Denny Morrison, Ivanie Blondin win medals in World Cup speed skating
Denny Morrison of Chetwynd, B.C. picked up a bronze medal in the 1,500-metre race at a World Cup speed skating event in Hamar, Norway on Sunday.
According to Speed Skating Canada, the 29-year-old reached the podium to notch the 40th individual World Cup medal of his career and his first this year.
He completed the track in 1:46.03 behind Denis Yuskov of Russia (1:45.07) and Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands (1:45.80).
Morrison's time fell one hundredth of a second short of his season best of 1:46.02, set in the 1,500 at the Canadian single distance championships on Jan. 2.
"I've been feeling pretty good all week and especially after a good five [kilometre race] Saturday," the four-time Olympic medallist said in a news release from Speed Skating Canada. "I had a bit of confidence heading into the 1,500 and I was able to execute my race plan, which allowed me to skate as well here as I did on the faster ice in Calgary [in January]."
Morrison has racked up 52 team and individual World Cup medals.
Fellow Canadian, Alec Janssens of Chilliwack, B.C., finished 18th in the 1,500 A group race in a time of 1:50.01.
Also Sunday, Ivanie Blondin earned her sixth World Cup medal of the season by finishing second in the mass start event. The Ottawa native took silver with 40 points.
Irene Schouten (61 points) of the Netherlands edged out Blondin by 0.04 seconds at the finish line for gold. Schouten's teammate, Mariska Huisman (23 points) won bronze.
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Earlier Sunday, Blondin was disqualified in the 3,000 after stumbling and kicking a block separating the two lanes, costing Canada a quota spot in the women's event at the World Allround Speed Skating Championships March 7-8 in Calgary.
"Today's mass start was definitely a struggle after being disqualified," Blondin said. "I'm pleased with the silver in the mass start. I wouldn't have been able to do it without the support of my teammate Kali Christ, who is most affected by my disqualification for a quota spot in the World Allround Championships."
Christ, a Regina native, placed 13th in the mass start as well as ninth in the women's 3,000 B race (4:15.32), followed by fellow Canadians Isabelle Weidemann of Ottawa, 18th (4:18.20), Josie Spence of Kamloops, B.C., 19th (4:18.68) and Nicole Garrido of Edmonton, 23rd (4:20.21).
Elsewhere, Calgary's Ted-Jan Bloemen secured Canada's second quota spot for the men, finishing fifth in Sunday's 1,500 B race in 1:49.19.
"It's a big event and I'm looking forward to representing Canada on our home ice in Calgary," he said.
In other Canadian results:
- Winnipeg's Stefan Waples, 24th (1:51.02) in the 1,500 B race
- Jordan Belchos of Markham, Ont., 37th (1:53.11) in the 1,500 B race
- Rob Watson of Whitby, Ont., 11th in men's mass start
- Waples 20th in men's mass start
