Canada earns five speedskating medals at Four Continents championships

By The Canadian Press on November 17, 2024.

Ivanie Blondin led the way in a five-medal day for Canada at the Four Continents speedskating championships on Sunday. Blondin starts the women's 3000-meter allround event at the ISU World Championships in Inzell Germany, Saturday, March 9, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Matthias Schrader

HACHINOHE, Japan – Ivanie Blondin led the way in a five-medal day for Canada at the Four Continents speedskating championships on Sunday.

The Ottawa native won gold in the women’s mass start with a time of nine minutes 23.28 seconds. It was the 34-year-old’s third individual distance medal of the weekend, having also captured bronze in both the 1,500 metres and 3,000.

In the men’s mass start, David La Rue of Saint-Lambert, Que., and Toronto’s Hayden Mayeur captured silver and bronze.

La Rue was leading entering the final lap, but a slight slip exiting the final corner allowed Kazakhstan’s Vitaliy Chshigolev to gain ground and outstretch him at the finish line.

Mayeur also earned bronze in the men’s team pursuit, alongside teammates Connor Howe of Canmore, Alta., and Calgary’s Ted-Jan Bloemen. The new skater lineup crossed the finish line in 3:47.43, placing them behind Japan (3:44.47) and the United-States (3:43.13).

Laurent Dubreuil (Lévis, Que.) earned his second individual distance medal of the weekend, taking bronze in the men’s 1,000. The 32-year-old sprinter posted a time of 1:09.52.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 17, 2024.