Mass Start Women Final during the 2022 ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Calgary, Alberta. ©ISU
On December 16, 2022, the ISU World Cup Speed Skating continues with the second of two back-to-back events in Calgary (CAN). The fourth of six World Cup events is the only one featuring the Women’s 5000m and the Men’s 10,000m. After winning two of the three 3000m races so far, Ragne Wiklund (NOR) leads the Women’s long distance ranking, but will she be able to hold off Olympic Champion Irene Schouten (NED) in the 5000m too?
Confident Wiklund faces struggling rivals
Last season, Schouten (NED) won the only 5000m World Cup race in Stavanger (NOR), as well as the Olympic title at the Beijing 2022 Winter Games.
Irene Schouten (NED) competes in the Mass Start Women's Final at the 2022 ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Stavanger, Norway. ©ISU
Isabelle Weidemann (CAN) and Martina Sáblíková (CZE) took silver and bronze in Beijing. Both the Canadian home favorite and the Czech veteran love to go the distance, but the two specialists did not have an ideal run-up to their beloved 5000m race, and neither did Schouten.
Skating versus Schouten, Weidemann (CAN) had a poor outing in the 3000m last week in Calgary, finishing eleventh in a time of 4 minutes 5.96s. Schouten only came seventh in 4:02.86.
Isabelle Weidemann (CAN) skates during the 2022 ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Calgary, Alberta. ©ISU
Sáblíková (CZE) did not even compete last week. The tenfold 5000m World Champion crashed in training a day before the race and suffered an open leg wound. Leading up to 5000m race, she wasn’t sure if she was able to be competitive on Friday again. “Riding a bike is ok, but running is still not pain-free”, she said on Tuesday before her first short training on the ice since the crash. Not gaining any points last week, Sáblíková dropped from 6th to 16th in the ranking. Therefore she has to start in the B Division this weekend.
Meanwhile, World Cup leader Wiklund (NOR) looks confident on the Calgary oval. The 22-year-old Norwegian also skates the 1500m, in which she came fourth last week. “I like both the 1500m and the longer distances. Speed training also helps in the 3000m and the 5000m,” she said.
Ragne Wiklund (NOR) competes in the Women's 3000m during the 2022 ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Heerenveen, Netherlands. ©ISU
Takagi looks at Adelskalendern
Like Sáblíková (CZE), Miho Takagi (JPN) will also skate the 5000m in the B Division on Friday. The Japanese Olympic 1000m Champion only skated one 3000m this season and she is 33rd in the World Cup ranking, but Takagi aims at the top spot on the Women’s Adelskalendern, the all-time ranking in which Skaters are classified by their personal bests in the four Allround distances (for Women: 500m, 1500m, 3000m, 5000m).
Miho Takagi (JPN) competes during the 2022 ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Calgary, Alberta. ©ISU
Cindy Klassen (CAN), who retired in 2015, still leads the Adelskalendern with 154,560 points. Takagi (JPN) is second with 155,169 and Sáblíková (CZE) third with 155,831.
Takagi has better personal records than Klassen in the 500m and the 1500m, but Klassen was faster in the longer distances. To pass Klassen in the ranking, Takagi has to skate 6:55.87, which is a little over six seconds faster than her current personal best of 7.01,97. It sounds difficult, but Takagi’s 5000m record was set on the low altitude track in Hamar (NOR) last season, while one would expect the high altitude track in Calgary to be faster.
Despite the Adelskalendern aspirations, Takagi’s main focus will be the 1500m on Saturday. She holds the world record with 1:49.83, and the Calgary track record with 1:50.33. Last week she won the distance in 1:52.54.
Another record attempt for Roest?
In the Men’s long distances, Patrick Roest (NED) was aiming at the 15-year-old Sven Kramer track record and Dutch national record in the 5000m last weekend, but the Dutchman came a little more than two seconds short of his compatriot’s legendary 6:03.32. “I just don’t think the ice and my legs were good enough today,” Roest said. The 10,000m track record may be an easier target this week.
Patrick Roest (NED) winner of the gold medal after competing in the Men's A Group 5000m during the 2022 ISU Speed Skating World Cup 3 in Calgary, Canada. ©Getty Images
Ted-Jan Bloemen (CAN) set 12.41.55 in October 2021. Roest’s personal and Dutch national record, set in Heerenveen in 2020, is a lot faster: 12.35,20. Bloemen himself had an unlucky return to the World Cup circuit last week. The Canadian veteran had skipped the first two World Cups to be with his wife when she gave birth to their second child. Back on the ice for the 5000m in Calgary, Bloemen was disqualified for two false starts. Saturday’s 10,000m provides him with a chance for redemption.
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Ted-Jan Bloemen (CAN) reacts to the crowd after being disqualified in the 5000m Men Division A during the 2022 ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Calgary, Alberta. ©ISU
Team Sprint instead of Team Pursuit
Apart from the Women’s 5000m and the Men’s 10,000m, this week’s program in Calgary is similar to last week’s except for the Team Pursuit, which is replaced by the Team Sprint. This event gives the Dutch a chance to make amends for last week’s disappointing outings in the Team Pursuit, with the Men coming sixth and the Women fourth.
China go on top of the Men’s Team Sprint ranking after gold in the first race of the season in Stavanger (NOR). The Netherlands are second and the United States third. In the Women’s Team Sprint, the Netherlands lead before Canada and the United States.
Dubreuil, Kim and Leerdam
In the individual sprint distances, Laurent Dubreuil (CAN) will defend his lead both in the 500m and the 1000m. After two wins in three races the Canadian leads the World Cup 500m ranking ahead of Yuma Murakami (JPN) and Wataru Morishige (JPN).
Laurent Dubreuil (CAN) races in the 1000m Men Division A during the 2022 ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Calgary, Alberta. ©ISU
Dubreuil didn’t win a race in the 1000m yet, but coming second twice got him on top of the ranking, ahead of last week’s winner Hein Otterspeer (NED) and Ning Zhongyan (CHN), who won the 1000m in Heerenveen (NED).
In the Women’s sprint events, only two names were on top this season. Kim Min Sun (KOR) posted a perfect streak with three gold medals in three 500m races and Jutta Leerdam (NED) did the same in the 1000m.
Spectacular finale
Like last weekend, the fourth World Cup will conclude with the Women’s and Men’s Mass Start events. Irene Schouten leads the Women’s ranking with back-to-back victories in Heerenveen (NED) and Calgary (CAN). Ivanie Blondin (CAN), who won the first race in Stavanger (NOR) will look for revenge after being disqualified last week in Calgary.
Ivanie Blondin (CAN) celebrates wining the Mass Start Women Final, during Day 3 of the 2022 ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Stavanger, Norway. ©ISU
Andrea Giovannini (ITA) conquered the lead in the Men’s Mass Start after a spectacular solo breakaway last week. The Italian realizes that once you are on top in the Mass Start ranking, you’ll have a target painted on your back in the next races. He said: “I’m really happy to go on top of the ranking now, but there are still three more Mass Starts, so it's still a long way.”
Program
The second of two back-to-back Calgary World Cups starts with the 1500m and the Team Pursuit for Men, and the 500m and 5000m for Women on Friday. On Saturday the Women will skate the 1500m and the Team Sprint, while the Men take on the 500m and the 10,000m, and the Sunday schedule features the 1000m and Mass Start for both genders.
For all information about the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series, please visit the webpage here.
World Cup Standings - Men
World Cup Standings - Women
Where to watch
Viewers will be able to watch the World Cup sessions (local time) via their national broadcaster/channel.
For countries where there are no broadcasters, the ISU will offer a live stream on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. You will find the full list on the Where to watch webpage here.
ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series events 2022/23:
Nov 11 - 13, 2022 Stavanger /NOR
Nov 18 - 20, 2022 Heerenveen/ NED
Dec 09 - 11, 2022 Calgary /CAN
Dec 16 - 18, 2022 Calgary /CAN
Feb 10 - 12, 2023 Tomaszów Mazowiecki /POL
Feb 17 - 19, 2023 World Cup Final - Tomaszów Mazowiecki /POL
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