Winnipeg's Cindy Klassen earned her first victory of the long-track speed skating season Friday at the Canadian single distance championships in Calgary.

Klassen won the 1,000 metres in one minute, 14.99 seconds. Kristina Groves of Ottawa was second in 1:15.10 and Shannon Rempel of Winnipeg was third in 1:15.99.

Cindy Klassen on Friday won her first race since being named the Canadian Press female athlete of the year.
(Matt Dunham/Associated Press file photo)

In the 3,000, Klassen was second behind fellow Winnipegger Clara Hughes.

Hughes finished in 4:03.99 while Klassen clocked in at 4:05.13. Brittany Schussler was third in 4:15.19, completing a Winnipeg sweep.

Klassen — named Canada's female athlete of the year this week by the Canadian Press, as well as Canadian athlete of the year last week by CBC Sports Online — made her season debut Thursday, finishing second to Rempel in the 500 metres.

Klassen, who skipped the fall season to rest, captured five medals at last February's Torino Games to become the most decorated Canadian Olympian of all time.

Hughes, who won Olympic gold in the 5,000, has raced the sprint events on the World Cup circuit this fall.

"For me, this is the start to my season," Hughes said. "I felt good about it, it was decent and [I] got into a good rhythm."

Change of heart for Dankers?

In men's action Friday, Calgary's Arne Dankers won the 5,000 metres in a time of six minutes, 15.44 seconds.

Steven Elm of Red Deer, Alta., and Justin Warsylewicz of Regina both clocked the next best times at 6:30.50.

Dankers, who is contemplating retiring at season's end, debuted a new pair of skates for the race.

"It's a weird time to change skates but I had raced in the other pair for the last four or five years," said Dankers, 26.  "But I was really happy with the time today, it was my best this year.

"I had a totally different approach to my training this season and I'm really skating well. Certainly I'll re-examine my future. I'm really enjoying skating right now."

Denny Morrison of Fort St. John, B.C., completed a sweep of the men's sprint events with a victory in the 1,000.

Morrison, who on Thursday won the 500, clocked in at 1:08.41.

Francois-Olivier Roberge of St-Nicolas, Que., was second in 1:08.83 and Mike Ireland of Winnipeg third in 1:08.84.

Competition at the Canadian single distance championships continues through Sunday.

With files from the Canadian Press