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Day 7 of Lake Placid 2023: Another day, another medal for Rousseau!
The Canadian successes at the Lake Placid Olympic Oval continued Friday on the last day of long track speed skating events at the 2023 FISU World University Winter Games. David La Rue won the gold medal in the men’s mass start event, while teammate Hubert Marcotte placed third.
At the end of a crazy 16-lap race, La Rue was the first to cross the finish line, capturing his third medal at these FISU Games. The Finance student from Laval University previously won the bronze medal in the men’s 1,000m and pursuit events.
This was a second podium for Marcotte (also from Laval), who also placed third with the Canadian men’s pursuit team earlier this week.
With a total of 10 medals and two days to go, Canada has tied its second-best performance at the FISU Winter Games, in Tarvisio, Italy in 2003. The Canadian record (18 medals) was set at the 1985 Games in Belluno, Italy.
“It’s very fun to finish with a gold medal, said La Rue. It was a very challenging and aggressive race, with many falls and contacts. To step on the podium with Hubert to conclude this competition is incredible. I could not ask for more.”
Both La Rue and Marcotte are former short track speed skaters, which helped them in this tight race.
“With 26 athletes on the starting line, we knew there would be elbowing along the way, said Marcotte. The strategy was to pick someone to follow, and for me that was David. Then I had to take my place and not let anyone push me around. We also had to save energy for the end of the race.”
Canadian skaters were tremendously successful at the Olympic Oval this week with a medal haul of six. On top of La Rue and Marcotte, University of Calgary’s Laura Hall (gold at women’s 3,000m) and Laval’s Rose-Anne Grenier (bronze at women’s 3,000m) also stepped on the podium.
“It’s one of the best meets I took part in, said La Rue. The friendship between nations was very enjoyable. We were playing board games or video games together at the hotel.”