Howe skates to silver, Weidemann claims bronze at season-opening long track World Cup stop
Canada finishes 5th in men's team pursuit on Day 1 in Stavanger, Norway
Canada's Connor Howe earned silver and Isabelle Weidemann took bronze on Friday in the first day of international long track speed skating competition of the 2022-23 season.
Howe reached the podium in the men's 1,500-metre race, and Weidemann got her medal in the women's 3,000 metres at the season-opening long track World Cup stop in Stavanger, Norway.
Howe, from Canmore, Alta., won only the third individual World Cup medal of his career. Racing in the penultimate pair, Howe finished in one minute 46.656 seconds.
"With a bit more efficiency and feel of the ice, I can definitely go faster," said Howe. "But it's a good start to the season and towards my goal of getting on the podium in the 1,500 metres at World Cups and World Championships."
WATCH | Howe wins silver:
Jordan Stolz of the United States won in 1:44.891 to set a new track record. China's Zhongyan Ning crossed the line in 1:46.685 for bronze.
"I'm happy with today's results, but not supper satisfied with the way that I skated," said Weidemann. "I feel like I couldn't really find the power and struggled a little bit.
"Overall, I'm happy with the first race and happy to get it out of the way."
WATCH | Weidemann captures bronze:
Ivanie Blondin (seventh) and Valérie Maltais (ninth) also earned top ten results for Canada in the distance.
In the men's team pursuit, Howe was joined by Winnipeg's Tyson Langelaar and Antoine Gelinas-Beaulieu of Sherbrooke. Que., as the Canadians skated to a fifth-place finish.
