Jordan Stolz (USA) gave another masterclass in speed skating at the ISU World Cup in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland. After World Cup leader Kjeld Nuis (NED) called in sick, the reigning World Champion won the 1000m by a 1.09s margin over silver medalist Ryouta Kojima (JPN) on Friday.
To conclude competition on the opening day in Poland, Andrea Giovannini (ITA) won the Mass Start, overtaking Bart Swings (BEL) in the World Cup rankings.
Imperious Stolz way ahead of the rest
The eventual top three in the 1000m untypically all skated in the first three of Friday's 10 pairings. Stolz had a low World Cup ranking due to skipping the second event in Beijing this season, Kojima also skipped Beijing after a disappointing ninth place at the opening World Cup in Obihiro, while bronze medal winner Hein Otterspeer (NED) had not skated the first three 1000m races in the World Cup because he had not managed to qualify at the Dutch trials.
Otterspeer set a time of 1:09.80 in the first pairing, before Kojima clocked 1:09.73 in the second. Stolz then hammered out the winning 1:08.64 at the Arena Lodowa to effectively put the result beyond doubt with seven pairings to go.
Jordan Stolz (USA) won the 1000m by more than a second to take his second gold medal of this World Cup season © ISU
With World Cup leader Nuis absent, Ning Zhongyan (CHN), who came in fourth in 1:09.90, took over his top position in the rankings.
Stolz climbed from 18th place to 8th.
“I should be able to get some more points this weekend, now that Kjeld’s not racing, don’t know if he’ll be up for the 1500m [on Saturday] or not, but I guess I can get some points on him,” said the American.
Stolz enjoyed his gold medal, but he liked skating in Stavanger last week better.
“The ice here is a lot more grippy, there’s a lot more pressure, in Stavanger it feels like you can flow a bit more.
“I always feel more comfortable in Stavanger, I just feel like I can finesse it better. Here it feels like you always have to keep pushing.”
Kojima had used his time off competition during the Beijing World Cup to improve his cornering, and it certainly paid off.
Ryota Kojima (JPN, left) celebrated his best World Cup finish while Hein Otterspeer (NED, right) took an unexpected bronze © ISU
“I am happy because second place is my [career] highest World Cup position,” he said.
“But it's a mixed feeling to have such a big time gap to first place. I felt I was fast in practice. I went into the race without being conscious of my placing. Speed is my strength, so I think I had a good run up to 600 meters.
“After the World Cup in Obihiro, I revised my cornering. I feel I have a good response.”
Otterspeer was happy to finally get a chance to skate the 1000m after team-mate Nuis had to withdraw due to illness, but he was not too happy about his race.
“I’m definitely not happy about my race, too many little mistakes,” he explained.
“I certainly had not expected this time to get my up to the podium. I would not have been able to skate 1:08.6 [Stolz’s time], but I think silver would have been feasible today.”
The 35-year-old Dutchman is going to prepare for the Dutch national championships and hopes to be able to qualify for the 1000m at the World Championships in Calgary in February.
Giovannini overcomes injury to win Mass Start
Andrea Giovannini (ITA) took his second gold medal of the season in the Mass Start, overtaking World and Olympic Champion and five-time World Cup Trophy winner Bart Swings (BEL) in the World Cup rankings. In doing so, the Italian had to overcome the pain from a cut in his shin which he suffered at the race in Stavanger last week.
Andrea Giovannini (ITA) overcame the pain of a cut shin to win the Mass Start and go top of the World Cup rankings © ISU
“I was hit by the skate of Timothy Loubineaud (FRA),” he recalled. “There was a lot of blood, so this week, when I tried to skate, my leg hurt a lot. I spoke to Maurizio [coach Maurizio Marchetto, ITA] today and I said, I just hope with the adrenaline it’s going to be all right and it wasn’t hurting during the race.
“The race was different from the one in Stavanger, when everybody was watching us [Giovanninni and team-mate Daniele Di Stefano, ITA] because we were one-two in Beijing.
“Today, we tried to close everything early, because we did not want a breakaway and the Koreans and the Americans also worked hard. Everyone wanted a sprint and that suited me very well.”
Giovannini is looking forward to the battle with Swings for the World Cup trophy.
“The last two years, Bart and me were first and second, with Bart on top and now it’s different. It’s the first time I will start with number one and the pressure will be with me, but Bart is really strong and it will be a tough fight.”
The bunch sprint finish had suited Chung Jae-Won (KOR) too, and the Korean won his career seventh Mass Start medal coming in second.
Giovannini, centre, won a thrilling bunch sprint ahead of Chung Jae-Won (KOR, right) and Bart Hoolwerf (NED, left) © ISU
Bart Hoolwerf (NED) finished third to retain his third place in the World Cup ranking.
“Again, I’ve not managed to play it to the best of my abilities,” said Hoolwerf.
“The race was fine, but two laps before the finish I had myself caught by surprise again. The Italians came on the outside and then I’m stuck on the inside and I had to wait for everyone to pass by before I can get up to speed.
“It’s a shame because I can still overtake two men on the last straight, but if I had been able to position two places higher up, I could have raced for the gold medal.”
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ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series events 2023/24:
Nov 10 - 12, 2023 Obihiro /JPN
Nov 17 - 19, 2023 Beijing /CHN
Dec 01 - 03, 2023 Stavanger /NOR
Dec 08 - 10, 2023 Tomaszów Mazowiecki /POL
Jan 26 - 28, 2024 Salt Lake City /USA
Feb 02 - 04, 2024 Québec /CAN
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