Canadian Speedskater Blondin Secures Bronze at World Cup, Olympic Qualification Looms
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Canadian long-track speedskater Isabelle Blondin earned a bronze medal in the women’s mass start event at a recent World Cup competition, finishing just behind Dutch rivals Marijke Groenewoud and Bente kerkhoff. The result comes as Canada’s top speedskaters prepare for the upcoming Long Track Canada cup, where remaining team spots for the 2026 Milan cortina Olympics will be determined.
race Recap
Blondin, 35, strategically positioned herself throughout the race, closely shadowing Marijke Groenewoud. Despite a strong finish, she was unable too overtake Groenewoud in the final sprint.
The official results were:
* Bente Kerkhoff (Netherlands): 8:23.19 (Gold)
* Marijke Groenewoud (Netherlands): 8:24.28 (Silver)
* Isabelle Blondin (Canada): 8:24.47 (Bronze)
* Valérie Maltais (Canada): 8:24.89 (Fifth)
Olympic Qualification on the Horizon
The Long Track Canada Cup, scheduled for January 3-6 in Quebec City, will be crucial for Canadian speedskaters hoping to secure their place on the team for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. https://www.speedskating.ca/events/long-track-canada-cup-2025
2025-26 Season Outlook
Following the Canada Cup, the international speedskating season continues with a final World cup stop in Inzell, Germany, from January 23-25. Though, team pursuit races will not be included in this event. https://www.isu.org/speed-skating/events/world-cup-speed-skating
Key takeaways
* Isabelle Blondin secured a bronze medal in the women’s mass start at a recent World Cup event.
* The Long Track Canada Cup in quebec City will determine the remaining olympic team spots for Canada.
* The 2025-26 international season concludes with a World Cup in Inzell, Germany, excluding team pursuit races.
This result demonstrates the continued strength of the Canadian speedskating program and sets the stage for an exciting competition as athletes vie for Olympic berths. the upcoming Canada cup will be a key event for fans to watch as the team for the 2026 Winter Olympics takes shape.