The first half of the international speed skating season concludes with the fourth ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland, this weekend. Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA) will make her season debut in the A Division. The 32-year-old Italian celebrated a happy return to the ice in the B Division last weekend, six months after giving birth to her son Tomasso, who joined his mother in Stavanger. Lollobrigida’s Italian teammates Michele Malfatti and Davide Ghiotto (ITA) hope to shine again after their glorious 10,000m exploit in Stavanger last week.
Francesca Lollobrigida and son Tomasso at the Stavanger World Cup in Norway © Getty Images
Promotion in three distances
Lollobrigida won a silver medal in the 3000m and a bronze in the Mass Start at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games before becoming a mother to Tomasso. Following his birth in May this year, she returned to training, roller skating, cycling, dryland exercises and of course ice skating.
Francesca Lollobrigida returned to competition for the first time this season in Stavanger, Norway © Getty Images
Last week at the Stavanger World Cup, she made her return to the ISU World Cup in the B Division. The ambitious Skater was then immediately promoted to the A Division in the 1500m, the long distances and the Mass Start after coming third in all three distances.
Francesca Lollobrigida (R) finished third in Stavanger, Norway, to be promoted to the A Division © Getty Images
Schouten back in A Division
Irene Schouten (NED) also got promoted to the A Division in the long distances. The Olympic Champion in the 3000m, 5000m and Mass Start had been relegated after coming eighth in the 3000m at the World Cup in Beijing but hit back with a 5000m track record in Stavanger.
Irene Schouten also returns to the A Division after victory in Stavanger, Norway © Getty Images
The 31-year-old will take on World Cup leader Ragne Wiklund (NOR), who won the 3000m in Obihiro and Beijing, and Martina Sáblíková (CZE), whose victory in the 5000m in Stavanger was her 20th long distance World Cup medal.
Open field for Takagi double
Miho Takagi (JPN) has won all three 1500m races in the World Cup this season. The Japanese Olympic Champion also grabbed gold in the 1000m in Beijing, but Jutta Leerdam (NED) beat her in Obihiro and Stavanger. The Dutch 1000m World Champion has decided to skip the World Cup in Tomaszów, however, leaving the field open for a Takagi double.
Miho Takagi has a hattrick of 1500m golds in the iSU World Cup this season after Stavanger © Getty Images
The women’s shortest distance seems to have become a two-horse race, with Erin Jackson (USA) in pole position and Kim Min Sun (KOR) chasing. The Olympic Champion won two consecutive races in Beijing, while last year’s 500m World Cup winner took gold in Stavanger.
Kim Min Sun in action at the Stavanger World Cup in Norway © Getty Images
Kimi Goetz (USA) is still in second place in the World Cup ranking after a blitz-start to the season in Obihiro and Femke Kok (NED) got back in the mix with bronze in Stavanger. The World Champion explained:
“Thus far I’ve made tiny mistakes in every World Cup race. After being ill in Beijing, we went to Spain, so I haven’t been on the ice much. I feel that my coordination in skating is not superb yet, but the speed is there, so I’m happy with that. There’s enough room for improvement.”
Return to 5000m relieve for Roest
Stavanger featured the only 10,000m race in this year’s ISU World Cup and Davide Ghiotto (ITA) seized the opportunity. The World Champion won his favorite event beating long distance World Cup leader Patrick Roest (NED), who had been victorious in the two previous 5000m races in Obihiro and Beijing.
Davide Ghiotto stormed to 10,000m gold in Stavanger, Norway © Getty Images
Ghiotto also overtook Roest in the long distance World Cup standings, as the Dutchman only finished eighth after a failed all or nothing attempt to beat his Italian rival. Roest said:
“I accelerated too soon to try and reach Ghiotto’s time, maybe even against my better judgement, because it just was not feasible today. It’s a shame, because it costs a lot of points in the World Cup ranking and even if winning isn’t possible, if I just skate a sensible race, I could make it to the podium.”
Patrick Roest is looking to bounce back following a tough 10,000m result in Stavanger, Norway © Getty Images
Ted-Jan Bloemen (CAN) and Michele Malfatti (ITA) joined Ghiotto on the 10,000m podium in Stavanger. For the Italian it was his career first individual World Cup medal.
In Tomaszów, the long distance men will return to the 5000m, which normally suits Roest better than Ghiotto.
Nuis targets World Cup ranking
The middle distance in Tomaszów will feature an interesting battle between Jordan Stolz (USA) and Kjeld Nuis (NED) again. The American World Champion diminished his chances of winning the 1500m World Cup when he skipped the Beijing World Cup but hit back with an impressive track record in Stavanger.
Jordan Stolz (C) returned to the top of the podium with a track record in Stavanger, Norway © Getty Images
Nuis came second in Stavanger but retained the lead in the 1500m rankings. The Dutch Olympic Champion has vowed to win the 1500m World Cup overall, in which he now has a 38-point advantage over fourth-ranked Stolz, who said:
“Sure, I regret missing [Beijing], but obviously, it was a good choice because everybody got sick [in Beijing many skaters suffered from a fever].
"Of course, I wanted to be there. But [the World Cup ranking] is still salvageable to some extent. It's not really a huge thing, the World Championships are more important.”
Kjeld Nuis leads the World Cup rankings in both the 1000m and 1500m © Getty Images
Nuis also leads the 1000m World Cup ranking after having won the distance in Beijing and Stavanger. Stolz will be back to challenge Nuis in Tomaszów in this as well after winning the B Division in Stavanger.
Morishige streak in 500m
In the 500m Wataru Morishige (JPN) extended his World Cup winning streak to four in Stavanger. The 23-year-old from Obihiro leads an all-Japanese World Cup top-three with Yuma Murakami and Tatsuya Shinhama (JPN) ranked second and third.
Wataru Morishige made it four 500m wins in a row in Stavanger, Norway © Getty Images
Gao Tingyu (CHN) forfeited his chances in the World Cup ranking by skipping the first event in Obihiro this season, but the Olympic Champion seems to be the most likely man to break Morishige’s streak. With a blistering opener of 9.48, Gao clocked a time of 34.66 in Stavanger, just 0.01 off Morishige’s winning time.
Tomaszów Mazowiecki program
The Tomaszów Mazowiecki World Cup will start with the 500m and 3000m for women, followed by the 1000m and the Mass Start for men on Friday. The Saturday program features the 500m and 1500m and Team Pursuit for men, and the second 500m and Team Pursuit for women. The event concludes with the second 500m and the 5000m for men, and the 1000m and Mass Start for women on Sunday.
For all information about the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series, please visit the webpage here.
World Cup Standings - Men
World Cup Standings - Women
All Media Accreditations details and deadlines for the ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series can be found here.
Where to watch
Viewers will be able to watch the World Cup sessions via their national broadcaster/channel.
For countries where there are no broadcasters, the ISU will offer a live stream with English commentary on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. You will find the full list on the Where to watch webpage here.
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ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series events 2023/24:
Nov 10 - 12, 2023 Obihiro /JPN
Nov 17 - 19, 2023 Beijing /CHN
Dec 01 - 03, 2023 Stavanger /NOR
Dec 08 - 10, 2023 Tomaszów Mazowiecki /POL
Jan 26 - 28, 2024 Salt Lake City /USA
Feb 02 - 04, 2024 Québec /CAN
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