Speedskaters qualify for PyeongChang

Canada’s men and women relay teams unofficially, but mathematically, qualified for the 2018 Olympic Games on Sunday with respective third- and fourth-place finishes at a World Cup event.

Also, Kim Boutin and Marianne St-Gelais finished No. 1 and 2 in the women’s 1,000 metres on the last day of the ISU World Cup short-track speedskating stage in Shanghai.

The Canadian men’s relay featured Charles Hamelin from Sainte-Julie, Que., Samuel Girard from Ferland-et-Boilleau, Que., Charle Cournoyer from Boucherville, Que., and Montreal’s Pascal Dion. Francois Hamelin, from Sainte-Julie, skated in earlier rounds this weekend.

The women’s relay team, comprised of Boutin from Sherbrooke, Que., St-Gelais from Saint-Felicien, Que., Kasandra Bradette, also from Saint-Felicien, and Jamie Macdonald from Fort St. James, B.C. on Sunday, and which included Valerie Maltais from Saguenay, Que., in earlier rounds, was penalized in the A final and finished fourth.

However, both teams unofficially and mathematically qualified for the PyeongChang Games based on the points in the standings they have collected during the first three World Cup stages. The men won gold medals in each of the first two stages, while the women collected silver and bronze.

In the women’s 1,000 metres, Boutin earned her second gold medal of the weekend when she beat St-Gelais and Italy’s Arianna Fontana. Boutin also won Saturday’s 500 metres.

St-Gelais picked up her second podium finish of the weekend, after earning bronze in Saturday’s 1,500 metres.

Laurent Dubreuil of Levis, Que., won his first individual gold medal on the World Cup circuit Saturday as he won the men’s 500 metres.

Vincent De Haitre of Cumberland, Ont., and Ottawa’s Ivanie Blondin won silvers.