A Breakthrough Weekend
Jake Weidemann of Ottawa claimed gold in the men’s mass start event at the Canadian long track speed skating championships, crossing the line in 8:31.444 to secure his first national title. He edged out Calgary’s Max Halyk and Eric Orlowsky of Prince George, B.C., in a race that had plenty of twists before the finish.
Reading The Chaos Right
This year’s mass start was raced under a brand new elimination format, where the last place skater is cut after every sprint lap, and the unpredictability worked in Weidemann’s favour. Pre-race favourite Daniel Hall of Salmon Arm, B.C., got boxed in behind a group of skaters on the second sprint lap and couldn’t recover, while two-time Olympian Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu led much of the pack before fading to fourth late in the race.
Weidemann credited a mix of intensity and patience for the win. “With the new format we knew it was going to be fast and that some of the newer guys would be surging to make sure they could stay in the race,” he said. “I just tried to approach it with a lot of intensity and tried to stay in the front of the pack as much as possible, while still hiding in the draft when I could.”
A Strong Weekend For Canadian Skating
Weidemann wasn’t the only first time champion crowned in Quebec City on Sunday. Rose Laliberté-Roy took the women’s 1,000m in 1:18.372, Antoine Roger won the men’s 1,000m on home ice in 1:09.981, and Rose-Ann Grenier captured the women’s mass start title in 9:15.361. Elsewhere on the weekend’s schedule, Salmon Arm’s Laura Hall and Moose Jaw’s Graeme Fish turned in dominant performances in the 5,000m and 10,000m respectively.
What It Means Going Forward
These national championships aren’t just about hardware. The results from Quebec City will help determine the lineup representing Canada on the upcoming long track World Cup circuit, which means Ottawa could soon have a familiar face competing on the international stage. For a city that loves cheering on its homegrown athletes, Weidemann’s breakthrough is one worth watching closely as the winter season unfolds.