The 2008-09 Samsung ISU World Cup Short Track season resumed for the penultimate round this weekend in Sofia, Bulgaria. This was the first World Cup of the season were no single country dominated the medal count. In fact, it was an evenly matched medal tally among the usual contenders: Korea (8 medals), Canada (7 medals), China (6 medals), and the United States (5 medals). The other teams to leave Sofia with medals were Italy (2 medals), Great Britain (1 medal) and Germany (1 medal).
This weekend’s Samsung ISU World Cup Short Track schedule had the athletes compete in the 1000m distance twice. Once again, the Chinese ladies showed their strength in this distance, with Meng Wang wining the first of two 1000m events. Her teammate Qiuhong Liu took second place in both of the ladies 1000m events. Kalyna Roberge (Canada) took third place in the first event. In the second ladies 1000m, it was Korean Min-Jung Kim to take the win, and Kimberly Derrick (USA) finishing third. With her fifth win of the season, Meng Wang consolidates her lead in the World Cup distance classification.
On the men’s side, it was the Korean skaters to show their strength by winning both 1000m events. Yoon-Gy Kwak took the win in the first 1000m event, while teammate Jung-Su Lee took second place. Francois-Louis Tremblay of Canada finished third. In the second men’s 1000m event, it was Ho-Suk Lee to win, ahead of Jordan Malone (USA). Third place finish went to Korean Jung-Su Lee. Yoon-Gy Kwak leads the World Cup distance classification with one event remaining.
In the ladies 500 meters, the Chinese streak of wins in this distance was ended by Canadian skater Jessica Gregg, who finished first. Second place went to the 2009 European Champion, Arianna Fontana of Italy, while third place went to Xiaoxue Meng of China. Meng Wang of China still maintains her lead in the World Cup distance classification. In the men’s 500 meters event, Canadian skater Francois-Louis Tremblay took his second podium of the weekend by winning the event. Jon Eley of Great Britain enjoyed a great performance, to take second place, while Jeff Simon of the United States finished third. With the win, Francois-Louis Tremblay leads the World Cup distance classification.
In ladies 1500m, Eun-Ju Lee (Korea) took the win ahead of American skater Katherine Reutter. Third place finish went to Yang Zhou of China. The podium finish allows Yang Zhou to maintain the lead in the World Cup distance classification. On the men’s side, Korean skaters took the top two podium places, with Ho-Suk Lee winning ahead of teammate Si-Bak Sung. Charles Hamelin of Canada finished third. Si-Bak Sung now leads the World Cup distance classification in the 1500m.
The weekend concluded with the relay events, with both the Canadian ladies and men’s teams winning their respective events. In the ladies event, second place finish went to Italy, while third place went to the United States. Despite being excluded from the podium, China maintains their lead in the distance classification after five rounds of the Samsung ISU World Cup Short Track. In the men’s 5000 meters relay event, the win allows Canada to increase its lead in the World Cup distance classification. Second place finish went to China, while Germany had a strong showing, to finish third.
The 2008-09 Samsung ISU World Cup Short Track season will conclude next weekend in Dresden, Germany on February 13-15, 2009 for the sixth and final round.
Samsung ISU World Cup Short Track – Sofia (BUL)
Top 3 Results by Category
Ladies 500m
|
|
Name of athlete |
Nation |
|
1 |
GREGG, Jessica |
CAN |
|
2 |
FONTANA, Arianna |
ITA |
|
3 |
MENG, Xiaoxue |
CHN |
Men 500m
|
|
Name of athlete |
Nation |
|
1 |
TREMBLAY, Francois-Louis |
CAN |
|
2 |
ELEY, Jon |
GBR |
|
3 |
SIMON, Jeff |
USA |
Ladies 1000m Day 1
|
|
Name of athlete |
Nation |
|
1 |
WANG, Meng |
CHN |
|
2 |
LIU, Qiuhong |
CHN |
|
3 |
ROBERGE, Kalyna |
CAN |
Men 1000m Day 1
|
|
Name of athlete |
Nation |
|
1 |
KWAK, Yoon-Gy |
KOR |
|
2 |
LEE, Jung-Su |
KOR |
|
3 |
TREMBLAY, Francois-Louis |
CAN |
Ladies 1000m Day 2
|
|
Name of athlete |
Nation |
|
1 |
KIM, Min-Jung |
KOR |
|
2 |
LIU, Qiuhong |
CHN |
|
3 |
DERRICK, Kimberly |
USA |
Men 1000m Day 2
|
|
Name of athlete |
Nation |
|
1 |
LEE, Ho-Suk |
KOR |
|
2 |
MALONE, Jordan |
USA |
|
3 |
LEE, Jung-Su |
KOR |
Ladies 1500m
|
|
Name of athlete |
Nation |
|
1 |
JUNG, Eun-Ju |
KOR |
|
2 |
REUTTER, Katherine |
USA |
|
3 |
ZHOU, Yang |
CHN |
Men 1500m
|
|
Name of athlete |
Nation |
|
1 |
LEE, Ho-Suk |
KOR |
|
2 |
SUNG, Si-Bak |
KOR |
|
3 |
HAMELIN, Charles |
CAN |
Ladies Relay
|
|
Nation |
|
1 |
CANADA |
|
2 |
ITALY |
|
3 |
UNITED STATES |
Men Relay
|
|
Nation |
|
1 |
CANADA |
|
2 |
CHINA |
|
3 |
GERMANY |
For further information, including complete results, see www.isu.org
