ISU

Jutta Leerdam (NED) claimed her first World Sprint title at the ISU World Championships in Hamar on Friday. The 23-year-old Dutchwoman beat Femke Kok (NED) by 0.37s in the final 1000m to edge out her compatriot by 0.07 points in the overall classification. Vanessa Herzog (AUT) claimed bronze, 1.08 points off the winner. It was the first time on the World Sprint Championships podium for all three women.

Laurent Dubreuil (CAN) made his mark in the 500m but Thomas Krol (NED) hit back in the 1000m on the first day of the men’s Sprint Tournament at the ISU World Speed Skating Championships in Hamar. With a solid third place, Dubreuil managed to limit the damage in the 1000m and the Canadian heads into the second day as leader. Krol is second with Kai Verbij (NED) sitting third.

Jutta Leerdam and Femke Kok set up an exciting battle for the title on the first day of the ISU World Sprint Championships in Hamar on Thursday. After Kok had won the 500m and Leerdam the 1000m, the youngsters from the Netherlands were only 0.07 points apart, with Leerdam on top. Vanessa Herzog (AUT) is third after coming second in the 500m and fourth in the 1000m.

The ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Montreal, (CAN) have been postponed to April 8-10, 2022

Don’t miss any of the action from the season’s thrilling races from the ISU Speed Skating Championships 2021/22, which will be streamed live to all fans on the ISU Skating YouTube Channel. Make sure to subscribe to receive live stream notifications. Some geo-restrictions will apply on YouTube, but if you find yourself unable to watch the stream, check out one of the channels below to get access.

After the single distance specialists had their chance to shine at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games last month, versatility and consistency will be required over four distances at the ISU World Speed Skating Championships 2022 in Hamar. In the Allround tournaments short and long distance performances are added up in one overall ranking, and in the Sprint Championships Skaters have to perform well over the course of two 500m and two 1000m races.

Following the recent worldwide developments (Covid-19 pandemic and Ukrainian crisis), the ISU and Speed Skating Canada are currently considering a postponement of the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Montreal, CAN from March 18-20, 2022, to the first part of April 2022.

The ISU Council reiterates its solidarity with all those affected by the conflict in Ukraine and our thoughts are with the entire Ukrainian people and country. The ISU Council reaffirms its full solidarity with the ISU Members in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Speed Skating Federation and the Ukrainian Figure Skating Federation. The ISU Council will evaluate possibilities for swift humanitarian assistance to its Ukrainian ISU Members. 

The ISU is witnessing with great disbelief the events unfolding in Ukraine and is deeply concerned about the safety of the skating family in Ukraine. Our hearts go out to all those affected and our thoughts are with the entire Ukrainian people and country. The ISU expresses its solidarity with all those affected by this conflict.

The ISU Council met on February 24, 2022 via an online meeting. The following were among the decisions taken by the Council during the meeting.

After his 1500m silver, Thomas Krol (NED) took another step up to the podium, seizing the Olympic 1000m title in Beijing. The Dutchman finished in 1 minute 7.92s, to keep Laurent Dubreuil (CAN) 0.40s behind. The Canadian landed silver after an act of true selfless sportsmanship by Krol’s long-time friend Kai Verbij (NED), who made way for Dubreuil after the pair ended up level on the final backstretch of their exhilarating race. Håvard Lorentzen (NOR) followed up his 2018 silver with bronze at the Beijing 2022 Olympics.

No fixed lanes, no planned schedules or coaches with lap-times, but everyone at the starting line for a bunch race over 16 laps. It’s Mass Start time in Beijing. The traditionalists in long track Speed Skating still look at it with a sense of reluctance, but most Skaters have embraced the new dynamics since the event was added to the World Cup program ten years ago. 

Four Dutch Men dominated the 1000m in the first four World Cups this season, but every nation has a maximum of three starting slots per distance at the Olympic Games. Reigning Olympic Champion Kjeld Nuis (NED) was the unlucky one out in the distance at the Dutch trials. Thomas Krol (NED), Hein Otterspeer (NED) and Kai Verbij (NED) all enter the competition in Beijing as title contenders. Based on the World Cup ranking, home favorite Ning Zhongyan (CHN), 2018 silver medalist Håvard Lorentzen (NOR) and Canada’s Laurent Dubreuil are their main challengers.

She saved the best for the last. After having collected three silver medals in the Beijing National Speed Skating Oval already, Miho Takagi (JPN) finally seized her much coveted first individual Olympic gold in the 1000m. In a superb display of technique and power, the 27-year-old World Sprint Champion shattered the Olympic record by a 0.37 margin in 1 minute 13.19s, leaving Jutta Leerdam (NED) 0.64s behind in silver. World record holder Brittany Bowe (USA) had to settle for bronze in 1:14.61s.

After having won silver in the 1500m, the 500m as well as in the Team Pursuit Final, Miho Takagi (JPN) seems to be the most obvious favorite for the 1000m distance that’s right in between. Yet, competition will be tough in the Women’s 1000m on Thursday. Having seen her teammate and friend Erin Jackson‘s fairy tale 500m win, World Cup leader Brittany Bowe (USA) hopes to complete her long Olympic journey at Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval with a medal herself, while 2020 World Champion Jutta Leerdam (NED) has also set her eyes on 1000m gold.