Short track: Blais wins silver, Dubois secures bronze at World Cup in Montreal
Canadian athletes increased their medal haul by three on the final day of the ISU Short Track World Cup at Maurice-Richard Arena in Montreal, Quebec. Part two of a double-header, many speed skaters began the season last weekend at the same venue.
Danaé Blais skated to her second medal of the weekend, capturing silver in the 1000m final with a time of 1:31.471. Two Koreans joined Blais on the podium. Seo Whimin won gold (1:31.288) and Park Jiyun rounded out the podium with bronze (1:31.505).
The Canadian men teamed up for the 5000m relay final to bring home Canada’s second silver medal of the day. The team of William Dandjinou, Steven Dubois, Jordan Pierre-Gilles and Felix Roussel skated a time of 7:03.875. China finished with gold (7:03.468) and Kazakhstan completed the podium with bronze (7:05.352).
At the first World Cup last weekend, the men’s team secured gold in the event.
READ: Canada takes gold in men’s, women’s relay at ISU World Cup Short Track
Skating in the second individual 1500m final, Steven Dubois claimed the third step of the podium. He posted a time of 2:20.575 to finish behind two Korean skaters, Kim Gun Woo (2:20.294) and Park Ji Won (2:20.406). Canadian teammate Pascal Dion finished just off the podium in fourth position after clocking a time of 2:20.828.
This is the final day of competition at the second ISU Short Track World Cup of the season.
William Dandjinou raced to his first individual World Cup victory on Saturday
Canadian speed skaters captured three gold medals and one bronze medal at the World Cup on Saturday.
After winning his first individual medal in the 1,000 metres last week, William Dandjinou skated to gold in the first men’s 1500 final to claim his first-ever World Cup victory. He posted a time of 2:21.780 to finish ahead of Korea’s Hwang Daeheon (2:21.809) and Kim Gun Woo (2:21.918).
In the men’s 500m final, Jordan Pierre-Gilles secured the top spot with a time of 40.349. Two Chinese skaters, Liu Shaolin (40.420) and Lin Xiaojun (40.580), completed the podium. Steven Dubois finished off the podium in fourth.
On the women’s side, Rikki Doak took home gold in the 500m final on Saturday. Her time of 42.408 seconds put her ahead of Selma Poutsma (42.734) of the Netherlands and Martina Valcepina (45.877) of Italy. The reigning World 500m Champion, Dutch Xandra Velzeboer, received a disqualification.
Danaé Blais finished with the bronze medal in the first women’s 1500m final, posting a time of 2:34.951. Korea’s Kim Gilli took the top spot with a time of 2:34.588 and American Kristen Santos-Griswold finished with the silver medal in 2:34.829.
Canadian teammates Courtney Sarault (2:35.352) and Claudia Gagnon (2:35.852) finished fourth and fifth, respectfully.
