HEERENVEEN, NETHERLANDS – Isabelle Weidemann and Connor Howe were Canada’s top performers on the final day of competition at the ISU World Speed Skating Championships in Heerenveen, the Netherlands.
Ottawa’s Weidemann was the top ranked Canadian on Sunday, finishing fourth overall in the first and only women’s 5000m race of the season. The 25-year old long distance specialist clocked in at 6:56.181, which helped her equal her career-best in the distance, a feat she also accomplished in 2019. Teammate Valérie Maltais of Saguenay, Que., also broke into the top-10, racing to a career-best seventh-place result in 7:05.830.
Irene Schouten of the Netherlands was crowned world champion thanks to a personal best time of 6:48.537. She was joined on the podium by Natalia Voronina of Russia (+2.46) and Dutch countrymate Carlijn Achtereekte (+3.68).
Canmore’s Connor Howe put forth his best performance of the season to earn a career-high sixth place finish in the men’s 1500m. The 20-year old completed the distances in 1:45.860, only 0.36 seconds off the bronze medal pace set by Patrick Roest of the Netherlands. Kjeld Nuis and Thomas Krol completed a Dutch sweep of the podium.
Howe’s ranking was the highest for a Canadian in the men’s 1500m since Vincent De Haître finished fourth overall in 2017.
In the men’s 10,000m, Sweden’s Nils van der Poel set a new world record of 12:32.949, eclipsing the time of 12:33.86 established by Canada’s Graeme Fish at last season’s World Championships in Salt Lake City. Reigning Olympic champion and former world record holder from 2015 to 2020 Ted-Jan Bloemen (Calgary, Alta.) was the fastest Canadian on Sunday, finishing sixth with a time of 13:08.252. Toronto’s Jordan Belchos was two spots behind him in eighth (13:11.082).
Maltais (1:57.417) and Quebec City’s Béatrice Lamarche (1:58.995) posted their fastest times of the season in the women’s 1500m, helping them earn career-best rankings of 13th and 16th overall, respectively. Teammate Abigail McCluskey (Penticton, B.C.) finished in 21st position (2:01.255).
Canada concludes the World Championships with five medals, including a historic world championship title for Laurent Dubreuil in the men’s 500m. The team also earned eleven World Cup medals during the condensed international season.