After having won silver in the ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships in Heerenveen last weekend, Miho Takagi (JPN) jumped on a plane to Canada to defend her ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships title this weekend. After the 1928 Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam last year, the 113th ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships will be held at the 1988 Olympic Oval in Calgary. Patrick Roest (NED) will defend the title in the men's tournament.
Takagi takes up massive challenge
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Miho Takagi (JPN) at the ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)
Miho Takagi has not made it easy on herself. The reigning ISU World Allround Speed Skating Champion set her sights on both the ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships and the ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships this season. The last skater to win both titles was Anni Friesinger (GER), albeit not in one season. Takagi skates the two tournaments in back-to-back weekends, flying from Heerenveen to Calgary in between. Last week the 24-year-old Japanese from Obihiro took silver at the ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships in Thialf Stadium. Canada's Christine Nesbitt was the last lady to climb on the podium in both the ISU World Sprint and the ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships. She took Sprint silver and Allround bronze in 2012 after winning the Sprint title and Allround silver in 2011.
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Ireen Wüst (NED) at the ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)
One of Takagi's main rivals for the title will be Ireen Wüst (NED), who also stood on the ISU World Sprint and World Allround Speed Skating podium in the same season, taking the Allround title and Sprint silver in 2007. The 32-year-old Dutch six-time Champion clinched Allround silver behind Takagi in Amsterdam last year. Wüst's 23-year-old compatriot Antoinette de Jong (NED) hopes to follow-up her European Allround title with gold on the global stage.
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Martina Sáblíková (CZE) at the ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)
Four-time champion Martina Sáblíková (CZE) showed great form with gold medals in the 3000m and the 5000m at the ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships in Inzell three weeks ago, but the Czech endurance specialist will have to control the damage in the opening 500m to be able to catch up with the others in the longer distances.
Kramer eyes tenth title, Pedersen seeks revenge
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Sven Kramer (NED) at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating NED 2018©International Skating Union (ISU)
Patrick Roest (NED) has two main rivals to take into account in defense of his ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships title: his teammate and compatriot Sven Kramer, and last season's silver medal winner Sverre Lunde Pedersen from Norway. Although not putting himself forward as the main favorite Kramer will secretly be looking at a possible record extending tenth ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships title. He won his first championship in Heerenveen in 2007. Russian Ivan Skobrev (2011) and Dutch Koen Verweij (2014) took the title in his absence and last season Kramer ended fourth behind Roest, Pedersen and Marcel Bosker (NED).
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Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR) at the ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)
Pedersen hopes to make amends for last year's silver medal. The Norwegian was on title course after three distances, only to crash in the final 10,000m thus handing the championship to a surprised Roest. This season Pedersen showed good form at the ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships in Inzell, winning the 5000m. Roest did not win a title yet this season. The youngster came second at the 5000m and the 10,000m in Inzell and had to bow his head for his more experienced teammate Kramer at the European Allround Championships.
For full entry lists and further information regarding the ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships please visit: isu.org/speed-skating. Results are here and you can follow the discussion on social media by using #AllroundSpeed #SpeedSkating.
The ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships will be available in some countries on the ISU Skating Channel.
