Latest news with #Blondin
Cambrian News
25-04-2025
- Science
- Cambrian News
Gwynedd quarry becomes first underwater escape room and museum children can use
The relocation of the winch machine for the Blondin presented significant challenges, particularly as it weighed over 10 tonnes and was situated beneath a collapsed roof, close to the water's edge leaving not much room for the crane to operate in. A large team of specialists undertook this enormous task, which took a total of 14 hours to complete, even with machinery prepared in advance. The full dimensions and exact weight of the machine were previously unknown, adding to the complexity of the operation. The first step involved carefully removing the slate roof—a formidable task due to its substantial weight. The machine was meticulously disassembled into four major components. These components were then reassembled in their new display location, maintaining the integrity of their original arrangement. During the mobilisation of the machinery, the team uncovered relics such as Victorian aged glass bottles, tools, and the heating system for when the machine was steam powered.
CBC
09-04-2025
- General
- CBC
Tłı̨chǫ elder and negotiator Ted Blondin remembered for his work negotiating land claims
Well-known Tłı̨chǫ elder and negotiator Ted Blondin has died. Blondin worked on the Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement, as well as the Tłı̨chǫ Agreement.
CBC
09-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Tłı̨chǫ elder remembered as family man, jokester, and negotiator with 'big legacy'
A well-known Tłı̨chǫ elder in the N.W.T. is being remembered as a kind and loving family man, a jokester, and a land-claim negotiator who leaves behind a "really big legacy." Ted Blondin died early Saturday morning at the hospital in Yellowknife according to his nephew, Tim O'Loan. So many people were there to say goodbye, said O'Loan, that the cafeteria became something of a waiting room. "What an incredible legacy when you have that many people showing up to the hospital to say goodbye," said O'Loan. Among those Blondin leaves behind are his wife, Violet Camsell-Blondin, and their children and grandchildren. Blondin was the chief negotiator of the Dene Métis process. In 1990, Dene and Métis leadership did not ratify the agreement that emerged from that process but it did become a framework for regional negotiations – including the Tłı̨chǫ Land Claims and Self-Government Agreement, which Blondin would also become involved in, led by "He was one of the main pillars, that's for sure," recalled John B. Zoe, who led those negotiations. The negotiating work Blondin had already done meant he had helpful connections within the territorial government and in Ottawa, said Zoe. "Every time we travelled … he did all the correspondence and looking for the money and all that kind of stuff to keep it going," he said. Having been a co-founder and editor at The Native Press, Zoe said Blondin was also a good communicator, with skills to get the claim "to the forefront" — which Zoe said they needed. In a statement, N.W.T. Premier R.J. Simpson called Blondin a "remarkable leader whose vision and commitment helped shape the future of the Tłįchǫ Region and the Northwest Territories. "His tireless efforts to advance education, health, social well-being, and self-governance — most recently as chair of the Tłı̨chǫ Community Services Agency — leave a legacy of service that will be felt for generations." 'Loved to tease, loved to laugh' Zoe also recalled a time Blondin, then managing a school, convinced him to fill in on his volleyball team for a weekend matchup. Zoe, a shift engineer at the time, had been there to check on a heating or air exchange system and was wearing his work attire – but he agreed to play. "I just kind of struggled through it," he said. The team won the game, and then "all of a sudden there was a reporter there … they snapped a picture of us and I didn't know what was going on." A week later, Zoe saw that the Native Press printed a story about the game – saying the team he'd been on had won the territorial championships. "I ended up there in the paper with him [Blondin]," he said with a laugh. O'Loan, who now lives in Ottawa, said that his uncle leaves behind a big legacy. He also has fond memories of the uncle he describes more as a "father figure." O'Loan said he was adopted, but when he moved home to the N.W.T. in 1998, "Uncle Ted was there, and without judgment — just basically brought me into his life. "He just, like, made me feel at home." O'Loan said his uncle had been a survivor of residential schools, but he didn't let the trauma of his youth hinder him. "He was a trickster and a jokester, loved to tease, loved to laugh, you know, just kind of lived a very authentic, loving life," said O'Loan. Even after having a severe stroke ten years ago, O'Loan said when he'd visit Blondin "the magic was still there" and that "even the stroke did not impact his soul." O'Loan said he recently travelled to Edmonton to say goodbye, before his uncle was brought back to Yellowknife. He said the family had been "comforted in the fact that it was time for the Creator to call him home."
CBC
12-03-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Canada's speed skaters hope for a strong finish at the world championships
Social Sharing Canada's long-track speed skaters took a step back this season. After winning 23 medals, including five golds, across the six World Cup stops in 2023-24, they ended up with just 16 total and two golds when the tour wrapped up a couple of weeks ago. That left Canada seventh in total medals — down from fourth last season. Another decline seems almost inevitable at the world single-distances championships, running Thursday through Sunday in Norway. Last year, when this event took place at Calgary's Olympic Oval, Canadians captured a national-record 10 medals — trailing only the perennial powerhouse Netherlands' 13. It'll be tough to match that kind of production far away from home at the end of a so-so season. Still, Canada has some strong medal contenders this week at the Hamar Olympic Hall, also known as the Vikingskipet (Viking Ship). Let's start with Ivanie Blondin, a five-time world champion and double Olympic medallist who led all Canadians with eight World Cup podiums this season. Four of those came in individual races — including a surprising victory in the 3,000m opener in Japan back in November that turned out to be Canada's only solo gold of the season. Blondin also earned a silver in the mass start (her specialty) at that same meet before finishing with a bronze and a silver in the mass start at the final two World Cups. Ottawa's Ivanie Blondin bags mass start bronze in Poland 17 days ago Duration 11:01 The 34-year-old added four relay medals over the course of the season, including a gold and a silver in the women's team sprint. Blondin helped Canada win the world title in the team sprint last year in Calgary, where she also took silver in the mass start and the team pursuit. However, the Olympic-champion pursuit trio of Blondin, Isabelle Weidemann and Valérie Maltais did not reach the podium in either of its two starts this season while Weidemann and Maltais managed just one solo medal apiece. On the men's side, Canada will be counting on Laurent Dubreuil. The 32-year-old sprinter won the men's 500m (the shortest race in long track) at the 2021 world championships before taking silver each of the last two years while grabbing an Olympic silver in the 1,000m in 2022. He also helped Canada to back-to-back world titles in the men's team sprint in 2023 and last year in Calgary. Dubreuil was the only Canadian to win a medal in a men's World Cup event this season — individual or team. He collected six of them, recovering from a groin injury that kept him off the podium for two months to reach the podium in five of the last six 500m races (most World Cup meets offer two of them for each gender, compared to just one for the other distances). Dubreuil finished second in the men's 500m standings for the fifth time in his career. At the worlds, there's a good chance he'll again find himself trailing Jordan Stolz, the 20-year-old American force of nature who won 17 of his 21 individual races across all distances this season to sweep the 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m titles. The full list of Canadians competing: Men Ted-Jan Bloemen: 5,000m, 10,000, Laurent Dubreuil: 500m, 1,000m, team sprint Christopher Fiola: 500m Graeme Fish: 5,000m, 10,000m Connor Howe: 1,000m, 1,500m, team sprint Anders Johnson: 500m, team sprint David La Rue: 1,000m, 1,500m, mass start Women Ivanie Blondin: 1,500m, 3,000m, mass start, team sprint, team pursuit Laura Hall: 5,000m Rose Laliberté-Roy: 500m Béatrice Lamarche: 1,000m, team sprint Valerie Maltais: 1,500m, 3,000m, mass start, team pursuit Brooklyn McDougall: 500m, team sprint Isabelle Weidemann: 3,000m, 5,000m, team pursuit How to watch:
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Canada's women claim World Cup speedskating sprint gold, Stolz completes hat trick
CALGARY — Canada's sprinters ensured the host team didn't leave Calgary's speedskating World Cup without a medal, while American star Jordan Stolz completed his hat trick at the Olympic Oval on Sunday. Ottawa's Ivanie Blondin, Carolina Hiller of Prince George, B.C., and Beatrice Lamarche of Quebec City won gold the women's team sprint. "Very satisfying," said Blondin, who was fourth in the women's mass start less than an hour before the sprint. "It was a tough weekend. "I was celebrating pretty hard after that one. I was pretty proud of our team and what we were able to do together." Stolz of West Bend, Wisc., captured men's 500-metre gold to stay unbeaten this season in the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 metres. The 20-year-old takes confidence from Calgary's World Cup that came after the holiday break into the next one in his home state starting Friday in Milwaukee. "It kind of takes away the pressure," Stolz said. "Usually, when you come back to racing after a break, there's more pressure. Going into the second weekend is always a bit more calm. "I'm going to be pretty comfortable in my home track. I'll enjoy the crowd, and I think the ice will be quick, too." After setting track records in the 1,500 and 1,000 in Calgary, his time Sunday of 33.85 seconds was two-hundredths quicker than Jenning De Boo of the Netherlands, who was also second to Stolz in the 1K. Blondin, Hiller and Lamarche salvaged the host team's weekend as Canadians were shut out of the medals in individual races in Calgary for the first time in 28 years of World Cup racing there. Canada's middle- and long-distance skaters coming off a high-altitude training camp in Utah less than a week earlier didn't return with full gas tanks. Ottawa's Isabelle Weidemann, a 2022 Olympic silver medallist, was fifth in the women's 5k and Graeme Fish of Moose Jaw, Sask., who was a world championship bronze medallist last year, was fifth in the men's 10k. "Our legs were just not there this weekend," Blondin said. "The focus is always the world championship, and we always try to remind ourselves of that, but sure, would have liked to hit the podium a couple more times this weekend, other than just the one, but very satisfying to do it with the girls. "At the end of the day, we're aiming for worlds and all the training that we do previous to that is aiming for worlds, so sometimes it affects the World Cup races and the lead-up to it. I'm not too worried at this point." The world championship is March 13-16 in Hamar, Norway. Canada's team won 10 medals, including a pair of team sprint gold, at the 2024 world championship in Calgary. "We're close in a few events. It can turn around pretty quick," said Laurent Dubreuil of Levis, Que., who was fifth in the men's 500. "It's like a reminder to enjoy every single medal, because they're very, very hard fought." The 2021 world champion in the 500 metres and silver medallist behind Stolz the past two years felt rusty Sunday in his first go at the distance since November because of a groin injury. Dubreuil, 32, was just under three-tenths of a second back of Stolz and less than a tenth off the podium. "I still believe I can win," the Canadian said. "The last two years, I was second behind Jordan at the world championships. "I hope I get to beat him a couple of times (before) the end of my career and what better moment than the world championship this year or the Olympics next year." While team pursuit is an Olympic event, team sprint is not. Three skaters from each country start the three-lap sprint and go head to head against three skaters from another country on the track. One skater drops out after each of the first two laps leaving one middle-distance specialist striving for the finish line. Dubreuil, Antoine Gelinas-Beaulieu and Anderson Johnson set a world record en route to world championship gold in 2024. Dubreuil, Johnson and Connor Howe of Canmore, Alta., were fourth Sunday. Femke Kok of the Netherlands was the women's 500-metre winner. Timothy Loubineaud of France was first in the men's mass start and American Greta Myers prevailed in the women's event. Blondin, the 2022 Olympic silver medallist in the mass start, found herself chasing a breakaway pack alone late in the 16-lap race of cat-and-mouse tactics. "There was a breakaway that happened and no one wanted to work it," she explained. "I kind of just tried to save myself the entire race and hope that the pack would get it going before we did, and it didn't happen. I started to sprint early and kind of went solo." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 26, 2025. Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
