Rotterdam / Netherlands

The KPN ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2017 concluded today with the crowning of this year’s individual and team champions. Elise Christie (GBR) and Yi Ra Seo (KOR) were crowned the World Short Track Speed Skating Champions for 2017: this was the first world championship title for both athletes. In the team events, the Ladies World Short Track Speed Skating Relay Champions for 2017 are China while the Netherlands take the title of World Short Track Speed Skating Relay Champions for 2017 in front of a home crowd.

Wstc17 L1000m 652529092Christie takes her second distance Ladies World Champion title, in the 1000m

The final day of the championships began with Marianne St-Gelais (CAN) and Elise Christie (GBR) tied in the lead of the overall classification. The two athletes found themselves in the Final A of the 1000m distance. Christie took the lead with one lap to go from Min Jeong Choi (KOR) to clinch her first ever World Champion title in the 1000m distance. Marianne St-Gelais finished second, as a result of a penalty given to Choi. Suzanne Schulting (NED) provided the home crowd a bronze medal performance in the distance. Her teammate Rianne de Vries was fourth.

Christie secures the ladies overall title with a third-place finish in the 3000m Super Final

Entering the ladies 3000m Super Final, Elise Christie (GBR) had 76 points, 13-points ahead of second-placed ranked Marianne St-Gelais (CAN). Kexin Fan (CHN) was sitting in third place overall, with 34 points. The championship title was to be determined between Christie and St-Gelais. The final race included Fan; three Koreans: Suk Hee Shim, Ji Yoo Kim and Min Jeong Choi; two Dutch skaters: Suzanne Schulting and Rianne de Vries; and Arianna Fontana (ITA). Shim and Kim dominated the race, finishing first and second respectively, while Christie made history again as she is the first European Lady to ever win an overall world title by finishing in third place, ahead of St-Gelais. The fourth-place finish by St-Gelais was enough for her to secure her second career overall world championship silver medal. Shim’s win in the Super Final allowed her to move ahead of Fan in the overall ranking, to clinch third place in the final classification.

Yi Ra Seo (KOR) wins his first 1000m World Champion title

Yi Ra Seo began the last day of the championships in fourth-place overall with 26 points. The win in the men’s 1000m final allowed him to become a serious championship contender entering the final race of the weekend, the 3000m Super Final. Seo took the lead with two laps to go, finishing ahead Shaoang Liu (HUN). Charles Hamelin (CAN) earned his first championship points of the weekend, as did reigning World Champion Tianyu Han (CHN): Hamelin finished third while Han was fourth. None of the top three in the overall ranking qualified for the Final A, which allowed Seo to move into first place overall after three distances.  

Wstc17 M1000 652531434Sjinkie Knegt (NED) wins the 3000m Super Final; Yi Ra Seo (KOR) clinches world title

Entering the men’s 3000m Super Final, Seo had 60 points, followed by Sjinkie Knegt (NED) with 39 points and Samuel Girard (CAN) with 37 points. Fourth-place ranked Da Woon Sin (KOR) was also mathematically still in contention for the overall title with 34 points to his credit. Knegt skated a strong race, motivated by the cheers of the home crowd, and crossed the finish line in first place. He was closely followed by Seo, who clinched the overall world title with a second-place finish. Victor An (RUS) finished in third place, while Samuel Girard was fourth. This provided Girard with enough points to take the third and final podium spot in the overall championship ranking.

China (Ladies) and Netherlands (Men) clinch the Relay titles

China was crowned the Ladies World Short Track Speed Skating Relay Champions 2017 by winning a race they led almost from start to finish. Netherlands came close to a podium however a fall with three laps to go put them out of contention for a medal. Both Hungary and Japan, who were on the heels of the Dutch, took advantage of the situation, to finish second and third respectively. On the men’s side, the Dutch Relay team satisfied the loud and cheering home fans by winning the 5000m Relay event. The Netherlands moved into the lead with two laps to go, and held off the challenges of China, Hungary and Russia. In the end, China earned the silver medal, while Hungary earned a bronze medal. Russia was given a penalty

 

About the KPN ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2017

The KPN ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships have both a single distance and allround format. A total of 10 World titles are up for grabs, Ladies and Men 500m, 1000m, 1500m, allround and Team Relay.

The allround classification is based on the results of each skater in the three individual distances 500m, 1000m and 1500m. After the completion of the three distances the top eight point scorers and ties on the eighth position will skate the 3000m Super Final. For the individual distances the final points 34, 21, 13, 8, 5, 3, 2 and 1 are awarded to Final A and Final B Skaters in descending order. In the case of a penalty or did not finish in the Final A, the skater(s) concerned will be awarded points equal to the winner of the Final B. In the case of a penalty in the Final B, the skater(s) concerned will not be awarded any points. No points are awarded to skaters who receive a yellow or red card or did not start the race