Canadians Junio, Dubreuil just miss World Cup speed skating medals
In virtual tie for 4th, .01 behind Netherland's Verbij in 500m race
Canadian speed skaters Gilmore Junio and Laurent Dubreuil narrowly missed landing on the podium in a World Cup speed skating event in Stavanger, Norway, placing fourth and fifth, respectively.
Skating in separate pairings, Dubreuil, from Lèvis, Que. was only .01 behind his opposition, Kai Verbij of the Netherlands who produced the third-fastest 500m time in the competition, 34.88. Junio, from Calgary, skated after Dubreuil and clocked the same time, though he was placed in fourth because he was actually .001 of a second faster than Dubreuil.
World Cup leader Pavel Kulizhnikov won the race in 34.71, .03 ahead of his Russian countryman Ruslan Murashov
Heather McLean, from Winnipeg, had Canada's best women's result on the opening day of competition, placing fifth in the 500m. She was .07 behind bronze medallist Jorien ter Mors of the Netherlands. China finished 1-2 in the race with Hong Zhang topping Jing Yu for gold.
Vincent de Haitre posted Canada's top 1500m result, 14th, while Kaylin Irvine placed 18th in the women's 1000m.
Competition continues Saturday with a second women's 500, the men's 1000, women's 1500 and the men's 5000.