By The Canadian Press

Canada’s speedskating champions ready to defend Olympic team pursuit title

Feb 17, 2026 | 2:00 AM

MILAN — Canada’s reigning Olympic champion women’s speedskating team returns to defend its title in the team pursuit semifinals Tuesday at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

Valérie Maltais of La Baie, Que., and Ottawa’s Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann posted the fastest quarterfinal time at two minutes 55.03 seconds and will face the United States in the semifinal. The medal races are scheduled for later in the day.

Canada’s men’s hockey team will learn its quarterfinal opponent as Czechia and Denmark meet in a qualification playoff. The Canadians cruised through their three Group A games, outscoring opponents 20-3 behind Connor McDavid’s nine points.

In Livigno, snow and poor visibility forced Milan Cortina Olympic organizers to postpone both the women’s snowboard slopestyle final and freestyle aerials qualification.

Laurie Blouin and Juliette Pelchat are set to compete in the women’s final, which had originally been scheduled for 7 a.m. Blouin, an Olympic silver medallist in 2018, returns to the final chasing another podium, while Pelchat qualified in her Olympic debut.

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

Organizers said they’d make a decision on a new date and time later Tuesday, citing “unfavourable weather conditions.”

Madeline Schizas returns to the ice for the women’s singles short program after helping Canada to fourth in the team event and will look to improve on her 18th-place finish at the 2022 Beijing Games.


This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 17, 2026.

The Canadian Press