Women’s team sprint lands on first podium of the season
HEERENVEEN, NETHERLANDS – The Canadian sprinters made their mark on the second day of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Heerenveen, capturing two medals at the Thialf arena. Laurent Dubreuil was victorious in the second 500m of the season, while the women’s team sprint captured a silver medal in the year’s first race.
Despite needing to reset after being charged with a false start, Dubreuil got off the line quickly in the final pair of the men’s 500m to set an opener of 9.6 seconds. His final time of 34.34 was the fastest of the day and four tenths faster than last weekend’s effort, putting the Lévis, Que. native ahead of Japan’s Wataru Morishige (34.44) and Merijn Scheperkamp of the Netherlands (34.69). After two events, Dubreuil sits atop the World Cup standings in the distance.
In the women’s team sprint, Carolina Hiller, Brooklyn McDougall and Ivanie Blondin got off to a slower start than many in the field, but quickly closed the gap in the three-lap race. By the time Blondin crossed the line in 1:27.45, her quick pace in the final lap had earned the trio a silver medal. The home crowd cheered the Dutch team on to gold in a time of 1:26.57, while the Americans captured bronze (1:27.72). The medal marks the first World Cup podium for both McDougall (Calgary, Alta.) and Hiller (Prince George, B.C.).
The ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Heerenveen concludes on Sunday with the men’s 1500m, women’s 500m, women’s 3000m and men’s team sprint. Racing begins at 7:30am ET and will be streamed live on CBC Sports and Radio-Canada Sports.
Quotes
It was a really good race. I am happy with my first victory of the year and the way that I skated today. The time to beat before I raced was quite difficult to chase, but I was able to stay focused on my goal of skating to win. I knew that it would take a very good race. I had a much better start than last week and then an excellent lap. The final corner was the best of my life in the 500m! I am proud to have rebounded after the disappointment from yesterday’s 1000m.
Laurent Dubreuil
Winning silver with Carolina [Hiller] and Ivanie [Blondin] today was very special. We hadn’t practiced together before the race, so we are all very happy with the outcome! It’s exciting to race team sprint with the girls again and I think we will be even better with more practice. This was also my first senior World Cup medal, so I am very proud of myself! I will be taking this momentum into tomorrow’s 500m.
Brooklyn McDougall
Results
- Women’s 1500m
- Ivanie Blondin – 5th
- Béatrice Lamarche – 16th
- Alexa Scott – 18th
- Valérie Maltais – 5th (B Division)
- Men’s 500m
- Laurent Dubreuil – 1st
- Christopher Fiola – 8th
- Cédrick Brunet – 19th
- Men’s 5000m
- Graeme Fish – 9th
- Jordan Belchos – 13th
- Connor Howe – 5th (B Division)
- Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu – 16th (B Division)
- Women’s Team Sprint
- Carolina Hiller, Brooklyn McDougall, Ivanie Blondin – 2nd