It was a long time coming, but Joy Beune (NED) finally won her first individual World Cup gold on Friday in Salt Lake City, USA. The four-time 2018 World Junior Champion left Olympic gold medallist Irene Schouten (NED) 1.34 seconds behind in the 3000m, while Valérie Maltais (CAN) seized bronze to take her first World Cup podium in a classic distance. Earlier on Friday, Miho Takagi (JPN) edged out Kimi Goetz (USA) to win the first of two 1000m races this World Cup weekend.
Joy Beune won her first World Cup gold at the senior level in Salt Lake City, USA © ISU
No guts not glory for Beune
Schouten was the first of the long-distance favorites to start in the 3000m, taking on Yang Binyu (CHN) in the fourth of eight pairings. Stopping the clock at 3:58.20, Schouten left her pairmate more than three seconds behind, recording the first time under four minutes.
Beune took the ice in the next pairing against Momoka Horikawa (JPN), and the 24-year-old Dutchwoman started much faster than Schouten had done, building a 2.25-second lead at the 2200m split. She managed to hold on at the end, finishing 1.34 seconds ahead of Schouten with a personal best time of 3:56.86.
World Champion and World Cup leader Ragne Wiklund (NOR) and her veteran pairmate, World Cup runner-up Martina Sáblíková (CZE), were not able to match Beune’s pace in the sixth pairing. Marijke Groenewoud (NED) clocked the third best time of the day in the seventh pairing, but Maltais pushed her off the podium to take bronze with a time of 3:59.71 in the last heat.
Beune was a little surprised to finally win her first individual World Cup race at the senior level.
“It’s funny because I haven’t been skating very well (in training) last week, but yesterday I skated a real good set-up, and I knew I just had to trust that I could do it. The staff told me it was a gutsy set-up, so I knew I had to do that today, too. I’ve got nothing to lose. At the end of the race, your head just blows off because it hurts, but it got me the victory. I’m not afraid to go all-in. I wanted to skate gutsy, but with a plan. I always build on my technique, and even though the legs got tired I felt that I was able to keep it together technically today.”
Joy Beune competes in the 3000m at the ISU World Cup in Salt Lake City, USA © ISU
Beune did not manage to qualify for the 3000m at the World Single Distance Championships in Calgary Feb. 15-18, but she’s looking forward to the 1500m.
“The speed comes easy, so I’m looking forward to (the 1500m) tomorrow in Salt Lake City, and the World Championships.”
Schouten is also looking forward to the World Championships. The Olympic champion was neither surprised nor worried about finishing second.
“I’m not too far off from where I want to be. Of course it’s not a top-time, but I haven’t skated for two weeks because we had a training camp in Tenerife. We got here on Wednesday, saw a little ice on Thursday, and had to race today, so what can you expect? In the end, I still come in second. Of course I know there’s things to improve, but physically I’m alright. My timing is a bit off after two weeks off the ice, but the most important thing is the World Championships. Then, there’s no excuse.”
Maltais cherished her first bronze medal in a classic distance.
“Every 3000m that I’ve done this season was towards the podium and I’m really happy that it happened today, because it means that we’re working in the right direction. Tactically and technically, I didn’t feel in control like I used to be during other races. I kept skating on my points that I know I’m doing well, and I trust that I’m in good shape, so I could give it my all towards the end without panicking, but it was a race in which I had to work the whole time.”
Joy Beune (center) won her first World Cup gold ahead of Irene Schouten (left) and Valérie Maltais in Salt Lake City, USA © ISU
Finishing ninth and 11th, Wiklund and Sáblíková held on to the top two spots in the long-distance World Cup rankings, with Maltais retaining third place.
Later on Friday, both Isabelle Weidemann (CAN) and Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA) skated faster in the B Division than Beune had done in the A Division. Taking full advantage of the draft in the quartet starts, Weidemann clocked 3:55.53 and Lollobrigida 3:56.29.
Takagi edges out Goetz in 1000m
World Cup leader Takagi won the 1000m in 1:12.77, just .08 seconds ahead of Goetz. Han Mei (CHN) clocked a personal best of 1:13.64 to finish third.
World Cup leader Miho Takagi won 1000m gold on Friday in Salt Lake City, USA © ISU
Jutta Leerdam (NED), who had won two of the three previous 1000m World Cup races in which she competed this season, had to settle for a disappointing 11th in 1:14.65, 2.81 seconds off her personal best.
Takagi, who also beat Goetz at the ISU Four Continents Championships last week, was not entirely happy with her race.
“My time was a little bit slower than last week. I had some small mistakes in the beginning and then into the corner. I got a little bit frustrated. I’m happy to win, but there’s still room for improvement.”
Goetz was .22 seconds closer to Takagi than she was last week, but she too was a little slower.
“Happy with it, clean, some technical stuff up from the Four Continents, it was not a faster time, but a little bit better execution. I’m closer (to Takagi), not as close obviously as I’d like to be. I think it would be a fun battle to skate versus Miho (Takagi). Hopefully if I can do another good one on Sunday, when we're paired together, that could be fun.”
Kimi Goetz finished just .08 seconds behind Miho Takagi in the 1000m World Cup race on Friday in Salt Lake City, USA © ISU
Han skated in the final race against Takagi and said the pairing helped her.
“I'm surprised with my good result today. I can't believe it, because I was up against the best skater with Miho (Takagi). I could follow her, take it step by step, and focus on myself. Training with Team Gold and (Dutch coach Johan de Wit), that’s why I improved a lot. I just want to try my best and get to a higher level.”
Han Mei was happy to reach the 1000m podium at the World Cup in Salt Lake City, USA on Friday © ISU
Takagi and Goetz held on to the top two sports of the World Cup ranking, with Brittany Bowe (USA) passing Leerdam to take third place. Bowe, who holds the national record at the distance, was disappointed to finish just off the podium in 1:14.01.
“It’s a bit frustrating. I’m always gunning for that top position, but I’m always trying to remain positive and stick with my plan. We’ve still got a few weeks till the Worlds.”
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ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series events 2023/24:
Nov 10-12, 2023 Obihiro /JPN
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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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