Ottawa’s Ivanie Blondin wins silver
Ottawa’s Ivanie Blondin captured a silver medal in the mass start race at the speedskating world single distance championships Sunday in Heerenveen, Netherlands, while Laurent Dubreuil of Levis, Que., won bronze in the men’s 500 metres.
The Netherlands won both the mass start races, with Arjan Stroetinga taking the men’s race in seven minute 30.64 seconds, ahead of Fabio Francolini of Italy and Alexis Contin of France.
Irene Schouten won the women’s race in 8:38.23, while countrywoman Mariska Huisman was third.
It was the first time the mass-start races had been included in a world championships program.
Pavel Kulizhnikov of Russia won the men’s 500, finishing first in both heats, to cap a dominant year in the sprints. Dutchman Michel Mulder was second. Quebecer Laurent Dubreuil picked up the bronze. He has a silver and three other bronze in the event this year.
Brittany Bowe won her second title of the event, taking gold in the 1,500 metres to add to her victory Friday in the 1,000.
Defending champion Ireen Wüst of the Netherlands was second and Bowe’s American teammate Heather Richardson, the 500 metre champion, finished third.
Bowe won in 1:54.27 seconds, a day after taking silver behind Richardson in the 500 metres.
Blondin now has six medals in mass start this season (two gold, three silver and a bronze.
Dubreuil, the 2012 World Junior Champion in the 500m, became the first Canadian skater to reach the podium in the men’s 500m at the World Single Distance Championshps since Jeremy Wotherspoon won gold in 2008 in Nagano, Japan.
Blondin raced to a time of 8:38.38 in the mass start, finishing 0.15 seconds away from the winner, Dutch skater Irene Schouten (8:38.23). Mariska Huisman, also of the Netherlands, earned bronze in 8:38.70.
“I would have preferred the gold medal, but finishing first at this stage of my career remains a big accomplishment for me, so I’m still super pumped with second place,” said Blondin. “I’m ecstatic with the result, which follows a fantastic season!”
Canada claimed four medals at the event. B.C.’s Denny Morrison took two silvers earlier this week, in the men’s 1500 and in the men’s team pursuit, along with Ted-Jan Bloemen (Calgary) and Jordan Belchos (Markham, Ont.). Morrison tied Jeremy Wotherspoon and Kristina Groves for most decorated Canadian athlete ever at the World Single Distance Championships, with nine career individual medals.
Canada has now won a total of 72 medals, including 21 gold, 22 silver and 29 bronze, since the first edition of the World Single Distance Championships in 1996.