test results and a brief quarantine period, thirteen Canadian long track speed skaters have entered the “bubble” and are gearing up to compete in a pair of unique World Cup events later this month, the team’s first since the COVID-19 pandemic brought international competition to a halt last March.
While the 2020-2021 season may be condensed, the hub in Heerenveen will offer the world’s top skaters the much anticipated opportunity to compete against one another. The ISU World Cup circuit, which in a normal season consists of six events, will be contested over two events on January 22-24 and January 29-31. Skaters will then have one weekend off to rest and recuperate before hitting the ice again for the ISU World Speed Skating Championships from February 11-14.