Erzurum / Turkey

The ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2014 will open in Erzurum, Turkey on March 7. Turkey hosts a ISU Short Track Championships for the first time. 187 skaters from 39 ISU members have been entered for the Championships.

At the World Junior Championships only allround titles are up for grabs. The allround classification is based on the results of each skater in the three individual distances 500m, 1000m, 1500m and if qualified the 1500m Super Final. Only the top eight point scorers and ties on the eighth position after the completion of the three first distances will skate the 1500m Super Final. For the individual distances the final points 34, 21, 13, 8, 5, 3, 2 and 1 are awarded in descending order commencing with the first place. No points are awarded to skaters who receive a yellow or red card or failed to finish the race.

In the Ladies’ field, reigning Junior Champion Do Hee Noh (KOR) will defend her title and team mate and 2012 bronze medalist Se Jung Ahn will be a major challenger. China will have a strong team with the 2013 bronze medalist Yutong Han and young hopeful Han Xiao. Russia’s Evgeniya Zakharova made it all the way to the 1500m Super Final last year will be aiming to get a medal this year. In the Ladies Relay, Team Korean, China and Russia got gold, silver and bronze respectively two years running. These teams will compete against Canada, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Netherland, Poland, Ukraine and USA.

In the Men field the only defending medalist is Hyo Been Lee (KOR) who won the bronze last year. He will aim to claim the podium. Sandor Shaolin Liu (HUN) qualified for the Super Final in 2013 and will be looking for a medal. In the Men’s Relay a total of 18 teams are entered to compete. Korea, Canada and Japan made the 2013 podium and the following teams will try to clench a medal this year: Belarus, China, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Chinese Taipei, Turkey, Ukraine and USA.

The schedule of the ISU World Junior Short Track Championships 2014 is as follows:
Friday, March 7: Heats-1500 meters Ladies/Men, Semi-finals-1500 meters Ladies/Men, Finals-1500 meters Ladies/Men, Heats-3000 meters Relay Ladies/Men
Saturday, March 8: Heats-500 meters Ladies/Men, Quarter-finals-500 meters Ladies/ Men, Semi-finals-500 meters Ladies/ Men, Finals-500 meters Ladies/Men, Semi-finals-3000 meters Relay Ladies/ Men
Sunday, March 9: Heats-1000 meters Ladies/Men, Quarter-finals-1000 meters Ladies/ Men, Semi-finals- 1000 meters Ladies/ Men, Finals-1000 meters Ladies / Men, Super Finals-1500 meters Ladies/ Men, Finals- 3000 meters Relay Ladies/ Men