ISU

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After Saturday's 1000m win, Brittany Bowe (USA) took another gold medal in the 1500m on Sunday. Dutch youngster Joy Beune won her career first individual World Cup medal clinching the bronze. Vanessa Herzog (AUT) took advantage of the absence of Saturday's winner Nao Kodaira (JPN) in the 500m. Despite a slower race on Sunday, the European Sprint champion collected the gold medal. 

Brittany Bowe (USA) in World Cup action in Hamar, Norway © International Skating Union (ISU)

Second gold for Bowe
Bowe started in the penultimate pairing of the 1500m. In the previous race Lotte van Beek (NED) had set the fastest time so far in 1 minute, 56.13 seconds.

Bowe was impressed: "Lotte had a great race today," she said. "I knew she was going to have a good one based on her 1000m yesterday (in which van Beek won bronze) and when I saw her splits today, I knew I had to punch a little bit more in the beginning to put some money in the bank."

With a 25.0 opening versus van Beek's 26.0, Bowe had just enough money in the bank to finish 0.24 seconds ahead of her Dutch rival. "The perfect preparatory weekend to set me up for next week's World Championships," she said. Bowe took the lead in the 1500m World Cup rankings, with the absent Ireen Wüst (NED) and Miho Takagi (JPN) in second and third place respectively.

Van Beek said: "We were joking a little beforehand. She has been so strong all season and she does make the difference in the opening. My laps were great, so I need to work on my opening to be able to challenge her yet a little bit more."

The bronze medal went to last year's Junior World Champion allround Joy Beune (NED) in 1:57.15. "My first individual medal in the World Cup," she smiled. "I'm really proud and happy."

Medalists in the Ladies' 1500m: (L-R) Lotte van Beek (NED), Brittany Bowe (USA) and Joy Beune (NED) © International Skating Union (ISU)

Beune had not seen it coming. "No, my goal was to qualify for the World Cup Final in Salt Lake City and I managed to. A World Cup medal was not one of my goals this season. I just want to skate well, learn a lot and improve step-by-step towards the (Beijing 2022) Olympic Games eventually."

Herzog takes advantage of absence Kodaira

Vanessa Herzog extended her lead in the 500m World Cup with a gold medal in 37.61 seconds. Russia's Angelina Golikova (37.90s) and Olga Fatkulina (38.09s) took silver and bronze.

Herzog was 0.24 seconds slower than she had been on Saturday, when she had to settle for silver behind Nao Kodaira (JPN). The Japanese Olympic champion had already flown to Inzell, Germany on Sunday to prepare for next week's World Single Distance Championships.

Vanessa Herzog of Austria looks on in the Ladies' 500m © International Skating Union (ISU)

"I think Nao wants to do more training in Inzell," Herzog said. "I don’t really need that. I already train in Inzell all year. I know the track very well." In Saturday's race the difference between Kodaira and Herzog was just 0.12 seconds, so Inzell is going to be an exciting showdown.