Ottawa speedskater Ivanie Blondin wins World Cup women’s mass start title

HEERENVEEN, Netherlands — Ottawa speedskater Ivanie Blondin captured the overall World Cup women’s mass start title Sunday in the final day of competition on the circuit.

Blondin finished fifth in the final mass start race of the season with a time of eight minutes 31.01 seconds, but the 60 points earned ensured she finished the season at the top of the standings at 548 points.

Melissa Wijfje of the Netherlands was first in a time of 8:11.74, followed by Maryna Zuyeva of Belarus (8:12.54) and Irene Schouten of the Netherlands (8:30.63).

Schouten, who missed the fifth race in the six-competition schedule, was second overall with 492 points, followed by Japan’s Nana Takagi at 442.

Valerie Maltais of Saguenay, Que., was 13th in Sunday’s race.

Blondin also competed in the women’s 1,500 metres, finishing eighth.

In men’s competition, Laurent Dubreil of Levis, Que., continued his excellent finish to the season with his third silver medal of the World Cup final.

Dubreuil finished second in the men’s 500 metres in a time of 34.304 seconds. Japan’s Tatsuya Shinhama won gold with a track-record time of 34.07 seconds. His compatriot Yamato Matsui was third in 34.365 seconds.

Alex Boisvert-Lacroix of Sherbrooke, Que., was eighth and Calgary’s Gilmore Junio was 11th.

Dubreuil also took silver in another 500-metre race as well as the 1,000 metres on Saturday. The two second-place finishes in the 500 vaulted him into third place overall in the discipline’s final overall standings.

In other results, Winnipeg’s Tyson Langelaar was fourth in the men’s 1,500 metres and finished sixth in the overall standings. Antoine Gelinas-Beaulieu of Sherbrooke was 11th.

Calgary’s Kaylin Irvine of was seventh in Sunday’s women’s 500, and Toronto’s Jordan Belchos was eighth in the men’s mass start and finished sixth overall in the discipline.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2020.

The Canadian Press