ISU

When French Pair skaters Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres claimed their first medal at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2018 last March, a dream had come true for them. This bronze medal marked the end of a roller coaster season with highs and lows for the popular French team – and it motivated them to continue, since they had thought of retiring from competing after the Olympic season. It turned out to be the right decision.

Further to the decision of the 56th ISU Ordinary Congress 2016 in Dubrovnik (CRO) to introduce an ISU Athletes Commission and following the election of ISU Office Holders during the 57th ISU Ordinary Congress 2018 in Seville (ESP), the elections for the ISU Athletes Commission are to take place in 2019.

Hungary’s outstanding Liu brothers once again proved too good for the rest as the men’s events at the 2019 ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championships finished with a familiar sight: Hungary atop the podium. 

Sven Kramer (NED) remains the Allround king of Europe. The 32-year-old Dutchman kept heir apparent and team-mate Patrick Roest at bay to collect his record-extending 10th European Allround title on Sunday. Norway’s Sverre Lunde Pedersen clinched the overall bronze, with experience key on the outside track at Collalbo.

Dutch skater Suzanne Schulting sent the home crowd delirious with delight as she secured the overall title and led her team to relay glory on a high-octane final day of action at the ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championships. 

Vanessa Herzog (AUT) kept her Russian rivals at bay with a superb second 500m to take the European Sprint title in picturesque Collalbo on Sunday. Daria Kachanova (RUS) secured silver, beating the 13-year-old track record in the 1000m on the way, while her compatriot Olga Fatkulina took the overall bronze. 

The fevered crowd packed inside Dordrecht’s Sportboulevard arena got exactly what they wanted at the first time of asking with home-town hero Suzanne Schulting powering to victory in the Ladies 1500m, the first final of the ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championships. 

Dutch sprint sensation Kai Verbij (NED) is top of the European pile for the second time. Having won the inaugural European Sprint Championships in Heerenveen two years ago, the 24-year-old clinched the title again in Collalbo on Saturday. The Dutchman won the first three distances before taking silver in the final 1000m to clinch overall success. Norwegian pair Håvard Lorentzen and Henrik Fagerli Rukke went home with silver and bronze respectively. In the men's Allround tournament Patrick Roest (NED) holds the lead after two distances.

It is two down, three to go for Hungary’s Liu brothers after the pair proved a class apart as they grabbed a double gold-silver at the ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Dordrecht, the Netherlands on Saturday.

Antoinette de Jong (NED) was crowned European Allround Speed Skating Champion for the first time after two days of hard-fought competition in Collalbo. The two-time bronze-medal winner set herself up for her maiden title by winning the first three distances before finishing second in the final event, the 5000m. Czech Republic’s Martina Sáblíková won the 5000m to clinch second place overall, while Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA) collected the bronze medal. In the ladies' sprint tournament Vanessa Herzog (AUT) took the lead on Day 1.

A text message from stricken superstar Sjinkie Knegt is serving to inspire the hometown Dutch squad as the ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championships got off to an emotional start in Dordrecht, the Netherlands on Friday.

Kai Verbij (NED) took the lead in the Men's tournament on the first day of the ISU European Sprint Championships in Collalbo. The defending champion enjoyed a stroke of good fortune after his compatriot Kjeld Nuis (NED) was disqualified in the 1000m. Håvard Lorentzen (NOR) is second and his countryman Henrik Fagerli Rukke third.

Antoinette de Jong (NED) arrived in new territory on the first day of the ISU European Allround Championships in Collalbo, Italy, on Friday. The bronze medalist of the previous two European Championships won the 500m and the 3000m and leads the classification. "I am used to chasing others, and now I'm the one who's being chased," she said. Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA) is ranked second and Ireen Wüst (NED) third. 

The current season marked a breakthrough for Italian Ice Dancers Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri. The amicable couple from Milan has been close to the podium at the Grand Prix events in the past few years, but this season they claimed their first medals, silver at Skate America and another silver at the Helsinki Grand Prix. They went on to take the bronze in what was their debut at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.

With its idyllic mountain setting, the outdoor Ritten Arena in Collalbo is the favorite training rink of many international Speed Skaters, but this weekend the relaxed training paradise will be a merciless battleground for the European Allround and Sprint titles.