Canadian speedskaters take silver and bronze

Canada has claimed silver and bronze medals in team pursuit at the world speedskating championship.

Italy won men’s gold ahead of Norway and Canada, while the Dutch beat Canada to reclaim the women’s world title at Calgary’s Olympic Oval.

The Dutch women were the fastest in last year’s world championship, but were disqualified because of an equipment violation.

The gold went to Ottawa’s Isabelle Weidemann, Ivanie Blondin and Valerie Maltais of Saguenay, Que., but the reigning Olympic champions weren’t able to match the Dutch speed this year.

In team pursuit, two teams of three skaters begin simultaneously on opposite sides of the oval and race the clock over six laps for women and eight laps for men.

Joy Beune, Irene Schouten and Marijke Groenewoud laid down a track-record time of two minutes 51.20 seconds in the opening heat. The Canadian women finished 2.83 seconds back for silver in their pairing with the United States. 

The Japanese women were in silver-medal position until their bell lap. They couldn’t hold their pace and dropped to third. 

Connor Howe of Canmore, Alta., Toronto’s Hayden Mayeur and Antoine Gelinas-Beaulieu of Sherbrooke, Que., posted a time of 3:36.72 in the first of four men’s pairings that held up until Italy and Norway in the closer.

Andrea Giovannini, Davide Ghiotto and Michele Malfatti set a track record to win in 3:35. Norway took silver in 3:36.07. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 16, 2024