ISU

Jutta Leerdam (NED) was in a league of her own on the first day of the women’s European Sprint Championships in Hamar, Norway. After coming second in the 500m, the defending champion crushed the field in the 1000m to take a 0.590-point lead over Femke Kok (NED) at the halfway point. Austrian Vanessa Herzog follows in third place, 1.750 points behind the leader.

This year, the ISU European Speed Skating Championships at the Hamar Vikingskipet  (January 06-08, 2023) in Norway, will be held in an Allround and Sprint format this season. Two years ago, all four titles went to the Netherlands. In Hamar, Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong and Patrick Roest will defend their Allround titles, while Jutta Leerdam hopes to retain her Sprint crown. The Men’s Sprint Champion Thomas Krol did not qualify at the Dutch trials, leaving the title up for grabs in an open field.

Succession Plan for ISU Director General Position

Four gold medals in four races. Jutta Leerdam (NED) set a perfect streak in 1000m at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series so far. After a summer of change, the 23-year-old Dutchwoman had not expected such a prolific season start.

Coaches and athletes are in firm agreement: challenges remain but USA Short Track Speed Skating is “definitely on the up again”.

“I think I can be an example now, that it's possible to combine both ice skating and inline skating,” says Felix Rijhnen. A twofold world champion on inline skates, the 32-year-old German seized his first World Cup win on the ice in the Mass Start at the first ISU World Cup Speed Skating event of the 2022/23 season in Stavanger (NOR). Rijhnen is hungry for more success on the ice, especially in the 5000m, his favorite distance.

In the first of a new series, Pascal Dion (CAN) shares an inside view on great friend, team-mate and occasional rival Steven Dubois (CAN). And then Dubois gets his own back.

After winning silver medals in the 1500m and the 500m, Jordan Stolz (USA) concluded the back-to-back World Cup events in Calgary by taking gold in the intermediate distance on Sunday.

With gold in the 1000m on Sunday, Jutta Leerdam (NED) made it four wins from four in the distance in the ISU World Cup Speed Skating series this season. Just like last week, she left Olympic Champion Miho Takagi (JPN) far behind in second place.

It was a thrilling day for the Netherlands as the Women’s team capped of the fourth ISU World Cup meet in style. Suzanne Schulting (NED) demonstrated her power to win the 1000m and Yara van Kerkhof (NED) led a Dutch one-two with Michelle Velzeboer (NED) in the 500m (2).

They say the best should be saved for last and for Denis Nikisha (KAZ) it all came true in Almaty on the closing day of the fourth ISU World Cup event of the season. Nikisha marked his sensational victory in the 500m (2) with a proposal on the ice, and his girlfriend said yes.

Having previously claimed silver and bronze on the Calgary Olympic Oval, Davide Ghiotto (ITA) completed the set with his first World Cup win in the 10,000m on the same ice ahead of favorite Patrick Roest.

After skating the 5000m on Friday, Miho Takagi (JPN) was back in her comfort zone on Saturday. The Japanese world record holder took her third gold in four races this season at the fourth leg of the ISU World Cup series in Calgary.

Suzanne Schulting (NED) let out a scream of delight as she won the 500m (1) in Almaty’s Halyk Arena on Saturday but Natalia Maliszewska was just as happy with silver; even happier perhaps, the Polish sprint specialist revealed after the race.

Diane Sellier (POL) was on the brink of giving up on Short Track two years ago but an invitation from his coach Gregory Durand to leave France for Poland helped to change his mind. His leap of faith got rewarded on Saturday as the 21-year-old secured the first Senior gold medal of his career.