Canadian speed skater Ivanie Blondin celebrated a memorable victory in the World Cup mass start event at Calgary’s Olympic Oval, marking her final win on home ice before her planned retirement at the end of the season. The 35-year-old thrilled the crowd as she surged ahead in the chaotic race’s final stretch, expressing her emotional connection to the event and the support from her family, sponsors, and friends. Blondin, a silver medallist in the Olympic mass start, has a long history of training and competing at the Oval, where she clinched her 88th World Cup medal, including 11 golds in the mass start discipline. The intense 16-lap mass start race, with its strategic passing maneuvers and physicality reminiscent of short track, saw Blondin and her Canadian teammate Valérie Maltais, a former short track skater, facing stiff competition from international rivals. Following their silver medal win in the women’s team pursuit, the Canadian team left a mark at the World Cup event with a total of four medals, setting the stage for their upcoming competitions in Europe. Amidst the excitement, American skater Jordan Stolz also shone, securing victories in multiple events, adding to the weekend’s thrilling speed skating action.