As the ice skating season draws to a close, our beloved skaters are fully engaged in their personal pursuits. From well-deserved vacations to rigorous training regimens, the spectrum is broad. Join us as we uncover the standout moments of the recent weeks.
During the off-season, the Skaters aren't simply lounging on vacation. Beyond rigorous summer training sessions and crafting new programs, the skating world bustles with activity. Let's delve into the highlights of the past few weeks.
It is with regret and sorrow that the ISU learned of the passing of 1964 Olympic Champion, three-time ISU World Champion and five-time ISU European Champion Mrs. Sjoukje Dijkstra who passed away at age 82 on May 2, 2024.
The International Skating Union (ISU) announces a modification to the dates of the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2025 scheduled to be held in Seoul (KOR).
The International Skating Union (ISU) proudly reaffirms its commitment to leveraging sport for peace and development on the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. This global event highlights sport's capacity to foster understanding, tolerance, and peace across borders.
Håvard Lorentzen and Sverre Lunde Pedersen hand over Norwegian Speed Skating to a new generation. Coming from an often rainy outdoor track in Bergen, Norway, the two conquered the Speed Skating world together.
The 500m was her Achilles’ heel, butJoy Beune (NED) made up for it in the remaining three distances to win the title at her maiden ISU World Allround Championships. “I felt good this weekend, so the goal was winning three distances and I managed,” she concluded. Beune set two track records on her way to the title, leaving Marijke Groenewoud (NED) in second place. Behind Beune and Groenewoud, Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong (NED) seized her career fifth World Allround bronze medal.
“I’ve been beaten by a phenomenon,” Patrick Roest (NED) said after four distances at the ISU World Allround Championships in Inzell on Sunday. Jordan Stolz (USA) concluded the tournament with a world points record in the big combination to become the youngest World Allround champion since 18-year-old Eric Heiden in 1977. Roest had to settle for silver and Hallgeir Engebråten (NOR) was happy to grab bronze. His mentor Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR) waved farewell to speed skating with seventh place overall.
It was a bold decision to start in the World Allround Championships after having won the World Sprint Championships the night before, but Miho Takagi (JPN) wanted to give it a shot. She managed to win the 500m, but dropped to third place after the 3000m, when the fatigue got the better of her. Takagi decided to quit, leaving the field open for Joy Beune (NED) and Marijke Groenewoud (NED) to fight for the title. Beune skated a track record in the 3000m on Saturday, but Groenewoud leads her compatriot by a small margin in the overall.
Before the men’s ISU World Allround Championships, many people were calculating chances, measuring the speed of Jordan Stolz (USA) against the stamina of Patrick Roest (NED). It took Stolz only 34.10s to end all speculation. Even Roest agreed that Stolz was the outright favorite for the Allround title after the American youngster smashed the 500m track record and kept his composure with a time of 6 minutes and 14.76s in the 5000m on the first day. Before the start of Sunday’s 1500m, second-ranked Roest is 3.42s behind. Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR) follows at 6.36s in third place.
After the first day of the ISU World Sprint Championships in Inzell, Miho Takagi (JPN) seemed to be cruising to the title, but she still had a tough battle to fight on Friday. Second ranked Femke Kok (NED) closed when she equaled the 500m track record she set on Friday, and third ranked Jutta Leerdam (NED) powered to 1:12.86 in the 1000m, beating the track record Takagi set on Thursday by .46s. The Japanese start managed to keep both Kok and Leerdam at bay in the end. Celebrating her career second World Sprint title, Takagi was not sure about starting in the World Allround Championships on Saturday. “I only want to start if I feel can win,” she said.
Laurent Dubreuil (CAN) took a narrow lead on the first day of the ISU World Speed Skating Sprint Championships in Inzell, Germany on Thursday. The 31-year-old from Quebec won the 500m and retained his lead in the standings with a solid 1000m performance, finishing sixth. Ning Zhongyan (CHN) is ranked second by just .03s in tomorrow’s 500m, with Jenning de Boo (NED) third by .17s. “I’m still ahead, but it’s so little that it’s basically tied between me and Ning,” Dubreuil said.
In a tight battle over four exciting distances, Ning Zhongyan (CHN) crowned himself the first Chinese male World Sprint Champion in the history of speed skating. Laurent Dubeuil (CAN) went into the second day as leader in the ranking, Jenning de Boo (NED) pushed him off the top spot with a superb 500m, but Ning dealt the decisive blow with a track record time of 1:07.11 in the final 1000m. De Boo had to settle for silver and Dubreuil for bronze.
Miho Takagi (JPN) laid a solid foundation for a career-second sprint world title, delivering an opening day of sheer perfection at the ISU World Sprint Championships in Inzell, Germany on Thursday. After coming second in the 500m and winning the 1000m in a track record one minute, 13.32 seconds, the 2020 champion took a 46-second lead over second-placed Femke Kok (NED), and a 48-second advantage over defending champion Jutta Leerdam (NED), in third.
It is with regret and sorrow that the ISU learned of the passing of multiple ISU European Championships medalist, four-time National Dutch Champion and two-time Olympian, Mrs. Joan Haanappel who passed away at 83 years old.