Speed Skating Canada – She earns silver in the women’s 500m race to collect her first individual medal at the international level

Stavanger, Norway, November 17, 2017 – Marsha Hudey won her first-ever individual medal on the international scene, a silver in the women’s 500m, Friday, on the first day of the second stage of the ISU World Cup Long Track Speed Skating season that will be held until Sunday in Stavanger, Norway.

In the first of two 500m races slated for the weekend, Marsha Hudey (White City, SK) posted a time of 37.87 on Friday, making her one of only four athletes to skate under the 38-second mark, to earn silver and her first-ever individual medal at the international level. The 27-year-old Canadian, who is skating in her fifth season on the World Cup circuit, finished behind gold-medal winner Nao Kodaira of Japan (37.08). Austria’s Vanessa Herzog came up with bronze in 37.96.

“It’s amazing! I’m so happy with today’s race,” said Hudey. “It was just a matter of putting together a good race, of executing what I wanted to execute. After falling in last week’s first 500m, I wanted to have a good one today, and I managed to focus on doing the right things. I’m just happy it worked out and turned into a medal!”

Her medal brought Hudey one step closer to the Olympic Games. Following the four Fall World Cups, she would be prequalified for the 500m as per some conditions (including that Canada qualifies at least one spot in this event) if she finishes among the top 5 in the Special Olympic Qualification Classification (SOQC), an overall ranking that takes into account the four World Cup stages to be held this Fall.

Heather McLean (Winnipeg, MB) was 8th in 38.16 while Kaylin Irvine (Calgary, AB) was 15th in 38.75.

Gilmore Junio (Calgary, AB) was the top Canadian of the day in the men’s 500m, as he skated to sixth place in 34.88, 0.24 seconds away from gold-medal winner Håvard Holmefjord Lorentzen of Norway (34.64).

“I’m happy with the fact that although I didn’t have the best of starts, I stuck with my race plan and I just tried to execute as best I could,” said Junio, who came up with his best time in three 500m races so far this season. “Coming up sixth in a such competitive field is a good sign considering I didn’t have my best race, so I just need to keep building on the work we’ve been doing and have trust in the process.”

Laurent Dubreuil (Lévis, QC) was 13th in 35.07, followed by William Dutton (Humboldt, SK) in 14th place in 35.143 and Alex Boisvert-Lacroix (Sherbrooke, QC) in 15th place in 35.148. Alexandre St-Jean (Quebec City, QC) came in 19th with a time of 35.248.

 

1000m: De Haître 8th

Vincent De Haître (Cumberland, ON), who is hoping to prequalify for the Olympic Games in the 1000m by winning a medal in this distance at some point this fall on the World Cup circuit, had to settle for 8th place in Friday’s 1000m. He clocked a time of 1:09.416 in a race won by Håvard Holmefjord Lorentzen of Norway in 1:08.22. Alexandre St-Jean (Quebec City, QC) came in 11th with a time of 1:09.75.

“I’ve been feeling sick all week and the speed wasn’t there for me. So today’s goal was to work on some technical things. I’m glad I could take the time to do that, and now I will take it into my 1500m tomorrow,” said Vincent De Haître, who is in a position to prequalify after earning a silver medal in the 1000m event at last spring’s World Single Distance Championships, as a podium finish in this distance at one of the Fall World Cups would give him a spot at the 2018 Olympic Games, provided Canada qualifies a spot in the 1000m.

Kaylin Irvine (Calgary, AB) was 16th in the women’s 1000m A group, with a time of 1:17.03. The race was won by Japan’s Nao Kodaira in 1:14.33.

The men’s and the women’s second 500m will take place on Saturday, as will the 1500m for both genders.

The races will be webstreamed live on the CBC Sports (http://www.cbc.ca/sports) and Radio-Canada Sports (http://ici.radio-canada.ca/) websites.

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

 

TODAY’S CANADIAN RESULTS

 

500m (1) – W

SILVER: Marsha Hudey (37.87)

8. Heather McLean (38.16)

15. Kaylin Irvine (38.75)

 

500m (1) – M

6. Gilmore Junio (34.88)

13. Laurent Dubreuil (35.07)

14. William Dutton (35.143)

15. Alex Boisvert-Lacroix (35.148)

19. Alexandre St-Jean (35.248)

 

1000m – M

8. Vincent De Haître (1:09.461)

11. Alexandre St-Jean (1 :09.75)

 

1000m – W

16. Kaylin Irvine (1:17.03)

 

1000m (B) – W

2. Kali Christ (1:16.67)

11. Brianne Tutt (1:17.825)

 

1000m (B) – M

11. Denny Morrison (1:10.47)

15. David La Rue (1:10.81)

 

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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