Canadian champions crowned in long track speed skating
Canadian long track speed skaters got their season underway this past weekend as 12 national titles were up for grabs at the Canadian Long Track Championships presented by Intact Insurance in Calgary.
Two-time Olympic medallist Ted-Jan Bloemen dominated the men’s long distance events. He won the 10,000m by more than half a minute ahead of his closest competitor Daniel Hall, clocking in at 12:57.69. Bloemen also comfortably won the men’s 5000m ahead of Hall in 6:11.73.
It was a closer finish in the longest women’s event as less than six seconds separated the three medallists. Isabelle Weidemann won the gold medal in 6:58.67, beating out her fellow Olympic champions in the team pursuit, Ivanie Blondin and Valérie Maltais.
“I feel strong, excited and ready to race, but still not there yet. I think it’s coming and I’m happy with how I raced today, but it was tough out there. The Olympic season is really long and those of us that have gone through it before a few times are trying to hold back a little bit to make sure we can stay consistent throughout the season,” said Weidemann.
The same three skaters stood on the podium in the women’s 3000m, but in a different order, as Maltais won gold ahead of runner-up Blondin and Weidemann.
“I am very happy with my execution today in the 3000m. We really focused this summer on this distance and today was the first real test to see where I stood. From this point forward, I will be building on this objective and trying to race a little better each time,” said Maltais.
Maltais won the women’s mass start, sprinting past Rose-Anne Grenier and Darby Beeson in the final lap. Blondin did not race in this event, having pre-qualified for the World Cup team based on her performances last season, which culminated in a silver medal at the world championships.
Blondin did win the women’s 1500m, racing to a time of 1:53.86. She was paired with Béatrice Lamarche, who had already earned national titles in the women’s 500m and 1000m events.
“I’m really, really happy. I think this is the fastest I’ve skated this early on in a season in the 1500m. I had a perfect pair for it today with Béatrice – she’s so quick right now. She was the carrot I was chasing down the whole first lap. I think we pushed each other very well,” said Blondin.
Lamarche had won her first national title by skating a personal best time of 37.91 in the 500m, allowing her to dethrone three-time defending champion Carolina Hiller-Donnelly.
Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu won the men’s mass start after having not competed nationally or internationally last season. The 33-year-old, who won silver in the mass start the last time he race it at the 2024 ISU World Single Distances Championships, stayed patient throughout the 16 laps before making his move to the front for the final sprint, edging out Jake Weidemann and David La Rue.
Connor Howe, who won bronze in the men’s 1500m at the world championships this past March, claimed the national title in the event, the day after he won the men’s 1000m. Cédrick Brunet earned his first career national title with his best ever time of 34.42 in the men’s 500m. Canada’s long time star of the sprints, Laurent Dubreuil, did not race in either the 500m or 1000m as he was prequalified in both distances for the World Cup team.
The Canadian team for the ISU World Cup Speed Skating season will be announced in the coming weeks. Results from the first four stops of the circuit—including a home stop in Calgary taking place November 21-23—will be used to allocate Olympic quota spots for Milano Cortina 2026.
