169 competitors from 30 countries competed before a crowd of 5000 school children on the opening day at the last Bosideng ISU World Cup Short Track event of the season, which took place in Spisšká Nová Ves in Slovakia. The efforts of the organizers to create good conditions for skaters, supporters and officials resulted in very fast ice and times close to world records.
The ladies’ 1500 meters was a close fight between Canada and Korea. In the semi-finals Katerina Novotna (CZE) qualified by moving almost a lap ahead halfway through the race and at the finish line she was still half a lap in front. The final with six skaters was fast but straightforward. Positions did not change much and only Amanda Overland (CAN) succeeded in following the Korean skaters Sun-Yu Jin (KOR) who finished first and Soo-Yeon Yeo (KOR) who was second. In the 500 meters Evgenia Radanova (BUL) showed her power again by easily qualifying for the final in which she led directly from the start. After two laps she was overtaken by Meng Wang (CHN), who won the race. Radanova took second and Anouk Leblanc-Boucher (CAN) third. In the 1000 meters final from the start to almost the finish the order remained the same; Sun-Yu Jin (KOR) was leading the pack. In the last meters before the finish Yang Yang A (CHN), who skated in second position, was overtaken on the outside by Soo-Yeon Yeo (KOR) while Radanova in fourth position tried to move on the inside. It resulted in the second fastest time ever skated on this distance by Sun-Yu Jin (KOR) in 1.30.714. Soo-Yeon Yeo claimed second in 1.30.812 and Yang Yang A took the bronze. The final 3000 meters (a non-medal contest) was skated by the top 8 skaters of the overall classification. It was a slow and tactical race. With 24 laps to go Katerina Novotna (CZE) and Hyo-Jung Kim (KOR) both fell and at the same moment the rest of the skaters accelerated. Novotna acted quickly and was back in the pack within two laps. At that moment Soo-Yeon Yeo (KOR) speeded up and succeeded in moving a lap ahead with 9 laps to go. Yeo was brought to the finish by the pack and won the 3000 meters. Sun-Yu Jin and Evgenia Radanova were second and third.
The ladies’ relay final was completely directed by China and Korea skating in first and second position the whole race. France and Canada remained third and fourth. Two laps before the finish Korea fell and Canada took over the lead. China won, Canada took silver and Korea after a speedy action in the last meters just managed to snatch third place from France.
For the men’s 1500 meters 72 athletes were entered and the field of competitors was very strong. In the final Si-Bak Sung (KOR) took the lead from the start and held on for a number of laps before Steve Robillard (CAN) overtook him and then Hyun-Soo Ahn (KOR) also came past. Two laps before the end of the race Apolo Anton Ohno (USA) timed his move perfectly to win the final. Ahn was disqualified for cross-tracking. In the 500 meters 73 skaters were at the start and after the preliminaries already the heats produced strong, competitive races. In the first heat Saturo Terao (JPN) won. It seemed that Apolo Anton Ohno would take second and qualify but he was beaten on the line in the same way that Fabio Carta (ITA) had lost a gold medal at the recent European Championship in Torino. Wim de Deyne (BEL) learned from Carta’s mistake and reacted very quickly. In the third race Arian Nachbar (GER) made the same mistake, losing on the line to Pieter Geysel (BEL). In the third heat favorite Fabio Carta was beaten.
The quarter and semi-finals were also very exciting with times close to the world record. In the final it was Charles Hamelin (CAN) who led throughout. Steve Robillard (CAN) finished second and Saturo Terao (JPN) third. The 1000 meter final was a race between four very strong skaters. From the start Robillard was leading but Ohno took over, and then Mathieu Turcotte (CAN). Robillard came back again to the first position. Turcotte made a mistake and both Canadians fell with one lap to go. Apolo Anton Ohno won the final, ahead of Ahn and Robillard. The men’s 3000 meters was dramatic. Only 4 skaters qualified. With 21 laps remaining Hyun-Soo Ahn accelerated and took half a lap and after this waited for the pack to come back. Four laps later Robillard went ahead and Ohno followed to try to control the race. With 13 laps left Ohno and Robillard were back in the pack and a sprint took place in which not one skater gave a millimetre away. Hyun-Soo Ahn won the race; Apolo Anton Ohno had to settle for second and Steve Robillard third.
The relay final started with little to choose between the teams. Korea were leading and Canada were in second position. Lap after lap they were on schedule for the world record. (6.42.893). With 19 laps to go, Canada fell and, just a few moments later, so did Korea. The USA team reacted very quickly, sped up and won the final. Korea lost half a lap but with hard work they reached the finish line in second place. Italy was third and Canada fourth.
Results
Bosideng ISU World Cup page
