Orléans national speed skating team members Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann got the season off to a golden start on the weekend as the pair each won a gold medal at the ISU World Cup in Minsk, Belarus.
Blondin won the mass start event on Sunday by a whisker, nipping her rival Irene Schouten from the Netherlands in a sprint for the finish.
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| Ivanie Blondin is all smiles after winning the mass start event at the ISU World Cup in Minsk on the weekend. Speed Skattig Canada photo |
Weidemann won the 3,000 metres a day earlier. It was only her second World Cup win of her young career. Blondin won the bronze medal in the same race.
"It feels really great to start the season off with a first place," Weidemann said after the race. "I was very nervous for today, so it was nice to get the first one of the circuit out of the way. I’m excited to continue onto next weekend."
To win the gold medal in th mass start event, Blondin said she had to employ a short track move she learned while competing as a member of the Gloucester Concordes Speedskating Club and honed as a national team member.
"I pulled a short track move on her: I went wide going into the turn and then really tight coming out of the turn and was able to pass her in the last 100m. It feels really great to win a gold medal…and bring home another medal for Canada,” said Blondin
The Canadian long track team is back in action from November 22-24 in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland. The races will be live streamed on CBC Sports beginning at 10:00am ET on Friday and 9:00am ET on Saturday and Sunday.
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| Isabelle Weidemann (centre) and Ivanie Blondin finished first and third in the 3000-metre final at the first World Cup event of the season in Minsk. Speed Skating Canada photo |
THE OTTAWA SCHOOL OF THEATRE presents an all ages production of Treasure Island in the Richcraft Theatre at the Shenkman Arts Centre. Showtimes Thursday, April 18 and Friday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets $20 for adults. Students and youth 25 and under $10. To purchase visit 
TAPROOM 260 presents Michael Ben-Shalom live from 8-11 p.m. at 260 Centrum Blvd. For more information visit 
TAPROOM 260 presents The Underground live from 8-11 p.m. at 260 Centrum Blvd. For more information visit 
CLASSIC PIANO RECITAL – Orléans pianist Emily Hou will be performing works by Chopin, Mozart, Rachmaninov and Liszt at Kanata United Church as part os the Beaverbrook Community Concert Series. The recital will start promptly at 3 p.m. Kanata United Church is located at 33 Leacock Dr. in Kanata. For more information visit 
THE ORLÉANS BREWING CO. Trivia Night from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Call (613) 834-9005 to reserve your spot. The Orléans Brewing Co. is located at 4380 Innes Rd. near the Innes Road McDonalds.
