Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu showcased his prowess at the Canadian long track championships in Calgary, breaking a 19-month hiatus from mass start races. Despite initial nerves, the speed skater from Sherbrooke, Que., maintained composure throughout the 16-lap men’s competition, strategically positioning himself for a victorious final sprint. Clocking in at 7 minutes 55.88 seconds, Gélinas-Beaulieu clinched first place, with Jake Weidemann from Ottawa trailing closely at 7:55.96 and David LaRue from Montreal at 7:56.43.
Reflecting on his win, Gélinas-Beaulieu shared, “It has been two years since I raced a mass start. The last time was here in Calgary, when I won silver at the World Championships. There were a lot of competitive skaters today, but my race went well. There are no easy mass start races, but there were no big surprises in this one, which helped me position myself for the final sprint.”
On the women’s side, Valérie Maltais from La Baie, Que., emerged as the victor in a field of 14 competitors. Maltais secured the title by overtaking Rose-Anne Grenier from Sainte-Marie, Que., and Darby Beeson from Airdrie, Alta., in the last lap, finishing at 9:08.72. Grenier claimed silver with a time of 9:10.46, while Beeson secured bronze at 9:10.61, narrowly edging out Calgary’s Isabelle Champagne.
Expressing her excitement, Maltais stated, “I was nervous but confident ahead of today’s race. There are always uncertainties in a mass start, but I felt good and knew I had the speed. Winning today’s race was important to me so I could represent Canada at the World Cups again.”
Meanwhile, Ottawa’s Ivanie Blondin has earned prequalification for the World Cups due to her stellar performance on the international stage last season, culminating in a world Championship silver in Hamar, Norway. The selection for Canada’s team in the upcoming World Cup campaign will be based on the results from these championships and the previous year’s international performances, with the announcement expected in the following weeks.