Stavanger / Norway

Brittany Bowe (USA) secured the 1000m World Cup and took the track record from absent Jorien Ter Mors and holds the fastest time in Norway. Pavel Kulizhnikov (RUS) won both the 500m and the 1000m again while Martina Sáblíková (CZE) won the 3000m and is certain of winning the World Cup.

The final day of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Stavanger defined the quota for the ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships and in the ladies’ field the ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships. There were 12 personal bests, thanks to low air pressure and good ice.

Kulizhnikov strikes again in men’s 500m
Once again the Russians dominated the second 500m for men. Kulizhnikov’s gold and Ruslan Murashov’s silver was a repetition of Friday’s result, with the main difference that Kulizhnikov widened the gap between him and the others, as he finished in 34,52. Murashov had reached 34.78 and this time the bronze was for Canadian Gilmore Junio in 34.86, who had switched position with Kai Verbij (NED).

With a maximum of 300 points to gain at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Final in March, Kulizhnikov only needs 59 points to be sure to win the World Cup. He leads with 705 points. The ‘best of the rest’, Alex Boisvert-Lacroix, has 463 points, Junio 457 and Murashov moved up to rank fourth (435 points).

Bowe secures 1000m World Cup before the Finals
Brittany Bowe won the 1000m in a faster track record than Ter Mors had set on Friday. With 1:14.35 Bowe won the race with an enormous advantage. In the pre-last pair Marrit Leenstra (NED) took the lead with 1:15.22, having strong competition from Vanessa Bittner (AUT) who had opened fast but finished in 1:15.52.

Friday’s winner in this distance Jorien ter Mors (NED), was absent today. She had the fastest combination of 500 and 1000 and qualified for the ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships.

Bowe has a total of 560 points, and although her main rival Heather Richardson-Bergsma finished fifth in this race, it was not good enough to have any aspirations left to win the World Cup. Richardson has 404 points and there are only 150 to gain in Heerenveen at the one remaining 1000m. Leenstra is third with 375 points.

Kulizhnikov repeats battle with Nuis in the 1000m
Pavel Kulizhnikov was the only man to take gold today. Just like yesterday, he kept Kjeld Nuis (NED) behind. Both skaters opened fast and thanks to being able to use the draft of Nuis, Kulizhnikov managed a 24.8 first lap, faster than Saturday’s 1000m. His final time was exactly the same as the track record he had set (1:08.10) and Nuis again followed with a strong finish in 1:08.13.

Thomas Krol (NED) completed the podium who is never faster on sea level and reached 1:08.52. Joey Mantia (USA) was fourth for the second time this weekend (1:08.76).

In the World Cup ranking Kulizhnikov and Nuis are equal with 480 points. The World Cup Final will be decisive to determine the winner, while Mantia passed (325 points) Gerben Jorritsma (NED) (306).

Martina Sáblíková wins the 3000m World Cup
In the first pair of the A-division Ireen Wüst (NED) finished in 4:04.15, good enough for silver.  Only Martina Sáblíková was able to better the track record. She took the gold in 4:00.08. Mass Start specialist Irene Schouten (NED) completed the podium, in 4:05.51.

In the B-division Linda de Vries (NED) also set the mark high and successfully secured the last Dutch spot in the ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships, she also has set the track record (4:01.80) which was then broken by Sáblíková .

Sáblíková has won all the long distance races this season, as a result she has the maximum 500 points guaranteeing this World Cup. Second in the ranks is Natalya Voronina (RUS) with 300, and Schouten has 285.

Qualification ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships
The 3000m in combination with the 1500m was a qualification for the ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships. Qualified are: 1 lady from BLR, CZE, ITA, NOR, USA, 2 from GER, POL and 3 skaters from CAN, CHN, JPN, NED and RUS. If any of the qualified countries does not fill their quota, the first reserve is a second Italian skater, then a third Polish and then a second Norwegian, followed by Korea.

With their best 500 and best 1000, the sprinters earned quota places for the ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships, where 32 skaters per gender can participate. In the ladies field the top-3 skaters were Jorien ter Mors (NED), Brittany Bowe (USA) and Vanessa Bittner (AUT). Qualified are 1 skater from AUT, CZE, FIN, GER, ITA, KAZ, 2 from BLR, 3 from CAN, CHN, JPN, KOR, NED, NOR, RUS, USA. In the men’s field 1 from AUS and GER, 2 from CAN, FIN, ITA, JPN, KAZ, POL and 3 from CHN, KOR, NED, NOR, RUS and USA.

Grand World Cup Overall Standings
Brittany Bowe and Kjeld Nuis lead the Grand World Cup. Bowe has 1210 points, Sáblíková 1070 and Heather Richardson-Bergsma 1045. Nuis has 850 and Kulizhnikov 830, and Bart Swings (BEL) follows with 760 points.