{"id":13809,"date":"2024-01-28T19:40:23","date_gmt":"2024-01-29T00:40:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/speedskating.ca\/?p=13809"},"modified":"2024-01-28T19:40:25","modified_gmt":"2024-01-29T00:40:25","slug":"a-rare-double-podium-in-the-mass-start-for-ivanie-blondin-and-valerie-maltais-at-world-cup-in-salt-lake-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/speedskating.ca\/a-rare-double-podium-in-the-mass-start-for-ivanie-blondin-and-valerie-maltais-at-world-cup-in-salt-lake-city\/","title":{"rendered":"A rare double podium in the Mass Start for Ivanie Blondin and Val\u00e9rie Maltais at World Cup in Salt Lake City"},"content":{"rendered":"
SALT LAKE CITY, UNITED STATES \u2013 For the second time this season, Canadians Ivanie Blondin and Val\u00e9rie Maltais both reached the Mass Start podium at a World Cup, winning gold and bronze, respectively, on the final day of racing in Salt Lake City. Ted-Jan Bloemen added to Canada\u2019s medal haul with a bronze medal in the men\u2019s 5000m.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
The duo of Blondin (Ottawa, Ont.) and Maltais (La Baie, Que.) were locked in a sprint to the finish line alongside their Dutch rivals Irene Schouten and Marijke Groenewoud. Blondin (8:14.70) was able to get around Schouten (8:14.81) to move into top spot, while Maltais (8:15.14) sped past Groenewoud to secure her spot on the podium. Schouten settled for silver, while Groenewoud finished fifth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
It was only the third time in World Cup history that Canada had two female skaters on the podium in the Mass Start, the first happening last season in Tomasz\u00f3w Mazowiecki and the most recent taking place earlier this season in Beijing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Maltais is currently ranked first overall in the distance with 231 points, having won two bronze and one silver. Her teammate Blondin is only three points behind the lead (228), thanks to winning two gold and two silver medals so far this season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Ted-Jan Bloemen also brought home some hardware from Salt Lake City on Sunday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
After starting the season with fourth place finishes at the World Cups in Obihiro, Beijing and Tomasz\u00f3w Mazowiecki, the 37-year-old was finally able to put together a podium performance in the 5000m, crossing the finish line with a time of 6:06.88 to secure bronze. Patrick Roest of the Netherlands (6:02.98) and Davide Ghiotto of Italy (6:04.23) both skated personal best times to claim gold and silver, respectively.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Roest has won gold in all four 5000m races this season, placing him atop the World Cup long-distance rankings with 274 points, comfortably ahead of the Bloemen, who sits in third with 231 points, thanks in part to today\u2019s 5000m bronze and a 10,000m silver from Stavanger.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Canada leaves Salt Lake City with 6 World Cup medals, adding to the 12 medals they captured during the Four Continents Championships one week ago at the same oval.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n