Racers compete in the Women's Mass Start on Day 2 of the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating in Collalbo, Italy © ISU
Metoděj Jílek (CZE) continued his winning ways at this season’s second ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating event over the weekend. Having won two golds at the first leg in Baselga di Piné (ITA) last week, the Czech prodigy seized three more in snowy Collalbo (ITA). Meike Veen (NED) dominated the Women’s competition, with gold medals in the 1000m and the 1500m.
Three ’n’ easy for Czech Jilek
Jilek excels in the long distances and kicked off his treble with victory in the 3000m on Saturday. In harsh and snowy conditions, the Czech junior stopped the clock at three minutes, 49.06 seconds to keep Didrik Eng Strand (NOR) 3.16s behind. Dutchman Freek van der Ham took bronze in a personal best 3:53.86.
Mass Start gold medalist Metodej Jilek (center, CZE) alongside Jiho Yoon (KOR) and Yuta Fuchigami (JPN) at the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating in Collalbo, Italy © ISU
In much better conditions on Sunday, Jilek went on to win the 1500m in 1:48.60, a personal best, ahead of Finn Sonnekalb (GER) and Wenhao Li (CHN), who won gold and silver respectively in this distance last week.
Jilek completed his trio of wins in the Mass Start, leaving Jiho Yoon (KOR) and Yuta Fuchigami (JPN) behind in a sprint of four, with Seungmin Cho (KOR) finishing just outside the podium places. The four escapees finished with a 24-second margin over the rest of the field.
Japan’s Issa Gunji, who won both the 500m and the 1000m last week, again triumphed in the 500m but had to settle for 1000m silver this time around. Kyungmin Koo (KOR) beat his Japanese opponent by 0.25s, stopping the clock at 1:11.76.
Kyungmin Koo (KOR), who took 1000m gold in Collalbo, Italy © ISU
Veen shines with 1000m gold
Meike Veen won the 1500m last week in Baselga, and in Collalbo she took gold in both the 1500m and the 1000m.
Wiktoria Dąbrowska (POL) added a bronze medal to the gold she won last week to take the lead in the 1000m World Cup rankings. Veen lies in second place, with Rio Kawahara (JPN), who took bronze in Baselga and silver in Collalbo, in third.
Hana Noake (JPN), who claimed gold (500m), silver (3000m) and bronze (1500m) last weekend, won another gold (Mass Start) and two silvers (1500m and 3000m) in Collalbo.
Multi-medalist Hana Noake (JPN) competes at the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating in Collalbo, Italy © ISU
Italy keeps up neo-senior dominance
After four gold medals and two silvers last week, Italy again dominated the neo-senior competition with four more golds, one silver and a bronze at the Ritten Arena in Collalbo.
Laura Peveri (ITA) won the 1500m, the 3000m and the Mass Start. Italy also took gold in Saturday’s mixed-gender Relay.
The 1500m medalists (L-R): Federica Maffei (ITA), Laura Peveri (ITA) and Julie Berg Sjøbrend (NOR) in Collalbo, Italy © ISU
More in '24
The ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating series continues in the new year when the action moves to Hachinohe City (JPN) from February 3-4. The ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships take place in the same venue from February 9-11.
ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Series events 2023/24:
Nov 25 - 26, 2023 Baselga di Piné (ITA)
Dec 02 - 03, 2023 Collalbo (ITA)
Feb 03 - 04, 2024 Hachinohe City (JPN)
About ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Series
The ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating is a series of Junior Speed Skating events, which takes place annually since 2008. The series comprises three events including the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Final. Skaters can earn points at each competition, and the Skater with the most points on a given distance at the end of the series is the Junior World Cup winner of that distance.
A number of Junior World Cup titles are awarded every season in the Men and Women category; 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m, 3000 m, Mass Start over 10 laps, Team Pursuit over 6 laps for Women and 8 laps for Men, and Team Sprint over 3 laps, Mixed Gender Relay (6 laps).
Participation in the Juniors division is open to Juniors A and B, born in the period 1 July 2004 – 30 June 2008.
The ISU Neo Senior World Cup is part of the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating competitions and skaters compete in the same events. It gives a chance to skaters who have not yet reached World Cup level in the senior ranks to develop further internationally.
Participation in the Neo-Seniors division is open to skaters born in the period 1 July 2000 – 30 June 2004.
(For full explanation of this season’s ISU Junior and Neo Senior World Cup (entry rules, formats, qualifying rules and quotas, and prizes: https://www.isu.org/speed-skating/rules/ssk-communications/31422-isu-communication-2572/file)
Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games slots
The first two ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating competitions and last season’s ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships in Inzell (GER) are qualifying events for the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games. A total of 34 slots per gender are at stake, with the host nation awarded with two of the 36 slots in total. Each nation can earn a maximum number of two slots per gender, and one team slot for the Mixed Gender Relay.
For all information about the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Series, please visit the webpage here.
Note that the events will not be available as a live stream on the Skating ISU YouTube channel.
To access Documents and Standings from the previous seasons, please visit our archives page
