Ivanie Blondin wins mass start gold in Calgary, leading a strong Canadian showing with team pursuit silver and multiple podiums at the World Cup.
Blondin Strikes Mass Start Gold in Calgary Finale
Emotional Win Closes Out Final Home World Cup
Canadian speed skater Ivanie Blondin delivered a powerful mass start victory on Sunday at Calgary’s Olympic Oval, earning what she believes will be her final World Cup gold on home ice. The 35-year-old surged ahead in the final sprint of the 16-lap event, drawing loud cheers from a crowd that included her family and longtime supporters. Preparing to retire at the end of the season, Blondin described the moment as both “emotional” and deeply meaningful after nearly two decades training in Calgary.
Podium Battle Highlights Canada’s Depth
The race featured the fast-paced, strategic exchanges typical of mass start competition, with intermediate sprints and tight pack movement reminiscent of short track. Blondin outpaced Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands for gold, while American Mia Manganello narrowly secured third. Canadian teammate Valérie Maltais, also a former short-track athlete, finished an extremely close fourth — missing the podium by just 0.03 seconds.
Team Pursuit Silver Adds to Weekend Success
Earlier in the day, Canada earned silver in the women’s team pursuit, finishing behind the Netherlands in a tight race. Blondin, Isabelle Weidemann, and Maltais clocked 2:52.68, just behind the Dutch time of 2:52.52. Despite a shaky start — Maltais’s helmet was knocked off-centre following accidental contact with Weidemann — the Olympic champion trio secured their second straight World Cup silver after opening the season with a podium in Salt Lake City.
Canadian Medal Count Climbs in Calgary
The host nation finished the second World Cup of the season with four medals: one gold, one silver, and two bronzes. Maltais captured bronze in the 3,000 metres, while Calgary’s Ted-Jan Bloemen earned bronze in the men’s 5,000. Maltais now holds five medals across the opening two World Cups, underscoring her strong start to the season.
International Standouts Dominate Sprint and Distance Events
Beyond Canada’s success, several international athletes delivered headline performances. American star Jordan Stolz, 21, captured the men’s 500m and secured his third gold of the Calgary stop after earlier wins in the 1,000 and 1,500. In women’s sprint events, Dutch skaters swept the top four positions in the 500, with world-record holder Femke Kok earning her second gold in as many days. The United States won the men’s team pursuit, followed by France and the Netherlands.
Canadian Team Heads to Europe Next
With two of five World Cups completed, Canada now prepares for December competitions in Heerenveen, Netherlands, and Hamar, Norway. The strong home-ice results position the team well as they build toward the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Games, reinforcing their depth in both distance and pursuit events.
