ISU

The last ISU World Cup Speed Skating event before the Final was held in Calgary (CAN) this weekend. We have selected some of the best pictures for you to check out. 

With a display of unmatched power and composure Pavel Kulizhnikov, seized his second medal of the Calgary World Cup weekend, winning the men's 1000m on Saturday to go with his silver in the 500m from Friday. The Russian sprinter was more than half a second faster than his Dutch rivals Thomas Krol and Kjeld Nuis. After three Russian victories in the Men's tournament, Patrick Roest concluded the fifth leg of the World Cup with the only gold for the Netherlands, edging out home favorite Ted-Jan Bloemen by just 0.02secs in the 5000m.

The Japanese ladies boosted their confidence heading into next week's ISU World Single Distance Championships in Salt Lake City, taking their tally to three golds over the World Cup weekend. Miho Takagi smashed Brittany Bowe's 2015 track record by 1.26 seconds to win the 1500m on the final day in Calgary, while Nao Kodaira added 500m gold to her win in Friday's 1000m.

Nao Kodaira (JPN) looks as sharp as a razor blade gearing up to next week’s world championships in Salt Lake City. The Japanese sprinter took her first 1000m World Cup gold of the season in a season's-best time of 1:12.65 on Friday. Martina Sáblíková (CZE) is also looking in great shape as the season's climax approaches, winning the 3000m on the first day of the ISU World Cup at the Olympic Oval in Calgary.

Russia’s men have fired a warning message to their rivals ahead of next week’s world championships in Salt Lake City with a dominant display on day one of the fifth leg of the ISU World Cup in Calgary. Ruslan Murashov, Pavel Kulizhnikov and Viktor Mushtakov swept the podium in the opening 500m with the smallest possible margin between them, while teammate Denis Yuskov went on to triumph in the 1500m.

Who is in shape, who is not, and who is hiding? The fifth leg in this season's ISU World Cup Speed Skating this weekend at the Olympic Oval in Calgary is last test for the ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships next week in Salt Lake City. Kjeld Nuis, Thomas Krol and Patrick Roest (NED) all qualified to skate the men's 1500m in Calgary, but decided to skip that distance to save energy. Other skaters will use the ISU World Cup Speed Skating to regain rhythm after a couple of weeks without competition.

Did you miss the first ever ISU Four Continents Speed Skating Championships in Milwaukee (USA) this weekend? Don't worry, we have you covered! We have the highlights for you to catch up. 

The Focus is on the first ISU Four Continents Speed Skating Championships that took place in Milwaukee, USA this weekend. Look at the stunning pictures that were taken. 

Just 0.002 seconds separated Kouki Kubo (JPN) and Laurent Dubreuil (CAN) in the Men's 1000m on the final day of the ISU Four Continents Championships in Milwaukee. It was the difference between gold and silver, with the Japanese youngster taking the highest honor. The Men's Team Pursuit title went to Canada, after Team USA were disqualified, leaving Republic of Korea topping the Men's medal tally with four golds, two silvers and one bronze. 

Brianna Bocox led the USA to another 100 percent score in the ladies' events on the final day of the Speed Skating Four Continents Championships on Sunday. In front of a loud home crowd in Milwaukee's Pettit National Ice Center the 22-year-old US skater took the 1000m title and joined Mia Kilburg-Manganello and Paige Schwartzburg to win the Ladies’ Team Pursuit little more than an hour later. It was Bocox’s third gold medal over the weekend, but it was her teammate Manganello who topped the individual medal table with three golds and a bronze.

The Republic of Korea brought their top male skaters to the Four Continents tournament and it paid off on Saturday. Kim Min-Seok won the 1500m ahead of three Canadians, while Um Cheon-Ho and Chung Jae-Won landed gold and silver in the mass start at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, USA.

Hosts USA took the honors in the Ladies tournament at the ISU Four Continents Championships on Saturday, with Mia Kilburg-Manganello winning the mass start to collect her second title of the weekend after Brianna Bocox (USA) got the day off to a flying start by taking the 1500m earlier in the afternoon.

Kim Joon-Ho (KOR) powered to the first-ever men's gold medal at the ISU Four Continents Championships in a 500m track record at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee on Friday and went on to add a Team Sprint gold together with compatriots Cha Min Kyu and Kim Jin-Su. In the 5000m Vitaliy Schigolev and Dmitry Morozov handed Kazakhstan gold and silver ahead of local hero Emery Lehman (USA).

Kim Min Sun (KOR) was crowned the first ever Four Continents Champion, when she won the Ladies' 500m to kick off the inaugural ISU Four Continents Championships in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Friday. Home favorite Mia Kilburg-Manganello (USA) had the Star Spangled Banner played in her honor for the first time in senior competition after winning the Ladies' 3000m and Canada’s ladies concluded the day by taking gold in the Team Sprint.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA, will host the inaugural ISU Four Continents Speed Skating Championships from January 31 to February 2. While the european speed skaters have had their annual continental championships since 1893, skaters from the other four continents have not had a similar opportunity to fight for a prize until this day. Canada, Japan, the Republic of Korea, China and the host nation mostly field their most talented youngsters in the new competition.