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Speed
Skating
Canadian
speed skaing team to have distinctive local flavour
By Fred Sherwin
The Orleans Star
Two
athletes with local roots will lead Canada's long track
speed skating team this season after winning five titles
between them at the recent Canadian Single Distance Championships
in Calgary.
Colonel
By Secondary School alum Isabelle Weidemann won three
titles (3,000, 5,000 and Mass Start) and Garneau grad
Ivanie Blondin had a pair of wins (1,000 and 1,500) to
nearly sweep the women's finals. The 500-metre event was
won by Saskatchewan native Marsh Hudley.
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Orléans
native Isabelle Weidemann won three events at the recent Canadian Single Distance
Championships in Calgary. Speed Skaing Canada Photo
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Weidemann
and Blondin both competed at the Winter Olympics in Korea
last February. Weidemann finished 6th in the 5,000 and
7th in the 3,000, while Blondin finished 4th in the 5,000
and 5th in the 3,000.
It
was Blondin's second Winter Games and Weidemann's first.
Previously
a long distance specialist, Blondin is now focused on
the intermediate distances. Her winning times in the 1,000-
and 1,500-metre events at the Canadian championships have
qualified her for the upcoming World Cup season at both
distances. She is also pre-qualified in the 5,000 metres
based on her past results in international competition.
The
same is true for Weidemann who qualifed in the 3,000,
5,000 and Mass Start by winning all three races.
The
23-year-old Weidemann easily met the Wolrd Cup qualifying
standard in the 3,000 with a time of 4:02.68 and she bettered
the qualifying standard in the 5,000 by five seconds,
despite being the only skater in the event.
The
two women are now preparing for the first World Cup event
of the season which will take place in Obihiro, Japan
from Nov. 16-18. A week later they will compete in Tomakomai,
Japan.
Other
World Cup events are being held in Tomaszow Mazoviecki,
Poland (Dec. 7-9); Heerenveen, Netherlands (Dec. 13-16);
and Hamar, Norway (Feb. 1-3). The World Single Distance
Championships will take place in Inzell, Germany on Feb.
7-10 and the World Cup Final will take place in Salt Lake
City on March 9-10.
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of
our local business partners.)
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TRIVIA NIGHT from 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday night at the Royal Oak Pub Orléans. Free to play. Prizes for the winning team! The Royal Oak Pub is located at 1981 St. Joseph Blvd. near Jeanne d'Arc. For more info visit 
OYSTER NIGHT every Wednesday from 6-9 pm at the Orléans Brewing Co. Two types of oysters served with lemon, Tobasco, horseradish, salt and mignonette. The Orléans Brewing Co. is located at 4380 Innes Rd., next to McDonalds.
OPEN MIC NIGHT at the Stray Dog Brewing Company, 501 Lacolle Way. Registration begins at 7 p.m. Music at 8 p.m. with your host Matthew Palmer.
SDBC TAPROOM CONCERT SERIES presents Redial live and in concert from 7-9 p.m. at the Stray Dog Brewing Company, 501 Lacolle Way in the Taylor Creek Business Park. Advance tickets $10 available at 
ANNUAL REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONY 11 a.m. at the Orléans Cenotaph beside the Orléans Legion Branch 632, 800 Taylor Creek Drive. Sandwiches and desserts following the ceremony inside the Legion.
THE ROTARY CLUB OF ORLEANS is hosting a Holiday Dinner at the St. Elias Banquet Centre, 750 Ridgewood Ave. Tickets: $75/person. 4 course dinner (choice of turkey, salmon or vegetarien), dessert and punch. Contact Mashooda Sayed at mashoodasyed@yahoo.ca or call 613-255-0872.
SDBC TAPROOM CONCERT SERIES presents East Coast Experience live and in concert from 7 p.m. at the Stray Dog Brewing Company, 501 Lacolle Way in the Taylor Creek Business Park. Advance tickets $25 available at 
