Maltais, sprint team earn Canada two silvers at final speedskating World Cup

INZELL — Valérie Maltais earned her second podium of the weekend on Sunday, bringing home silver in the women’s mass start to conclude the final speedskating World Cup event of the season.

The 35-year-old from La Baie, Que., finished the 16-lap race in eight minutes 38.77 seconds, behind Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands (8:38.32).

“Obviously, I wanted a podium but today was more about how I felt while racing,” Maltais said. “I’m kind of surprised with my weekend. I just finished a hard training block and didn’t know exactly how I would feel.

“I have some good legs and seem to be recovering well, so I’m very happy. Hopefully I will keep feeling better – we’ll see in two weeks.”

Ottawa’s Ivanie Blondin narrowly missed the podium at 8:39.29 behind American Mia Manganello, who outstretched Blondin at the finish line to stop the clock just a hundredth of a second quicker.

Blondin still finished Sunday’s competition with a medal, teaming up with Quebec City’s Béatrice Lamarche and Carolina Hiller-Donnelly of Prince George, B.C., to guide Canada to silver in the women’s team sprint (1:26.84).

The Dutch set a track record time of 1:25.52 to win gold, while the host Germans finished in bronze-medal position (1:28.45).

Canada’s long track speedskating team will remain in Inzell for a week-long training camp, before heading to Italy for the Olympics. Racing at the Milano Ice Park’s temporary oval in Rho runs from Feb. 7-21.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 25, 2026.