What to know for the long track speed skating world championships

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Canada's collection of long track speed skaters might be as strong as ever, with legit medal contenders across multiple disciplines.

They'll be put to the test at the world championships, which begin Thursday in the Netherlands. Live coverage of the event through Sunday will be available on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem.

Here's everything you need to know:

Women

Isabelle Weidemann, Ivanie Blondin and Valerie Maltais might form the most dominant team in Canada right now. The reigning Olympic team pursuit champions are unbeaten in three races this season, a feat they also achieved during the 2022 World Cup campaign. But another victory at worlds is far from guaranteed: the Netherlands placed second in the season-long standings with a pair of silvers, and Japan, which was third, crashed out of the Olympic final while holding a lead in the final lap.

Weidemann was Canada's flag-bearer at the closing ceremony in Beijing after collecting a medal of each colour. Now 27, the Ottawa native seemed prime for World Cup dominance. But it hasn't quite played out that way, at least in individual events, with Weidemann climbing just two podiums all season, in each of her first two races. Even still, a consistent season left Weidemann ranked second overall in long distances. In case you missed it, we covered Weidemann in yesterday's newsletter after she helped a younger speed skating Isabelle capture four medals at the Canada Games.

Blondin's best event is the chaotic mass start, in which she finished worse than sixth just once all season and wound up leading the overall