Maltais magic strikes three times at ISU World Cup in Salt Lake City
Valérie Maltais came away from the ISU Speed Skating World Cup with not one, not two, but three medals at the opening stop of the circuit in Salt Lake City.
After a career-best time in the 3000m on Friday, which earned her silver, Maltais claimed silver in the women’s mass start on Sunday and was also part of the women’s team pursuit which took home silver.
Maltais traded places with American Mia Manganello for first place in the final five laps of the mass start, before crossing the finish line 0.05 seconds shy of Manganello.
In the women’s team pursuit, Maltais, Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann were just off their national record time set in 2021, finishing in 2:52.40 which left them just 0.27 back of the victorious Japanese team. The reigning Olympic champions tested out a new strategy, which saw Weidemann at the front for all six laps.
“We played around with our strategy a lot this summer. We skated together a lot more, which is something we haven’t done in the last four years since the Games. We kind of all went different directions, with different coaches, but we made it a priority to work on the Team Pursuit this summer,” said Weidemann.
“We used exchanges quite a bit in the past, but the world has gotten so much faster so we had to go back to a no-exchange strategy and figure out who should be in front. We looked at everyone’s strengths and have created a strategy that reflects that. Today was the first time we used it in a race, so I think we need to trust it a little bit more. It’s fast, and now we know it’s fast.”
On the men’s side, Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu took home bronze in the mass start. It’s his first international podium in the event since the 2024 World Single Distances Championships. Countrymate Jake Weidemann finished 0.04 seconds behind Gélinas-Beaulieu to finish fourth, one of the best results of his career.
Béatrice Lamarche and Valérie Maltais on the podium on Saturday in Salt Lake City
Béatrice Lamarche won her first career ISU World Cup medal in the 1000m event while Valérie Maltais finished with a silver in the 3000m on Friday night.
Lamarche’s performance is all the more impressive as the Quebec skater completed her race in 1:12.77, a personal best time for the bronze medal. This is the first time since the 2012-13 season that a Canadian has been on a World Cup podium in the women’s 1000m. Dutch skaters Jutta Leerdam (1:12.35) and Femke Kok (1:12.43) respectively won gold and silver.
“A first World Cup medal and a big personal best for me! After my race, I was really happy just looking at the time, and then seeing that I got third, I just couldn’t believe it. It’s amazing and I was not expecting this. I’m glad my best races are happening this season. It’s a really good start for me and I’m looking forward the rest of the weekend,” said an ecstatic Lamarche.
In the women’s 3000m, it was Valérie Maltais’ turn to record her best time in her career with a time of 3:56.53 that earned her the silver medal. Dutch skated Joy Beune (3:53.69) got her hands on gold while Norwegian Ragne Wiklund (3:57.19) got on the third step of the podium.
“I’m really happy with my race and how I prepared for that race. I really had a good summer of training, and I knew I was able to do a good race here,” said the La Baie, Quebec native.
