Canadian speed skater Weidemann races to 5,000m silver at World Cup in Netherlands

Ottawa's Isabelle Weidemann won the silver medal in the women's 5,000 metres Friday at the third event of the World Cup speed skating season in Heerenveen, Netherlands.

Weidemann, in a pairing with gold medallist Ragne Wiklund of Norway, got off to a slow start and was in 10th place after five of 13 laps.

But both skaters turned it on in the second half, with Weidemann climbing into second on the 12th lap.

Weidemann finished in six minutes 50.11 seconds, 1.10 seconds behind Wiklund. Joy Beune of the Netherlands was third in 6:51.83.

The result was the 30-year-old's first individual distance podium of the season and her first since taking 3,000 bronze at a World Cup stop in Beijing last year.

Canada's Weidemann captures World Cup speed skating silver in Heerenveen

"I'm happy with how things went today. I was having a hard time finding the pace. I kind of bounced around a bit — it was too slow, too fast, too slow. Once I found it and felt good," she said. "The last half, I think, was the best part. Generally, people start so much faster than I do. I was watching Ragne, and she was so smooth. I didn't want the gap to get too big, and I was trying to keep her in my sights."

The three-time Olympic medallist has 137 points and sits fourth in the long-distance rankings with one World Cup remaining before the Milan Cortina Games, which get underway Feb. 6.

Ottawa's Ivanie Blondin was 10th in 7:01.76 and Valerie Maltais of La Baie, Que., was 12th in 7:06.69.

Also Friday, Canada's Beatrice Lamarche of Quebec City placed sixth in the women's 1,000 metres in 1:15.13, finishing 0.96 seconds behind race winner Jutta Leerdam of the Netherlands. Lamarche, 27, sits third overall in the distance after earning bronze last month in Salt