ISU

The Netherlands’ Short Track Speed Skaters brought their teammate Lara van Ruijven, who tragically passed away last year, with them on the ice as competition resumed at the ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Gdansk, Poland.

When Bradie Tennell (USA) reclaimed her National title this January, it was more than an early birthday present for the skater, who turned 23 on January 31. “Winning my title back means everything to me. It's an amazing feeling. I've wanted to win again obviously since I won in 2018 and now having known what it is like to lose the title and now regain it gives me a real appreciation for it. Also, I'm a bit older now and more experienced. I feel like I appreciate it more the second time around,” she said.

Today, marks one year to go before the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games!

Did you miss the ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championships kick starting the season? Or do you just want to get back right into the middle of the action again? We have you covered! Check out the highlight videos and the exclusive winner interviews we have in store for you. 

The 2020/21 ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series were shortened, but not less sensational. In two back-to-back weekends at Thialf Stadium in Heerenveen (NED), the remote spectators saw five track records, three skaters who overcame a crash to win a gold medal later on, and two maiden ISU World Cup Speed Skating wins. Young prodigies rose to the occasion, experienced veterans held their own, and a new Team Pursuit strategy proved to be prolific.

Considering the limited number of International Figure Skating Competitions during the ongoing season 2020/21 the ISU Council decided to adjust the procedure for obtaining the Minimum Total Elements Scores for the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2021. All details are included in ISU Communication 2370.

The last ISU World Cup Speed Skating event of the season took place this weekend in the Heerenveen Hub. Here is a selection of some of the best pictures of the event. 

Experience paid off for Ronald Mulder (NED) on Sunday as the 34-year-old won his career sixth World Cup 500m gold, and his first since November 2017. Kai Verbij (NED) beat compatriot Thomas Krol in the 1000m by skating the second-fastest time ever in Thialf, and Patrick Roest (NED) took 5000m gold ahead of Sweden’s Nils van der Poel, who strengthened his claim for a 10,000m ticket at the ISU World Single Distance Championships in February.

Brittany Bowe (USA) and Femke Kok (NED) each took four gold medals from four World Cup races at the Heerenveen Hub, but Natalia Voronina(RUS) was the biggest sensation at the second and final leg of the ISU World Cup series on Sunday. The 26-year-old smashed the seven-day-old 3000m track record to bounce back from her rusty start to the season. 

Pavel Kulizhnikov (RUS) got back up again at the second leg of the ISU World Cup speed skating on Saturday. After crashing in last weekend’s first 500m, the Russian world record holder won his first World Cup gold of the season in Heerenveen. Jorrit Bergsma (NED), who got up again on Friday by qualifying for the Mass Start final despite a crash in the semis, followed that up with a powerful break to win the gold medal on Saturday. Meanwhile the undownable Thomas Krol (NED) was in a class of his own again in the 1500m.

Brittany Bowe (USA), Femke Kok (NED) and Irene Schouten (NED) reprised their victories of last week when the ISU World Cup Series continued in the Heerenveen Hub on Saturday. Although the golden trio confirmed themselves as favorites for the World Championships in February, their rivals showed they have far from surrendered just yet.

With a new track record and a back-to-back win Canada’s ladies successfully defended their Team Pursuit overall World Cup title on Friday. Ivanie Blondin, Valérie Maltais and Isabelle Weidemann finished their six laps at Thialf in 2:54.64, more than a second faster than Japan’s 2017 track record (2:55.77). The Netherlands came second and Norway third. 

Norway’s men shook up Team Pursuit tactics and ended up smashing the track record at Heerenveen on Friday. Allan Dahl Johansson, Sverre Lunde Pedersen and Hallgeir Engebråten kicked off the second and final World Cup of the season by adopting a novel approach to beat last week’s winners the Netherlands, who eventually came fourth. In the Mass Start semi-finals Jorrit Bergsma (NED) overcame a crash to qualify for Saturday’s final. 

The ISU Council met on January 28, 2021 via an online meeting. Find out the decisions taken by the Council during the meeting here.

“The coffee is great.” Peter Kongshaug smiles. Apart from Speed Skating, good coffee is another passion the 19-year-old newbee in the Norwegian squad shares with his older team-mates. After winning the junior title in the 1000m at the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships last season, Kongshaug was promoted to the senior selection last summer.