Canada’s Ivanie Blondin wins mass start gold at World Cup speedskating stop in Japan

OBIHIRO, Japan — Ottawa’s Ivanie Blondin kicked off the World Cup long-track speedskating season with a gold medal in the mass start in Obihiro, Japan on Friday.

Blondin earned a decisive victory in a time of eight minutes 25.11 seconds, defeating Esther Kiel of the Netherlands (8:25.45) and Mia Kilburg-Manganello of the United States (8:25.58) in a sprint to the finish line. 

Canadian teammate Valerie Maltais, of La Baie, Que., finished fourth in 8:26.05.

It was the 33-year-old Blondin’s second career mass start medal in Obihiro, having previously won gold in 2014.