Speed skaters Maltais, Blondin, Dubreuil lead Canada’s long track squad into new season
Valérie Maltais, the reigning overall women’s mass start World Cup champion and a silver medalist in team pursuit at the world championships, is set to lead the Canadian long track speed skating team as they kick off the international season. Joining her on the team is Ottawa’s Ivanie Blondin, who dominated the recent Canadian long track championships by claiming victory in the 1,000m, 1,500m, and 3,000m races.
The men’s squad will be spearheaded by Laurent Dubreuil from Lévis, Que., who clinched a bronze medal in the sprint event at the World Allround Speed Skating Championships earlier this year. The 10-member team is gearing up for the start of the season with high hopes and ambitions.
The upcoming campaign will commence with the ISU Four Continents championships in Hachinohe City, Japan from Nov. 15-17. This marks the first time the event will be held outside North America since its inception. Following this, athletes will compete in a World Cup event in Hachinohe City on Nov. 22-24 before heading to Beijing for the second World Cup competition starting on Nov. 29.
After a successful international season last year, where the Canadian long track team secured 23 World Cup medals across six events, including a strong performance on home ice in Quebec City, the team is looking to build on their achievements. The season concluded with a stellar showing at the world championships in Calgary, where they bagged two gold, six silver, and two bronze medals.
Key upcoming dates for the team include World Cup events in Calgary (Jan. 24-26), Milwaukee, Wisc. (Jan. 31-Feb. 2), Zakopane, Poland (Feb. 21-23), and Heerenveen, Netherlands (Feb. 28-March 2), as well as the World Single Distance Championships in Hamar, Norway (Feb. 15-18).
The Canadian roster features top talents such as Ted-Jan Bloemen, Graeme Fish, and David La Rue on the men’s side, and Carolina Hiller, Béatrice Lamarche, and Isabelle Weidemann on the women’s side. With a mix of experienced skaters and promising young talent, the team is poised for success in the upcoming season.
