Min-Sun Kim (KOR) set up a great season finale in the 500m World Cup classification. Winning the penultimate race in a track record 37.69 seconds at the Gaétan Boucher Oval in Quebec City, Canada on Saturday, the Korean title defender narrowed the gap with leader Erin Jackson (USA) to 14 points. Jackson finished fifth, while Femke Kok (NED) took silver just .01 seconds behind Kim. Tian Ruining (CHN) seized her first individual World Cup podium in 38.05. The final 500m is scheduled for Sunday. Together with Marrit Fleddderus and Naomi Verkerk (NED), Kok won the Team Sprint, taking home the World Cup Trophy in that event.
Min-Sun Kim beat Erin Jackson to win 500m gold on Saturday, setting up a Sunday showdown for the World Cup Trophy in Quebec City, Canada © ISU
Opener key for Kim
Going into the final World Cup weekend, Jackson had a 34-point lead over Kim in the 500m ranking. That cushion became less comfortable quickly, when the title contenders faced each other in the penultimate pairing on Saturday.
Before the Jackson-Kim showdown, Kok had already broken Kim’s 2022 track record of 38.14. With a time of 37.70, the reigning World Champion was the first woman to skate the 500m under 38 seconds in Quebec City.
It took Kim just a couple of minutes to take the track record back. At 10.41, the Korean skated the fastest opener of the field and, despite being .13 seconds slower than Kok in the full lap, she managed to seize gold.
“I'm so happy about my start, because it’s my first time to open 10.4 this season. I think my big problem is always the start, so if start is good, the race is good.”
Kok also said the start was key.
“My start was not so good today, but the rest of the race went really well. Then to lose with just a .01 margin is a bit sad, but it makes me more eager for tomorrow.”
World Champion Femke Kok took 500m silver on Saturday at the ISU World Cup in Quebec City, Canada © ISU
Kim is also eager to skate on Sunday, although she did not want to think about the battle for the World Cup Trophy.
“Erin is my good friend, so beating her gives me mixed feelings. I just focus on my own race.”
Jackson was the only other skater to open under 10.5 seconds on Saturday, but she lost too much time in the full lap, finishing fifth in 38.36. The Olympic champion had contemplated skipping the last 500m race in Quebec to taper for the World Single Distance Championships in Calgary (Feb. 15-18), but the World Cup ranking wouldn’t let her.
“I guess I have to skate tomorrow.”
Erin Jackson settled for fifth on Saturday at the ISU World Cup in Quebec City, Canada © ISU
Behind Kim and Kok, but ahead of fourth ranked Rio Yamada (JPN) and Jackson, Tian took the first individual World Cup medal of her career. She was happy to make the podium, even if it wasn’t against a full field.
“It feels good, but some athletes were not here for this race.”
Tian Ruining made her first individual World Cup podium on Saturday, taking 500m bronze in Quebec City, Canada © ISU
Kimi Goetz (USA), who was third in the ranking before the weekend, decided to stay home in Salt Lake City to prepare for the World Single Distance Championships.
Netherlands wins Team Sprint
The female sprinters had little time to rest on Saturday. With only the men’s 500m in between, they had to take their helmets and get back on the ice for the final Team Sprint race of the season.
Despite a new lineup, the Netherlands (Marrit Fledderus, Naomi Verkerk and Kok) confidently won the race in 1:27.09 to secure the Team Sprint World Cup Trophy. Verkerk was pleased.
“That went pretty well considering it’s the first time we raced together.”
Netherlands won the race and the Team Sprint classification Saturday at the ISU World Cup in Quebec City, Canada © ISU
Kok elaborated.
“Actually, we haven’t even trained together. I had never skated behind Naomi before.”
Kok, the 500m World Champion, was launched by her teammates to finish the third and excruciating final lap.
“It’s a tough race, but I can save energy pretty well when I’m drafting behind.”
Fledderus, Kok and Verkerk all hope to race the Team Sprint at the World Single Distance Championships, but Verkerk said there’s a lot of competition for a spot in the Dutch lineup.
“It’s not up to us. The national manager (Rintje Ritsma, NED) will eventually decide who’s going to skate.”
Poland’s Andzelika Wójcik, Karolina Bosiek and Iga WojtasikIga took silver in 1:27.79 and also ended up second in the classification. Wójcik expects even greater things from her team.
“This feels good, because we have established a new team for this year. So the girls, Karolina and Iga, they already have invested time for each individual distance. So I think we are really hopeful for the next years. It’s important for us to train together, to become better as a team.”
A new team this year, Poland finished second at the World Cup in Quebec City, Canada on Saturday and second overall © ISU
Kazakhstan’s Inessa Shumekova, Alina Dauranova, Yekaterina Aydova (KAZ) took bronze in 1:29.16 on Saturday, while China (Zhang Lina, Pei Chong and Tian) finished fourth to secure third place in the classification. Tian said the Sprint was a challenge, particularly since the Chinese team was hit by the flu during their North American trip.
“After the 500 I was a little bit tired, but I had to do my best and we finished well.… It has been really hard for us, because we have so many athletes who suffered from a cold over the past weeks and this week, too. I myself suffered from a cold last week, so the medal today really came as a surprise to me.”
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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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