Canadian trio captures gold medal, sets national record in women's team pursuit at ISU speed skating World Cup

Canada's Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann, and Valerie Maltais won gold in the women's team pursuit, setting a new Canadian record in the process on Saturday in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

The trio with a time of two minutes 52.412 seconds, bests their previous Canadian record set in Salt Lake City in 2020 by over a second.

They were about a quarter-second ahead of a Dutch team (2:52.692). The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) was well back in third (2:56.220).

Andzelika Wojcik of Poland won gold in the 500 in 36.775 seconds at the Utah Olympic Oval. Angelina Golikova of the ROC was second at 36.786, repeating her finish in Friday's first 500. Olga Fatkulina of the ROC was third at 36.937.

WATCH l Blondin, Weidemann, Maltais win women's team pursuit event:

Canada claims gold in women's team pursuit at speed skating World Cup

3 years ago

Duration 5:16

Ivanie Blondin, Isabelle Weidemann and Valerie Maltais win the women’s team pursuit event at the ISU Speed Skating World Cup in Salt Lake City.

American Erin Jackson finished sixth, losing for just the second time this season, with a time of 37.029. She won the first 500 in an American-record time of 36.809 Friday.

"I had what I think is a bit of a false start, but it wasn't called back," she said. "Mentally, when I had that disturbance at the start then I was just kind of scrambling the rest of the race. It just comes down to being able to refocus after something like that."

Jackson still leads the World Cup standings with 332 points, 36 ahead of Golikova. Jackson swept the 500 races at the season-opening meet in Poland. She earned a split in Norway and again on her home ice in Utah.

American Joey Mantia won the men's 1,500 with a personal-best time of 1 minute, 41.154 seconds. He came up short of his goal of skating under 1:41.

"I felt a little weird this morning, a little nauseous, just maybe nerves got the best of me because I've really been focusing on this 15, especially this one at home," he said. "I had my eyes on the world record. I could have attacked the second lap a little more aggressively, but without the help from the air pressure, I don't think the world record was even possible today."

Canadian Howe beats personal record

Canada's Connor Howe beat his personal with a time of 1:42.555 to finish sixth, 1.40 seconds behind Mantia.

Zhongyan Ning of China was second at 1:41.386, also a personal best. Thomas Krol of the Netherlands was third and Connor Howe of Canmore, Alta., was sixth.

Mantia came back later to finish 10th in the mass start.

"I was just too tired," he said. "I couldn't do anything in the race."

Miho Takagi of Japan claims women's 1,000

In the women's 1,000, Miho Takagi of Japan won in 1:11.834. Jutta Leedram of the Netherlands was second at 1:12.254.

American Brittany Bowe finished third, calling her result "dirty gold."

"Obviously, not what I had wished for, but a solid race," she said. "I just didn't get the speed going on that first lap. Miho had a great race, a great first lap. Jutta also had a great race, so I'll have to take the third for now, but always going for the gold."

Bowe and Takagi are tied atop the World Cup standings with 168 points each.

Bart Swings of Belgium, silver medallist at the 2018 Olympics, won the men's mass start in 7:25.42.