Netherlands déjà vu as Schulting and Velzeboer win again
Sometimes winning in Short Track is about tactics, overtaking and handling chaos with a cool head. Sometimes it is about sheer speed. Suzanne Schulting (NED) can do it either way.
The Netherlands racer produced a near-perfect weekend at the ISU World Cup in Montreal, following Saturday’s 1500m gold with a brilliant tactical skate to triumph in the 1000m (2) – before anchoring the all-conquering Dutch women’s team to gold in the 3000m relay.
On Saturday she had simply got to the front of the field and produced more power than everyone else. Sunday’s 1000m (2) was a proper scrap, however, with multiple overtaking moves and a lot of jostling, with Schulting eventually prevailing ahead of Choi Min Jeong (KOR), who got silver, and Kim Gilli (KOR), who took bronze.
Suzanne Schulting proves she's a woman for all situations with victory in the 1000m (2). © ISU
“I’m super relieved with how the weekend went,” said Schulting. “The 1000m was a great race against those Korean girls. I think I showed that I’m able to beat them when I’m the only skater, on my own, and I think it was one of my top three races.
“Yesterday, in the 1500m I had great acceleration, so I’m super happy overall.”
Schulting admitted to being nervous, pre-competition. “I didn’t know what to expect from myself or the other skaters,” she said. “I only did one competition at home so my last big competition was the Olympics.
“I was struggling with stress this weekend. I’m always stressed. I think that is a good thing and why I’m able to skate fast, but it is also kind of annoying, so I am trying to be more relaxed and stay calm, but yesterday I found it hard.”
Velzeboer too fast again
The rise and rise of Xandra Velzeboer (NED), meanwhile, continues unabated. After bagging her first ever individual ISU World Cup gold medal yesterday, the 21-year-old added her second on Sunday.
Xandra Velzeboer (NED, centre) after winning her second gold in Montreal, the 500m, on Sunday. © ISU
The 500m World Champion was at her very best in the same distance in Montreal, hitting the front early and turning up the speed remorselessly, beating the field with metres to spare.
Natalia Maliszewska (POL) got silver and Shim Suk Hee (KOR) took bronze.
“Xandra is just super fast at the moment,” said Maliszewska. “She was crazy fast last season, so I’m not surprised. But I’m happy there is someone to try and catch.”
After Velzeboer heaped praise on Schulting yesterday, her compatriot repaid it today, as the pair won gold in the 3000m relay together, ahead of Canada and Italy.
“Xandra had an amazing weekend,” said Schulting. “She is skating really good and I think that’s great for Team Netherlands. We constantly look to each other. She looks at my skating, I look at hers, we challenge each other in training. That’s why we are racing like this and why we are the best in the world.”
They are certainly going to take some stopping this season.
Victory in the 3000m relay makes it a clean sweep for the Dutch women in Montreal on Sunday. © ISU
The ISU World Cup continues, next weekend, 4-6 November, in Salt Lake City.
For all information about the ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series, please visit webpage here.
World Cup Classification - Men
Overall World Cup Classification
World Cup Classification - Women
Overall World Cup Classification
World Cup Classification – Mixed Relay
Where to watch
Viewers will be able to watch the Saturday and Sunday afternoon (local time) World Cup sessions via their national broadcaster/channel.
For countries where there are no broadcasters and for the qualification and repechage races, 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:
Oct 28 - 30, 2022 Montréal /CAN
Nov 04 - 06, 2022 Salt Lake City /USA
Dec 09 - 11, 2022 Almaty /KAZ
Dec 16 - 18, 2022 Almaty /KAZ
Feb 03 - 05, 2023 Dresden /GER
Feb 10 - 12, 2023 Dordrecht /NED
About ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series
The ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2022. Launched in 1997/98, the Series usually consists of six events (four during an Olympic season) that take place in North America, Europe and Asia.
The competitions have a single distance character across nine distances (500, 1000 and 1500 meters for Women and Men, Women 3000 meters Team Relay, Men 5000 meters Team Relay and a Mixed Gender Relay over 2000 meters), and to mark its 25th anniversary, the series now also includes an Overall World Classification based on an accumulation of points from all individual distances which will determine a Combined Season Ranking and a Season Champion in the Women and Men categories. These Champions will be awarded with the new ISU World Cup Short Track Crystal Globe Trophy.
Each competition is held over three days (day 1 is dedicated to all Qualifying Rounds, days 2 and 3 consist of the last Qualifying Rounds followed by the World Cup sessions). For the Mixed Gender Relay Teams (2 Women & 2 Men), the Women 3000 meters Relay races and Men 5000 meters Relay races a maximum of four Skaters shall compete and must belong to the same ISU Member. For further information please visit isu.org.
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