CALGARY-Olympic champion Ted-Jan Bloemen and world champion Laurent Dubreuil are leading a Canadian long-distance speed skating team that will compete in the Beijing Winter Olympics next month without an event.

The 16 skaters were selected based on the standings from four world cup events in November and December.

A Skate-off planned for the last Olympic moorings in the new indoor oval of Quebec City in December. 27-31 was canceled due to the increase in the recent times-Omicron variant in this province.

Eight men and eight women will run the maple leaf in the Beijing national speed skating oval, also known as the Ice Ribbon, which is less than the maximum quota of nine athletes per gender per country.

Speed Skating Canada has been testing the alignment of a Skate-off at Calgary’s Olympic Oval, but delaying it until January was risky, Chief executive Susan said.

“When we realized how fast this Variant was moving in Canada, it really didn’t seem possible to move it anywhere else, and cancellation was the safest option for our entire Olympic team,” he also said during a video conference on Tuesday.

Calgary Bloemen is the defending Olympic champion in the men’s 10,000 meters and Dubreuil de Lévis, Que., won the 500 meters at the World Championships last year.

The skaters began isolating themselves Jan. 10 before the team’s Jan. 26 departure for China. Anyone traveling to Beijing for the Olympics must submit two negative tests before departure to board a plane.

Speed skating competition begins Feb. 5 with the Women’s 3,000 Meters.

“It can add a little bit of stress,” said Ivanie Blondin, who will be competing in her third Olympics. “In fact, I was only told that the best thing we can do as an athlete is to focus only on the task at hand and try not to insist on things from the outside.

“I think once we are all in China, it will be a little more convenient.”

What would normally be a time to celebrate your appointment to the Olympic team with your friends and family is now a time of daily testing.

“It was a real challenge. We couldn’t meet family and friends and really enjoy this Moment,” Isabelle Weidemann said.

“We’re just trying to find the little bits of joy and make sure it’s fun. We’re stuck in a bubble, but we’re also going to the Olympics, so it’s very exciting.”

Four years ago in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Bloemen won Canada’s two speed skating medals with gold in the 10k and silver in the 5k.

Blondin is a two-time world champion in the women’s mass race and Weidemann is currently leading the World Cup standings in the women’s long-distance race.

Blondin and Weidemann, both of Ottawa, and Valérie Maltais of Saguenay, Que., are medalists in the team pursuit.

Marsha Hudey of White City, Sask. In recent years, the number of unemployed has increased sharply in recent years. and Alexa Scott from Clandeboye, Man., Tour of the Canadian women’s contingent.

Toronto Jordan Belchos, Graeme poisson of Moose Jaw, Sask., Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu of Sherbrooke, Que., Connor Howe of Canmore, Alta., Winnipeg’s Tyson Langelaar (Tyson Langelaar) and Calgary’s Gilmore Junio (Gilmore Junio) rounded out the men’s team.

In addition to the recent times that limited training i, speed skaters did not skate for nine months at their national training center due to a mechanical failure in the Calgary Oval between Septembe and June.

“We managed to train enough last year, when we couldn’t skate on good ice to maintain our fitness and strength,” Bloemen said.

“When we came back on the ice this summer, we had just enough time to build ourselves up and approach this Season like any other Season. As I see it, it was not a problem at all.”

Speed Skating Canada has appointed five Non-travel assistants to the team: Olympic cyclist Vincent de Haître of Cumberland, Ont. In recent years, the number of unemployed has been steadily increasing in recent years.

Saskatoon Todd McClement, Gregor Jelonek of Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, Que. Mark Wild of Milton, Ont. Bart Schouten (Bart Schouten) and Remmelt Eldering (Remmelt Eldering) from the Netherlands are Canada’s coaches in Beijing.

Canadian long-distance skaters won a total of 37 1924 Olympic Winter medals, including nine gold medals.