ISU

Kim leads the charge for new Korean Short Track generation. Kim Gilli (KOR) recently made a YouTube video for a Korean fan channel in which she declared: Suzanne, I am coming!

International Women’s Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate and recognize achievements of women in the Ice Skating world. In the following lines, we will focus on four women coaches who are paving the way for future generations.

The International Skating Union (ISU) is pleased to have the KB Financial Group as the title sponsor for the final event of the Short Track season.  “Throughout the years, KB has been a strong supporter of skating and the athletes.” Said Jae Youl Kim, president of the ISU “We are thrilled to have KB as the title sponsor of the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2023 in Seoul. Together with KB, we look forward to a very exciting event for the skaters and all fans worldwide.”

On December 4, 2022, the International Skating Union (ISU) together with a variety of partners, national federations and skating clubs from all over the globe celebrated the first ever World Ice Skating Day (WISD). This inaugural edition was a success with events organized in 47 countries and at 170 ice rinks worldwide (read here). To boost a competitive spirit amongst the WISD organizers, the ISU announced the “Best WISD 2022” contest, which aims at rewarding the most successful WISD actions based on a list of specific criteria and targets (read here). Among the 25 nominees shortlisted for the 2022 Awards, the ISU is delighted to announce Indonesia (Federasi Ice Skating Indonesia) as winner of the Best WISD 2022 in the 500+ attending participants category, together with Mexico for the category involving less than 500 participants. The Ice Academy of Montreal (CAN) won the Best #WISDance category, awarding the most creative WISD signature choreography.

“I guess I wrote some history,” Jordan Stolz (USA) commented modestly, and he had indeed. Already the youngest ever World Single Distance Champion after winning both the 500m and 1000m, the American sealed an historic hattrick on the final day in Heerenveen with victory in the 1500m. It makes the 18-year-old the first skater in World Single Distance Championship history to win three individual distances. Another milestone winner rounded off the Men’s competition, as Davide Ghiotto became Italy’s first-ever World Single Distance Champion with gold in the 10,000m.   

Antoinette Rijpma-De Jong (NED) and Irene Schouten (NED) took the last two women’s titles at the ISU World Single Distance Championships in Heerenveen on Sunday, but Ragne Wiklund (NOR) left the competition as the most decorated female skater. The Norwegian 3000m champion claimed silver behind both Rijpma-De Jong in the 1500m and Schouten in the 5000m. Martina Sáblíková (CZE) won her 18th World Single Distance medal with bronze in the 5000m. Only the recently retired Dutch legend Sven Kramer (21) has won more.

Kao Miura (JPN) added another title to his resume and smashed the competition to win with more than 40 points to spare, as competition at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships wrapped up in Calgary, AB (CAN) Saturday with the Junior Men’s Free Skating. 

Katerina Mrazkova/Daniel Mrazek (CZE) danced straight into history winning the first medal for a Czech Ice Dance team at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships Saturday in Calgary, AB (CAN) – and it was the gold.

Jordan Stolz (USA) is so far unstoppable in Heerenveen. After becoming the youngest ever World Single Distance champion in the 500m on Friday, the 18-year-old added the 1000m title to his tally at Thialf Stadium on Saturday. Olympic Champion Thomas Krol (NED) had to settle for silver, while Cornelius Kersten claimed Great Britain’s first international speed skating silverware since 1951 with bronze. More history was made by European and Olympic Champion Bart Swings (BEL), who became Belgium’s first-ever World Champion by winning the Men’s Mass Start to complete his list of honors.

After winning all eight of her 1000m races this season, Jutta Leerdam (NED) was feeling the pressure at the start of the World Championships 1000m final on Saturday in Heerenveen. But one minute and 13.03 seconds later, she celebrated in relief. Leerdam crushed the field leaving silver medalist Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong (NED) 1.23 adrift. Olympic Champion Miho Takagi (JPN) took bronze. In the Mass Start Marijke Groenewoud (NED) retained her World title with an impressive ten-lap solo, finishing almost 15 seconds ahead of the pack.

Mao Shimada (JPN) leapt to gold in at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Calgary, AB (CAN) Thursday. 

Katerina Mrazkova/Daniel Mrazek (CZE) danced to the lead in the Rhythm Dance as the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships continued Friday in Calgary, AB (CAN). 

Femke Kok (NED) wrote her name into Netherlands speed skating history on Friday, becoming the first-ever Dutchwoman to win the 500m title at the World Single Distance Championships. She also gave the home crowd in Heerenveen reason to celebrate after a heartbreaking disqualification for the Dutch Team Pursuit women earlier in the evening. Canada were upgraded in their place from silver to gold.  

“Otherworldly,” was how Laurent Dubreuil (CAN) described Jordan Stolz (USA) in Heerenveen on Friday. The 18-year-old Junior All-Round World Champion crushed the senior field in the 500m by a margin of 0.36 at the World Single Distance Championships to become the youngest ever senior World Champion. World Cup winner Dubreuil himself had to settle for silver, while Wataru Morishige (JPN) took bronze. 

Kao Miura (JPN) earned a confident lead as the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships continued in Calgary, AB (CAN) Thursday with the Junior Men’s Short Program.