Canada shines on the 400m track

Picture by Mikaela Linja-aho

By Jackob Savard

Our canadian speed skaters represented us well both on senior and junior levels in the past two weeks at the World Single Distance Championships in South Korea and the World Junior Championships in Finland.

De Haître and Blondin performed well in Gangneung.

Our athletes obtained good results at the 2018 Olympics test event in Gangneung. Vincent De Haître from Ontario, was one of the best skaters for Canada at the World Championships with a silver medal in the 1000m and a fourth place in the 1500m. Ivanie Blondin performed well on the longer distances with the bronze in the 5000m and a fourth place in the 3000m. Don't forget the amazing performance from Quebec’s own Olivier Jean in the mass start event that gave him his first long track World Championships medal.

Tyson Langelaar competing with the best juniors in the world.

The ISU Junior Speed Skating World Championships ended with a great total of 8 medals from our young canadian skaters. Tyson Langelaar from Manitoba got two individual bronze medals (1000m and 1500m), allround third place and won the silver medal in the team sprint with his teammates Connor Howe and David La Rue. Langelaar’s last lap was amazing. Béatrice Lamarche was the best woman in this competition for Canada with a bronze medal in the 1000m and in the mass start. David La Rue, who just started long track, got an impressive fourth place in the 1000m and participated in the team sprint silver medal. The inexhaustible Graeme Fish won bronze in the 5000m and in the mass start.

Long track future is in good hands.

Canadian performances at the Single Distances World Championships are a good sign for the Pyeongchang olympics and the future of speed skating in Canada is in good hands with some promising young skaters like Béatric Lamarche, Tyson Langelaar and David La Rue.