Speed Skating Canada – Ivanie Blondin had to withdraw from 3000m and 1000m due to illness

Nagano, Japan, November 18, 2016 – Ted-Jan Bloemen of Calgary, AB, was the top Canadian of the day with a 12th-place finish in the men’s 5000m, Friday, on the first day of the ISU World Cup Long Track Speed Skating stage held until Sunday in Nagano, Japan.

Bloemen skated to a time of 6:25.64, while Dutch skater Sven Kramer won the race in 6:15.17. Jorrit Bergsma (6:15.70) and Douwe de Vries (6:17.65), also from the Netherlands, respectively collected silver and bronze.

“My race today was really disappointing,” said Bloemen, who had finished 8th last weekend in the 5000m at the first stage of the World Cup season held in Harbin, China. “I’m not able to skate up to my potential right now, and that’s very frustrating. Saturday will be the team pursuit and I’m really proud to be part of that team. I believe we will be strong together. After that, I will have two weeks to get back on track and to win medals in the 5000m and 10 000m.”

On the women’s side, Ivanie Blondin of Ottawa, ON, had to withdraw from the 3000m after waking up ill in the morning. She had won bronze in that distance last week. She also bowed out of Saturday’s 1000m after having qualified for the A group in that distance last week. However, she is still considering for the time being taking part in Saturday’s mass start semifinals.

For her part, Isabelle Weidemann of Ottawa, ON, was 15th in the women’s 3000m A group, Friday, with a time of 4:09.58.

In B group races, Jordan Belchos of Toronto, ON, was fourth in the 5000m (6:25.52). In Harbin, Belchos had also come up with a fourth-place finish in the men’s mass start.

“My race was definitively better than last week. It was probably my best race of the year in the 5000m,” said Belchos, who was 15th in that distance last week. “I can build on this moving forward. Although I’m a little bit disappointed with the result, there are a lot of things that I can carry into the next few weeks.”

On the women’s side, Brianne Tutt of Airdrie, AB, was 6th in the 3000m (B) race with a time of 4:11.28.

In the group A races slated for Saturday, Alexandre St-Jean of Quebec City, QC, and Vincent de Haître of Cumberland, ON, will be skating in the 1000m, while the tree-man teams of Bloemen, Belchos and Denny Morrison of Fort St. John, B.C., and that of Laurent Dubreuil of Lévis, QC, Christopher Fiola of Montreal, QC, and de Haître will represent Canada in the men’s team pursuit and men’s team sprint events, respectively. Ivanie Blondin and Béatrice Lamarche of Quebec City, QC, as well as Belchos and Olivier Jean of Lachenaie, QC, will take part in the men’s mass start semifinals and will try to finish among the top-8 in their respective heats in order to qualify for Sunday’s final round.

In the B group races, Noémie Fiset of Quebec City, QC, Kaylin Irvine of Calgary, AB, and Lamarche on the women’s side, as well as Dubreuil, Fiola and Richard Maclennan of Sault Ste. Marie, ON, will be skating in the 1000m.

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

TODAY’S CANADIAN RESULTS

5000m M (B)

12. Ted-Jan Bloemen (6:25.64)

3000m W (A)

15. Isabelle Weidemann (4:09.58)

5000m M (B)

4. Jordan Belchos (6:25.52)

3000m W (B)
6. Brianne Tutt (4:11.28)

More information, including the competition schedule, is available at Speed Skating Canada’s website: 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, and WinSport Canada.

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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