Speed Skating Canada – Changchun, China, March 13, 2016 – Christopher Fiola and Ben Donnelly respectively won silver and bronze in the men’s mass start and Béatrice Lamarche collected bronze in the women’s event, Sunday, while the men’s team pursuit won the silver medal to allow Canada to conclude the ISU World Junior Long Track Championships held in Changchun, China, with a total of 10 medals.

This is the best performance by the Canadian team since at least 2009.

In then men’s mass start held Sunday, Christopher Fiola of Montreal, (Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough) and Ben Donnelly of Oshawa, ON, finished behind Min Seok Kim of South Korea.

“Ben and I did a good job working as a team, even though I’m not used to work as a unit in the mass start,” said Christopher Fiola. “But when Ben slipped with two laps to go, it gave me an opportunity to go out in front and after that I just went all in.”

“Two Canadians on the podium, that is amazing. And everyone on the team accomplished so much at these World Junior Championships, it’s just awesome.”

On the women’s side, Béatrice Lamarche of Quebec City (Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge borough) won bronze, finishing behind Japan’s Aryano Sato du Japon and Dutch skater Esther Kiel.

“It was a very good race, my teammate Abigail McCluskey did some good work for me,” commented Béatirce Lamarche. “I did my best and it worked out well, so I’m happy.”

In the team pursuit event, Canada’s male squad comprised of Donnelly, Fiola and Tyson Langelaar of Winnipeg, MB, was second with a time of 3:58.29. The race was won by South Korea in 3:54.47 while China was third in 3:59.11.

“There was good team execution, and so even though it hurt a lot physically towards the end, it was worth it because I ended up on the podium alongside two of the top juniors in the world,” said Langelaar of his teammates Donnelly and Fiola. “It’s an honour to have been part of that.”

In the women’s team pursuit, Lamarche, Abigail McCluskey of Penticton, B.C., and Gabrielle Sanson of Moose Jaw, SK, took fifth place with a time of 3:16.35.

Five medals and a world champion’s title for Donnelly

Ben Donnelly finished the competition with a total of five medals, in addition to being crowned overall world champion. On Friday, he won silver in the 1500m; he came up with gold medals in Saturday’s 1000m and 5000m; and Sunday, he added silver in the team pursuit event as well as a bronze in the mass start race.

Fiola, for his part, took silver in the 1500m and the mass start, in addition to contributing to Canada’s silver in the team pursuit race.

Béatrice Lamarche collected bronze in the 1500m and mass start races.

The Canadian team was also comprised of Véronique Déry of Lévis (Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Est – Saint-Jean-Chrysostome borough), QC, and Antoine Roger of Québec City (Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge borough), QC.

TODAY’S CANADIAN RESULTS

Mass Start

M

SILVER: Christopher Fiola

BRONZE: Ben Donnelly

W

BRONZE: Béatrice Lamarche
9. Abigail McCluskey

Team Pursuit

M

SILVER: Canada (3:58.29)
(Ben Donnelly, Christopher Fiola, Tyson Langelaar)

W

5: Canada (3:16.35)

(Béatrice Lamarche, Abigail McCluskey, Gabrielle Sanson)

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 competitive long track and short track speed skating in Canada. Founded in 1887, the association is comprised of 13 provincial and territorial branches representing more than 14,000 individual members, and counting. SSC believes that sport is an apprenticeship for life and prizes respect for others, integrity, excellence of effort, as well as a safe, healthy environment. 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.

SSC is proud to be affiliated with partners that share the same vision and values including our premium sponsors Intact Insurance, as well as our funding partners, the Government of Canada, Own the Podium, City of Montreal, Calgary Olympic Oval and WinSport Canada.

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For information:

Patrick Godbout

Communications & Media Relations Manager

Speed Skating Canada

Email: pgodbout@speedskating.ca

Phone: 514 213-9897

Website: www.speedskating.ca 

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Twitter: www.twitter.com/SSC_PVC

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