Canadian Speed skaters Ivanie Blondin, Valérie Maltais share 1st Mass Start World Cup medal

Speed Skating Canada World Cup. Image credit Twitter handle of Speed Skating Canada

Toronto/CMEDIA: Ivanie Blondin and Valérie Maltais became the first Canadians to make speed skating World Cup history by sharing the medal podium in the Mass Startto on Sunday.

The 32-year-old Maltais of Saguenay, Que., clocked eight minutes 58.56 seconds in silver medal position while Blondin reached the line in Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Poland, 1-10th of a second.

“I am very happy with this podium today,” Maltais was reported telling the Speed Skating Canada of her first career individual distance medal on the circuit…My goal since the start of the season was to make a podium in this distance…and I’m happy that it worked out.”

The world championships, the international long track season finale is scheduled for March 2-5 in Heerenveen, Netherlands. 

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