Speed Skating Canada –  Salt Lake City, United States, March 11, 2018 – Canada finished off the 2018 ISU World Junior Long Track Championships with two gold medals on Sunday, as Béatrice Lamarche from Quebec City, QC, on the women’s side, and David La Rue from Saint-Lambert, QC, in the men’s event, were crowned 2018 World Junior Champions in the mass start races held in Salt Lake City, United States.

On the women’s side, Béatrice Lamarche, who won bronze in the mass start events in 2016 in Changchun, China, and in 2017 in Helsinki, Finland, crossed the finish line in first place.

This was Lamarche’s first medal at this year’s World Junior Championships. She previously took fourth place in individual overall standings, the 1000m and the 1500m, while finishing seventh in the 500m and eighth in the 3000m.

“I’m very happy with my mass start race,” said Béatrice Lamarche. “Before the race, I was hoping for a top-3 result, but I wasn’t expecting to win. With two or three laps to go, I knew I was in a good position to do well. I still had the legs and I felt that I was going to be able to give it a good kick at the end. That’s when I told myself I was able to go for gold. I’m proud of myself and it’s a great way not only to finish off the weekend, but also to finish off my junior career.”

In the men’s mass start, David La Rue won it as well. This win was quite special for him who earned the silver medal in Friday’s 1500m but was disqualified from Saturday’s 5000m because he did not change lanes during his race.

“My disqualification from the 5000m was really tough to accept emotionally,” said La Rue who, up to that point, was in the running for the overall world championship title. “One of my goals this season was to rank well in overall standings. I came very close to reaching it.”

“But I was able to change my way of thinking when I started out my day on Sunday,” added La Rue. “And I did it so well that I was able to reach the very top of the podium in the mass start, a result I was not expecting at all. Especially after the team pursuit (earlier Sunday), which left me very tired and learning towards giving up my spot to a teammate. My lungs hurt. But I discussed it with my coach (Muncef Ouardi) and we came to the conclusion that I needed to finish the competition.”

“During the mass start race, I felt no pain at all. I was in the moment. I was able to come back strong. My focus was on the right things. I’m very happy with how things turned out in spite of the stupid mistake I made the day before.”

Fifth place for both team pursuit squads

In the team pursuit event, the Canadian women’s and men’s teams both skated to fifth-place finishes.

On the women’s side, Béatrice Lamarche, Brooklyn McDougall from Calgary, AB, and Alexa Scott from Clandeboye, MB, registered a time of 3:07.14. The Netherlands won gold (2:59.55), followed by Japan (3:02.68) and South Korea (3:05.06).

In the men’s team pursuit, David La Rue, Tyson Langelaar and Kaleb Muller from Cranford, AB, finished the eight-lap race in 3:48.82. South Korea (3:43.55) won it, followed by Japan (3:44.68) and Russia (3:44.73).

Canada therefore won a total of four medals at the 2018 ISU World Junior Long Track Championships, i.e. the gold medals earned by Lamarche and La Rue in the mass start, as well as silver medals by Tyson Langelaar in overall standings and David La Rue in the men’s 1500m.

More details are available at Speed Skating Canada’s web site at www.speedskating.ca.

About Speed Skating Canada

Speed Skating Canada (SSC) is the governing body for long track and short track speed skating in Canada. Founded in 1887, SSC is comprised of 13 provincial and territorial associations. Speed Skating Canada is committed to Challenge and Inspire Canada to Thrive through the power of Speed Skating. SSC recognizes and values its outstanding volunteers who give freely of their time and expertise. It also celebrates the 63 Olympic medals won by Canadian athletes since 1932, as well as the coaches, officials and other dedicated individuals who helped them on their journey.www.speedskating.ca

Speed Skating Canada would like to thank its sponsors: 

Premium partner: Intact Insurance

Funding partners: Government of Canada (Sport Canada), Own The Podium, Canadian Olympic Committee

Official On-Ice High Performance Apparel: Li-Ning

Long Track Team Sponsor: KIA

Official Suppliers: Auclair, USANA

Official Technical Equipment Supplier: Nagano Skate

Sport Development Partners: Winsport Canada, Calgary’s Olympic Oval, University of Calgary, Institut national du sport du Québec, Government of Quebec, Canadian Sport Institute-Calgary, City of Montreal, Quebec City, Excellence sportive Québec-Lévis

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For information:

Kerry Dankers
Long Track Program and Communications Coordinator
Speed Skating Canada
Email: kdankers@speedskating.ca
Phone: 403-589-8960
Website: www.speedskating.ca  
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SSC.PVC 
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SSC_PVC 

 

Patrick Godbout

Communications & Media Relations Manager

Speed Skating Canada

Email: pgodbout@speedskating.ca

Phone: 514 213-9897

Website: www.speedskating.ca 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SSC.PVC

Twitter: www.twitter.com/SSC_PVC