Another week, another medal haul for Canada’s long track speed skaters.
Ottawa’s Ivanie Blondin won her second World Cup gold medal of the weekend on Sunday, edging reigning Olympic champion Irene Schouten of the Netherlands by 0.11 seconds in the women’s mass start with a time of eight minutes 14.70 seconds.
La Baie, Que., native Valérie Maltais claimed bronze behind Schouten in 8:15.14 to help Canada finish with six medals over three days at the Utah Olympic Oval near Salt Lake City.
The 33-year-old Blondin finished behind Schouten for silver at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing.
WATCH l Blondin wins gold, Maltais bronze in mass start:
Ottawa’s Ivanie Blondin wins the women’s mass start and Valérie Maltais of Saguenay, Que., finishes third at the ISU World Cup speed skating event in Salt Lake City.
The Olympic gold-medal trio of Blondin, Maltais and Isabelle Weidemann won the women’s team pursuit event on Saturday, while Maltais also took home bronze in the women’s 3,000m on Friday.
Fellow Canadian Olympian Ted-Jan Bloemen of Calgary also reached the podium on Sunday, earning bronze in the men’s 5,000m with a time of 6:06.88. Decorated Dutchman Patrick Roest won gold in a personal-best 6:02.98, while Italy’s Davide Ghiotto also set a personal best to beat Bloemen (6:04.23).
Canada’s skaters won six gold and 12 total medals on the same ice at last week’s Four Continents Championships.
The World Cup season continues in Quebec City next weekend before the world championships kick off in Calgary (Feb. 15-18). Watch live coverage on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem.
WATCH l Bloemen skates to bronze in 5,000m:
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Canada’s Ted-Jan Bloemen finishes third in the men’s 5,000-metre event at the ISU World Cup speed skating event in Salt Lake City.
