Relatively new in a sport tied to tradition, the mass start brings short-track jockeys and jostles for position in a 16-lap head-to-head race that includes intermediate sprints for points.
Blondin, of Ottawa, is a two-time world champion and won an Olympic silver medal in Beijing in 2022.
A dynamic of teamwork emerged during the mass start. One skater works in service to another – like a cycling servant – to eliminate interference, chase breakaways, and provide a body to fall back behind.
Maltais, from Saguenay, Quebec, performed this service for Blondin in Beijing, but chose to work alone during the 2022-2023 season. Maltais proposed a more equal partnership last year.
“This season is the first year we’ve truly worked together,” Maltais said. “Before, I worked for Ivanie, and after the Games, everyone did their own thing. I wasn’t having fun doing that.
“At the end of the season last year… I said ‘my wish is that we work together. It’s not me who works for you, nor you who work for me. But we work together to beat the Dutch. I believe we can do it. And if we don’t do that, I don’t think I want to do a mass boot anymore. I don’t have fun competing against other girls alone.
“We are both good skaters, we are intelligent and agile on the ice. I was like, “We can work together.” I think we proved that this season. For most races it worked.
Both 33-year-old women come from short track backgrounds. The duo has placed in the top four in three of six races this season.
Blondin won two World Cups and finished second twice, but was disqualified from a December race in Norway.
Maltais placed in the top six in five races, including three podiums, to win the season title.
Blondin finishing first and Maltais third in Salt Lake City is an example of how a partnership could put both in contention for a final sprint medal when it’s every man for himself.
They worked together to position themselves behind the Dutch Marijke Groenewoud and Irene Schouten before the bell round.
Blondin says sharing the tactical load benefits both. She and Maltais discuss different mass departure scenarios in advance.
“The other girls are looking at us thinking, ‘shoot, they work together,’” Blondin said. “I wasn’t opposed to it at all. I was looking forward to it because there were years where we raced and didn’t work together and it was just a huge disadvantage.
“All the other teams, the Dutch girls in particular, go into the race and don’t care who is on the podium at the end of the race as long as there is one. They work so perfectly together.
Maltais and Blondin race in the women’s 3000m to open the world championship on Thursday. Canada is a podium contender in both the men’s and women’s team sprints, as is Calgary’s Ted-Jan Bloemen in the men’s 5K that day.
Olympic champions Maltais, Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann of Ottawa will attempt to defend their world title in the women’s team pursuit on Friday, when sprinter Laurent Dubreuil of Lévis, Que., and American Jordan Stolz renew their rivalry in the men’s 500 meters .
The mass starts and 1,000 meters for men and women will take place on Saturday. Sunday’s men’s and women’s 1,500 meters, women’s 5 km and men’s 10 km conclude the event.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in February. 14, 2024.
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
