ISU

In the end it took two long-distance world records for the Czech Republic’s endurance specialist Martina Sáblíková to see off the considerable challenge posed by reigning champion Miho Takagi of Japan and claim her fifth world title. In a classic battle between speed and stamina, the latter won in the ladies' World Allround Championships at the 1988 Olympic Oval in Calgary, Canada. But it did not come easy. Away from the intriguing battle for gold and silver, Antoinette de Jong took home the bronze medal for the Netherlands.

Two personal bests put Patrick Roest (NED) in pole position to retain his World Allround title. The defending champion came second in the 500m and won the 5000m to take a comfortable lead over Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR) and Sven Kramer (NED) in the overall classification. 

Miho Takagi (JPN) and Martina Sáblíková (CZE) lead the race for the title at the end of the first day of the ladies' World Allround Championships. The Japanese skater, who is defending the title she won in Amsterdam in 2018, won the 500m by a big margin, but the four-time champion from the Czech Republic struck back with a world record in the 3000m on an exciting first day of action at the 1988 Olympic Oval in Calgary, Canada. 

Pavel Kulizhnikov (RUS) won his third World Sprint crown in the men’s event and Nao Kodaira (JPN) won her second ladies title as the ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships came to an end in Heerenveen (NED) on Sunday.

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.

Although Vanessa Herzog (AUT) had the fastest full lap of the Ladies' field, she hadn’t been able to beat Nao Kodaira (JPN) in the 500m until the most important race of the 2018/19 season.

Pavel Kulizhnikov (RUS) won his third World Sprint crown as the ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships in Heerenveen came to an end on Sunday, adding to the titles he won in 2015 and 2016. Tatsuya Shinhama clinched a surprise silver for Japan and Kjeld Nuis (NED) grabbed bronze on home soil at Thialf Stadium.

Nao Kodaira won her second World Sprint Title on Sunday in Heerenveen, the Netherlands, where the Japanese star feels at home having lived and trained in the country between 2014 and 2016. Kodaira's compatriot, World Allround Champion Miho Takagi, took a surprise silver medal and birthday girl Brittany Bowe (USA) claimed the bronze.

Pavel Kulizhnikov (RUS) and Håvard Lorentzen (NOR) did not win either of the two races on Saturday but still occupy the top-two positions in the men's overall rankings after day one of the ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships in Heerenveen. Kjeld Nuis (NED), who won the first 1000m of the tournament, is third while Tatsuya Shinhama (JPN) was the fastest man in the 500m and is fourth overall.

Nao Kodaira (JPN) laid a solid foundation to win a second World Sprint title in Heerenveen. The 2017 World Sprint Champion leads after the first day, with compatriot and surprise rival Miho Takagi 0.26 seconds behind in second place. Brittany Bowe (USA) and Vanessa Herzog (AUT) are in third and fourth position.

Heerenveen will host the 50th ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships on February 23-24. Reigning World Sprint Champion Håvard Lorentzen (NOR) hopes to keep his crown in Heerenveen while Jorien ter Mors(NED) had to skip the current season due to knee surgery leaving the title up for grabs.

It's new, it's fast and it’s ferocious. In 2019 the Team Sprint made its debut on the ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships program.

Femke Kok (NED) and Jaewon Chung (KOR) have won the ladies' and men's ISU World Junior Allround Speed Skating titles in Baselga di Piné (ITA). Both Kok and Chung also won the single distance title in the 1500m, thus becoming the most decorated youngsters at the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships 2019. The Netherlands led the medal table in the ladies events and the Republic of Korea in the men's.

Win 2 Tickets to the ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships 2019, taking place in Neuchâtel, Switzerland on March 15 – 16, 2019!

Tears, cheers and a thrillingly chaotic climax bring curtain down in Inzell. Have a look at some of the highlights.