18 skaters set to represent Canada in Heerenveen from March 2-5
HEERENVEEN, NETHERLANDS – Canada’s long track speed skaters kick off their final competition of the international season this weekend in the Netherlands, as the legendary Thialf ice arena in Heerenveen welcomes the 2023 ISU World Speed Skating Championships from March 2-5.
Eighteen Canadians will lace up their skates to compete against the world’s best across 12 individual distances and four team events. They enter this final competition on a high note, having had one of their most successful World Cup seasons of the past decade, one that saw them bring home an impressive 30 medals, including 8 gold, 14 silver and 8 bronze across six events.
Laurent Dubreuil (Lévis, Que.) and Ivanie Blondin (Ottawa, Ont.) were crowned World Cup champions in the 500m and Mass Start, respectively, while the women’s Team Pursuit squad of Blondin, Isabelle Weidemann (Ottawa, Ont.) and Valérie Maltais (La Baie, Que.) also finished first overall.
Three Canadians also came second overall in their distance rankings, including Dubreuil (1000m), Weidemann (3000m/5000m) and Camore’s Connor Howe (1500m). Both the men’s and women’s Team Sprint were also second.
The ISU World Speed Skating Championships will be live streamed on CBC Sports and Radio-Canada Sports digital platforms, with colour commentary in English provided by Olympian Anastasia Bucsis.
ISU World Speed Skating Championships
- Ivanie Blondin (Ottawa, Ont.)
- Carolina Hiller (Prince George, B.C.)
- Béatrice Lamarche (Quebec City, Que.)
- Valérie Maltais (La Baie, Que.)
- Brooklyn McDougall (Calgary, Alta.)
- Maddison Pearman (Ponoka, Alta.)
- Isabelle Weidemann (Ottawa, Ont.)
- Jordan Belchos (Toronto, Ont)
- Ted-Jan Bloemen (Calgary, Alta.)
- Vincent de Haître (Cumberland, Ont.)
- Laurent Dubreuil (Lévis, Que.)
- Christopher Fiola (Montreal, Que.)
- Graeme Fish (Moose Jaw, Sask.)
- Antoine Gélinas-Beulieu (Sherbrooke, Que.)
- Connor Howe (Canmore, Alta.)
- Tyson Langelaar (Winnipeg, Man.)
- Hayden Mayeur (Toronto, Ont.)
- Frank Roth (Calgary, Alta.)