Canada's speed skaters hope for a strong finish at the world championships

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Canada's long-track speed skaters took a step back this season. After winning 23 medals, including five golds, across the six World Cup stops in 2023-24, they ended up with just 16 total and two golds when the tour wrapped up a couple of weeks ago. That left Canada seventh in total medals — down from fourth last season.

Another decline seems almost inevitable at the world single-distances championships, running Thursday through Sunday in Norway. Last year, when this event took place at Calgary's Olympic Oval, Canadians captured a national-record 10 medals — trailing only the perennial powerhouse Netherlands' 13. It'll be tough to match that kind of production far away from home at the end of a so-so season.

Still, Canada has some strong medal contenders this week at the Hamar Olympic Hall, also known as the Vikingskipet (Viking Ship).

Let's start with Ivanie Blondin, a five-time world champion and double Olympic medallist who led all Canadians with eight World Cup podiums this season. Four of those came in individual races — including a surprising victory in the 3,000m opener in Japan back in November that turned out to be Canada's only solo gold of the season. Blondin also earned a silver in the mass start (her specialty) at that same meet before finishing with a bronze and a silver in the mass start at the final two World Cups.

WATCH | Blondin captures mass start bronze in Poland:

Ottawa's Ivanie Blondin bags mass start bronze in Poland

The 34-year-old added four relay medals over the course of the season, including a gold and a silver in the women's team sprint.