Isabelle Weidemann of Ottawa, Ontario won the gold medal in the women’s 3000 metre speed skating World Cup in Tomakomai, Japan on Saturday. Weidemann helped Canada earn two of three medals on the weekend in events with Olympic status as she was also on the Canadian team that won a silver in the women’s team pursuit.
Weidemann posted a track record in Tomakomai with a time of four minutes, 10.185 seconds. Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic won the silver medal with a time of four minutes, 13.005 seconds. Francesca Lollobrigida of Italy won the bronze medal with a time of four minutes, 13.472 seconds.
Weidemann earned a podium spot by 4.29 seconds. Natalia Voronina of Russia finished in fourth place with a time of four minutes, 14.475 seconds. After two races, Weidemann is in third place in the World Cup standings with 92 points. Sablikova leads with 102 points and Voronina is in second place with 97 points.
On Thursday, Weidemann teamed up with Ivanie Blondin of Ottawa, Ontario and Keri Morrison of Burlington, Ontario to win silver in the women’s team pursuit with a time of three minutes, 5.95 seconds. Japan won the gold medal with a time of 3:02.37. Russia won the bronze medal with a time of 3:06.69. Team Canada reached the podium by 1.98 seconds over the Netherlands, who finished in fourth place with a time of 3:07.93. Canada is in second place in the World Cup standings after two races with 194 points. Japan leads with 240 points.
Like Weidemann, Blondin also won two medals on the weekend. Blondin won the bronze medal in the women’s mass start. Bo-Reum Kim of South Korea won the gold medal and Lollobrigida won the silver medal. Blondin is in third place in the World Cup women’s mass start standings after two races with 176 points. Kim leads with 216 points and Lollobrigida is in second with 194 points.
