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- calendar_today October 19, 2026
First-Time Winners Shine at Quebec City Event
The 2026 Canadian long track speed skating championships concluded in Quebec City on Sunday, with four athletes capturing their first national titles. Rose Laliberté-Roy, Rose-Anne Grenier, Antoine Roger, and Jake Weidemann each stood atop the podium in a weekend that also featured updated mass start rules and several standout performances.
1,000m Races Highlight Personal Triumphs
Rose Laliberté-Roy, a 27-year-old Olympian from Saint-Étienne, Quebec, secured a memorable victory in the women's 1,000m after finishing second in both 500m events at the meet's start. Laliberté-Roy set a winning time of 1:18.372, leading Julia Snelgrove of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (1:19.070), and Skylar Van Horne of Winnipeg, Manitoba (1:19.190), who rounded out the podium. This marked Laliberté-Roy's first national speed skating title.
Antoine Roger of Quebec City claimed gold in the men's 1,000m, outpacing Gatineau's Cédrick Brunet (1:10.231) and Calgary's Yankun Zhao (1:10.379) with a time of 1:09.981. Speaking after his victory, Roger credited his training and race strategy for the win, expressing satisfaction in executing at the right moment.
Debut of New Mass Start Rules
The 2026 championships marked the introduction of new national mass start rules, eliminating the last-place skater after each sprint lap. This resulted in dramatic racing and opened the door for first-time title winners on both the men's and women's side.
Rose-Anne Grenier of Sainte-Marie, Quebec, who captured bronze in the women's 3,000m for an earlier podium, won the women’s mass start in 9:15.361. She edged her training partner Laurie Cayer of Lévis, Quebec, and Selena Dallaire of Saskatoon. Grenier remarked on the fast-paced nature of the new format, noting it suited her dynamic racing style.
On the men’s side, Ottawa’s Jake Weidemann prevailed in a chaotic mass start with a time of 8:31.444, finishing ahead of Calgary’s Max Halyk and Prince George's Eric Orlowsky. Favourite Daniel Hall of Salmon Arm, B.C., was eliminated after getting boxed in, while two-time Olympian Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu, who led the pack for much of the race, faded in the closing laps.
Long Distance Champions: Hall and Fish Dominate
Laura Hall of Salmon Arm, B.C., added the women’s 5,000m crown to her earlier 3,000m title, finishing nearly ten seconds clear of Rose-Anne Grenier and Laurie Cayer with a winning time of 7:18.296. Hall mentioned experimenting with her racing technique, expressing satisfaction with the result and her control throughout the long event.
In the men's 10,000m, Graeme Fish from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, backed up his 5,000m championship by triumphing in 13:23.106. Fish was well ahead of Lévis' Aimé Perreault (14:03.789) and Jack Hanson of Fort St. John, B.C. (14:05.396), further establishing his status in the distance events.
Selection for World Cup Season Ahead
As the national championships wrapped up, skaters and coaches looked to upcoming international competitions. Results from Quebec City will help determine the athletes who will represent Canada in the long track World Cup season, with promising performances by both first-time and returning champions.
Highlights and Looking Forward
The 2026 Canadian long track championships in Quebec City served as a proving ground for both new talent and veteran skaters. With the successful debut of revised mass start rules and a fresh group of national champions, anticipation builds toward the international stage and future national competitions.
Source: cbc.ca.
