Team Canada won the gold medal in the women’s team pursuit in speed skating at a World Cup in Hamar, Norway on Sunday. The Canadians team was comprised of the same gold medalists for Team Canada at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing (Valerie Maltais of La Baie, Quebec, along with Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann of Ottawa, Ontario).
Maltais, Blondin and Weidemann had a gold medal time of 2:57.20. The United States won the silver medal with a time of 2:57.29. Japan won the bronze medal with as time of 2:58.62. Canada reached the podium by 3.51 seconds. China finished in fourth place with a time of 3:00.71. In the World Cup standings, Canada leads with 168 points. Japan is second with 156 points.
Weidemann and Blondin also won individual medals. Weidemann won the silver medal in the women’s 3000 metres on Saturday and Blondin won the bronze medal in the women’s mass start on Sunday.
In the women’s 3000 metres, Weidemann had a second place time of 4:01.30. Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands won the gold medal with a time of 4:00.95. Ragne Wiklund of Norway won the bronze medal with a time of 4:01.41. Weidemann reached the podium by 2.32 seconds over Maltais, who was in fourth place with a time of 4:03.62. In the World Cup women’s 3000 metre standings, Weidemann is in second with 191 points. Wiklund leads with 210 points.
In the women’s mass start, Blondin finished behind gold medalist Bente Kerkhoff of the Netherlands and Groenewoud, the silver medalist. In the World Cup women’s mass start standings, Blondin is in third place with 191 points. She is behind Mia Manganello of the United States with 205 points, and Groenewoud, with 192 points. The medals for Blondin, Maltais and Weidemann will give them confidence as they prepare for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo.