Speed Skating Canada – Gilmore Junio (500m), Kaylin Irvine and Richard Maclennan (1000m) as well as Isabelle Weidemann (3000m) qualify for the World Single Distance Championships

STAVANGER, Norway, January 31, 2016 – Gilmore Junio of Calgary won bronze in Sunday’s 500m race, which by the same token earned him a spot at the World Single Distance Championships, on the last day of ISU World Cup Long Track #5 held in Stavanger, Norway.

In the second 500m event of the weekend, Gilmore Junio skated to a time of 34.86 seconds, two days after missing a podium result by one hundredth of a second in that same distance. Russian skaters Pavel Kulizhnikov (34.52) and Ruslan Murashov (34.78) respectively collected gold and silver, as they did in Friday’s 500m.

In addition to winning a bronze, his second medal this season after he came up with gold in the 500m event raced at the World Cup stage held in Inzell, Germany, Gilmore Junio qualified for the World Single Distance Championships which will take place February 11-14 in Kolomna, Russia. He accomplished that feat by coming up with the fastest combined time by a Canadian over both 500m races held this weekend, aside from William Dutton and Alex Boisvert-Lacroix, who had already qualified.

On Sunday, Dutton finished 7th in 34.97, coming up with his fastest time at a World Cup since his last medal, which he won in Salt Lake City. Laurent Dubreuil (34.98) of Lévis, QC, was 8th, Alex Boisvert-Lacroix (35.014) of Sherbrooke, QC, was 9^th, and Alexandre St-Jean (35.15) of Québec City, was 15th.

“I knew going in today that to win the skateoff, it was going to take a pretty good skate to beat someone like Laurent (Dubreuil), who has put up great results on the board this season. It was a matter of sticking to the process. Winning a medal was kind of bittersweet today, because I had to do it against teammates and friends,” said Gilmore Junio.

“It’s a shame we can’t take our entire team to the World Single Distance Championships, because I know we have a great team, with a lot of depth,” he added.

Kaylin Irvine and Richard Maclennan qualify for 1000m
In the women’s 1000m, Kaylin Irvine of Calgary registered the fastest Canadian time in this distance over the weekend, which earned her the sole spot available to Canada at the World Single Distance Championships.

Sunday, Irvine skated to a time of 1:17.12, the fastest among all the Canadian performances over the two 1000m that were raced, which was good for 18th place in the A group.

“I was really happy with the changes I was able to make for the race, and how it turned out,” said Kaylin Irvine, who will be taking part in the World Single Distance Championships for the third time. “I was very nervous because it was a skateoff for only one spot. But before the race I told myself that, no matter the result or if I qualify or not, I would leave everything on the ice so that I could step off with my head up and be proud of my effort. ”

On the men’s side, no skater beat the time of 1:10.21 that Richard Maclennan came up with in the first 1000m event, held Saturday, which means the Sault Ste. Marie, ON, athlete will join Vincent De Haître, of Cumberland, ON, and Alexandre St-Jean to represent Canada in the 1000m distance at the World Single Distance Championships.

In Sunday’s 1000m, De Haître was 6th with a time of 1:09.03 while St-Jean came up with his best-ever result, a 7th-place finish (1:09.08). Promoted to the A group, Maclennan was 17th (1:10.67).

“I’m very excited to qualify for the World Single Distance Championships,” said Maclennan, who was 14th in the 1000m in last year’s World Single Distance Championships, when he skated in that competition for the first time. “I did what I had to do this week, and I really skated at a high level. I may not be in my best racing form right now, but I’ll work on getting to that over the next two weeks.”

Isabelle Weidemann earns her ticket in the 3000m distance
After qualifying for the 5000m event at the World Single Distance Championships by winning in this distance at the Canadian Championships on January 4 in Calgary, Isabelle Weidemann of Ottawa, ON, will now be able to take part in a second event in Kolomna after being the fastest Canadian in the women’s 3000m held at the World Cup in Norway.

In Sunday’s 3000m, the 20-year-old skater was the fastest Canadian with a time of 4:11.00, good for 11th place. Ivanie Blondin, also from Ottawa, was 12th in 4:11.19, as she had already qualified for Kolomna thanks to her results at the Fall World Cups. Josie Spence of Kamloops, B.C., was 15th in 4:15.48.

“I’m so excited about going to Kolomna! I’ve never been to Russia before!,” said Weidemann, who will be skating in her very first World Single Distance Championships. “I’m just ready to go and take things as they come, and try to apply what I need to do in the right way. Getting a top-10 result over there would be really nice!”

The list of skaters who will be on the Canadian teams at the World Championships will be announced at a later date.

More details are available on Speed Skating Canada’s website at  www.speedskating.ca.

TODAY’S CANADIAN RESULTS

 

500m (2) M – A

BRONZE: Gilmore Junio – 34.86

7: William Dutton – 34.97

8: Laurent Dubreuil – 34.98

9: Alex Boisvert-Lacroix – 35.014

15: Alexandre St-Jean – 35.15

 

1000m (2) M – A

6 : Vincent De Haître – 1:09.03

7 : Alexandre St-Jean – 1:09.08

17 : Richard Maclennan – 1:10.67

 

1000m (2) W – A

18 : Kaylin Irvine – 1:17.12

 

3000m W – A

11: Isabelle Weidemann – 4:11.00

12: Ivanie Blondin – 4:11.19

15: Josie Spence – 4:15.48

 

1000m (2) W – B

2: Kali Christ – 1:17.77

8: Heather McLean – 1:18.40

9: Anastasia Bucsis – 1:18.47

16: Shannon Rempel – 1:20.06

 

1000m (2) M – B

20: Olivier Jean – 1:10.98

39: Nick Goplen – 1:13.66

 

3000m W – B

6: Brianne Tutt – 4:12.88

                                                                                                                                      

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, 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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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 
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