Sandrine Tas (BEL) and Ramona Härdi (SUI) took historic first-ever female speed skating World Cup medals for Belgium and Switzerland on the final day of the World Cup season in Quebec City. Taking advantage of the favorites’ focus on the overall ranking, Tas won the Mass Start, edging out Härdi in the final sprint. Valerie Maltais (CAN) took the Mass Start Trophy. Earlier on Sunday, Femke Kok (NED) won the final 500m race of the World Cup season, while Joy Beune (NED) won the 1500m.
Sandrine Tas became the first Belgian woman to reach the World Cup podium on Sunday in Quebec City, Canada © ISU
Tas strongest, smartest in breakaway
Early on in the Mass Start race, seven women almost effortlessly slipped away from the pack. With Maltais and Ivanie Blondin (CAN) three points apart on top of the classification, no one was willing to set up a chase. The breakaway carried all the way to the finish, with Tas and Härdi the fastest in the final sprint. The bronze medal went to Michelle Uhrig (GER), her career-first individual World Cup medal.
Tas explained how the race unfolded.
“It was a curious race. Before I knew, I saw that we had a gap, and if you get a chance like that, you have to go for it. Everybody in our group was aware of that. Some were very eager, even sprinting for the intermediate points, therefore I could just focus on the final sprint. I knew I was fast and if you’re smart, you can use it well in the final lap. I knew that no one in this group was way faster than the rest, and I managed to pull it off.”
She was thrilled to be the first Belgium women to win a World Cup medal.
“It’s unexpected, of course, and the real top skaters, like Irene Schouten (NED), Marijke Groenewoud (NED) and Ivanie Blondin, were not there to sprint, but in the last World Cup there’s always people who skate for the classification more than for the actual race.”
Härdi agreed with Tas.
“I knew I could do it if I make it in a breakaway, but it was pretty surprising. I didn't actually realize that we're so far away till we saw that the good people, everyone was in the pack. I think the reason is because all the good people were also racing for the overall classification. They knew they had to beat a certain person and not one of them was in the breakaway.”
Härdi thinks her medal will mean a lot for Swiss speed skating.
“It's really important. We have Livio Wenger, one man in our country who won a lot of medals already in the World Cup, and it showed up in Switzerland already. But now as a woman taking a medal, that's also really important.”
Behind the breakaway, teammates Maltais and Blondin were nervously sitting back in the race. Their final placing would decide who would go home with the Mass Start Trophy, and it eventually turned out to be Maltais, who finished ninth, three places ahead of Blondin.
Valérie Maltais (centre) won the Mass Start World Cup Trophy ahead of Ivanie Blondin (left) and Irene Schouten © ISU
Maltais said she was trying to be smart.
“When the breakaway went, I think everyone was watching who it was. I was really aware of all the points. It's so hard to predict the mass start, and I was just trying to be smart. I was first, I wanted to stay first, but I was, like, how? With the chaos at the front, the breakaway, so many things happened in my favor to stay on top, so when I crossed the line I was thinking I'm fine, but I wasn't sure yet.”
Maltais said she and Blondin spoke before the race.
“We did talk before the race. I think it was important for us to know that we both wanted it. We said to each other that we both wanted to win that title. So the goal is, well, it was still to protect and cover the Dutch.”
Skating on home ice, Maltais particularly enjoyed the more than 5,000 spectators who showed up to loudly cheer for their favorites at the Gaétan Boucher Oval.
“It was phenomenal. This weekend, it was just, like, in the 1500m, I never got cheered on that much. It was lifting me up, having people at the backstretch cheering when they do the presentation. Usually you feel that the crowd is a little bit far away, but here it’s so close.“
Kok takes revenge as Jackson secures trophy
After missing gold by .01 seconds in Saturday’s 500m, Kok made amends on Sunday. The World Champion was .01 slower than she had been the day before, but it was more than enough to beat Saturday’s winner Min-Sun Kim (KOR), who was second in 37.91. Erin Jackson (USA) took bronze to secure the 500m World Cup Trophy ahead of Kim, with Kok taking third place.
Femke Kok won the 500m on Sunday and finished third in the season ranking in Quebec City, Canada © ISU
For Kok, it was a victory.
“I’m glad I pulled it off. I didn’t feel as fast and snappy as I did yesterday, because it’s a tough weekend. To skate almost the same time as yesterday despite that is very good.”
Jackson, who was fifth on Saturday, lost her Sunday pairing after an exciting battle on the final straight with Kim, but held the Korean off for the World Cup Trophy.
Erin Jackson hoisted the World Cup Trophy after a bronze-medal showing in the 500m on Sunday in Quebec City, Canada © ISU
Jackson said she enjoyed the fight.
“I like it. I like to drag race to the finish. I'd like to be on the better side of it, of course, but I always enjoy a drag race. It feels like my mind is back to inline (skating).”
The Olympic Champion had to overcome a minor back problem to compete.
“I just had to clean up a lot from yesterday. Watching the video, I was like, okay, this looks really bad, but it's good that it looks bad. Because if it looks good (and it’s not fast), that would be a problem. On the travel here, I aggravated my back, which has been amazing all season, but I have some herniated discs. On the way here, I aggravated that a little bit and I’ve just been trying to get it back to normal. Each day was getting better and better, so I’m pretty happy that it should be good to go next week.”
Beune wins 1500m
Having won all five previous 1500m World Cup races, Miho Takagi (JPN) didn’t have to show up to secure the World Cup trophy in the final race, leaving the field open for others to step up. Beune took the opportunity. Finishing in 1:55.50, she equaled the track record set by Blondin in 2022. Han Mei (CHN) was second in 1:56.39, while Melissa Wijfje (NED) took her first individual World Cup medal since 2020 with bronze in 1:56.89.
Beune was thrilled.
“This is what you dream of and what you work for. Since last weekend (the Salt Lake City World Cup), I take a medal in every race I skate. Of course Takagi is not here, but ever since the European Championships, I’ve been with so much confidence. I just trust every stroke I push.”
Joy Beune won 1500m gold on Sunday at the ISU World Cup in Quebec City, Canada © ISU
Han recovered from a cold to reach the podium on Sunday.
“A few days ago I had a bit of a sore throat, so I was a little bit worried. I cancelled the 1000m and 3000m, and focused on getting better.”
She also took silver in the 1500m World Cup ranking.
“It’s a big prize for the Chinese team, so I’m very happy. I’m thankful to so many people, Team Gold (with coach Johan de Wit, NED) and the Chinese Federation. Anyone who joins Team Gold can get a medal, it’s the magic of Team Gold.”
Han Mei took the 1500m silver medal for Sunday's race and the season in Quebec City, Canada © ISU
Wijfje was happy to be back on the podium.
“It’s great, although some of the top skaters are not here of course, so I don’t know how realistic this medal is. But for me it’s a reword for the hard work I put in.”
Melissa Wijfje took 1500m bronze on Sunday at the ISU World Cup in Quebec City, Canada © ISU
Wijfje did not qualify for the World Single Distance Championships in Calgary (Feb. 15018), but she hopes to qualify for the World Allround Championships in Inzell, Germany in March.
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ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series events 2023/24:
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Dec 08-10, 2023 Tomaszów Mazowiecki /POL
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Feb 02-04, 2024 Québec /CAN
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