CALGARY, ALBERTA – Ivanie Blondin and Connor Howe delivered in the grueling 1500m to bring home the only national titles up for grabs on the third day of racing at the 2025 Canadian Long Track Championships presented by Intact Insurance in Calgary.
Blondin (Ottawa, Ont.) took advantage of a strong pair, alongside 500m and 1000m national champion Béatrice Lamarche (Quebec City, Que.), to race her way to gold. The 35-year-old crossed the line with a time of 1:53.86, besting Lamarche (1:55.53) and Valérie Maltais (La Baie, Que.), who earned bronze (1:55.53).
“I’m really, really happy. I think this is the fastest I’ve skated this early on in a season in the 1500m. I had a perfect pair for it today with Béatrice – she’s so quick right now. She was the carrot I was chasing down the whole first lap. I think we pushed each other very well. She had a personal best too, which was pretty incredible. The past couple days have been a bit of a struggle, so this feels good.” – Ivanie Blondin
It was Howe (Canmore, Alta.) earning the top spot on the men’s side on Saturday. The 25-year-old, won bronze in the distance at last season’s World Championships in Hamar, posted a time of 1:43.94 to win his second title in as many days. He was joined on the podium by David La Rue (Montreal, Que.) and Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu (Sherbrooke, Que.), who stopped the clock at 1:44.62 and 1:44.88, respectively.
The result was especially meaningful for Gélinas-Beaulieu, who didn’t compete at the national or international level last season.
“It’s been a while since I last competed at the Canadian Championships, or even in a big competition, so I’m pretty happy with my race. We have a lot of depth in the 1000m, which had me a bit worried for today’s 1500m, but after the first lap I wanted to keep going fast knowing that I had the legs to finish strong. I’m really satisfied with my race and with the way that I’ve been able to recuperate these past few days. I still have the mass start tomorrow and I’m excited to perform.” – Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu
The 2025 Canadian Long Track Championships presented by Intact Insurance come to an end on Sunday at the Olympic Oval, where national titles will be handed out for the men’s and women’s Mass Start. Races will be live streamed on Speed Skating Canada’s YouTube channel, as well as on CBC Sports and Radio-Canada Sports digital platforms.
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