Canada Digs Deep for Team Pursuit Gold as Blondin Adds Bronze
-
By Heidi Specter
- —
Summary:
- Canada’s women overcame a shaky start to win team pursuit gold at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating, edging the U.S. by less than a tenth of a second.
- Ivanie Blondin later claimed bronze in the mass start, capping a strong day for the Canadian skaters.
- The win secured Canada’s first place overall in the World Cup team pursuit standings.
Ivanie Blondin capped a busy Sunday by helping Canada climb to the top of the podium in the women’s team pursuit, then backing it up with a bronze medal in the mass start at an ISU World Cup speed skating event.
Canada Won by Nine Hundredths of a Second
Blondin teamed up with fellow Ottawans Isabelle Weidemann and Valerie Maltais of La Baie, Quebec, and the trio had to work for it. Their race did not begin smoothly, and for much of the early going, they were playing catch-up.
Still, the Canadians stayed calm, kept their rhythm, and trusted that their strength would show over the final laps. By the time the bell rang, they were closing fast. Over the last 200 metres, Canada finally reeled in the leaders and edged ahead at the line.
Weidemann commented,
I slipped off the start and we were chasing the whole time. We were just trying to make up the time in the last few laps and we managed, barely.
Canada stopped the clock at two minutes 57.20 seconds, just enough to hold off the United States, who finished nine hundredths of a second back. Japan claimed bronze in 2:58.62.
First World Cup Gold Since January 2024
The victory marked Canada’s first World Cup gold in the women’s team pursuit since January 2024 in Salt Lake City. It also capped a steady rebound season for the trio.
After missing the podium entirely last year, Weidemann, Maltais, and Blondin picked up silver earlier this season in both Salt Lake City and Calgary before finally breaking through with gold.
As defending Olympic champions, they ended the World Cup season ranked first overall with 169 points, narrowly ahead of Japan.
Blondin Grabbed Bronze
Blondin was not done for the day. In the women’s mass start, the 35-year-old stayed glued to Dutch skater Marijke Groenewoud for much of the race. When the sprint came, Groenewoud had just enough to stay clear, leaving Blondin to battle for the final podium spot.
Blondin crossed the line in 8:24.47 to earn bronze, finishing just behind Groenewoud and winner Bente Kerkhoff, also of the Netherlands. Maltais placed fifth in a tightly packed finish.
Up next, Canada’s top skaters will next compete at the Long Track Canada Cup in Quebec City from January 3 to 6, where the remaining team spots for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics will be decided. The international season wraps up later in January with a final World Cup stop in Inzell, Germany, though team pursuit races will not be contested there.
