Essent ISU World Cup Speed Skating – Salt Lake City (USA)
After the World Allround Championships, the allround skaters performed once more on the American continent, this time in Salt Lake City on Friday and Saturday. Martina Sábliková (CZE) used the fast ice to improve her world record at 5000m. There were 12 NRs for CZE, AUS, BEL, GER(3), JPN(2), KOR, NZL(2) and POL, with 64 pbs in total.
On Saturday, the ladies skated the 5000m. Claudia Pechstein (GER), made her comeback after two years, and won the B-division in 6:51.62. Only two skaters of the A-division were faster. Martina Sábliková went off quickly in her race against Stephanie Beckert (GER). From the start, she was below world-record pace and managed to shave three seconds off the old world record at 6:42.66. Beckert crossed the line a few seconds later; her 6:47.03 was also better than her personal best of last week. The Japanese ladies competed for the third place on the podium. Masako Hozumi could not improve her national record of 6:56 that she skated last week, and Shiho Ishizawa took it. She skated 6:55.43, and that didn’t last long either. In the next pair, Eriko Ishino finished in 6:55.07, and that Japanese record brought her to the bronze on the distance. Luiza Zlotkowska set a Polish record at 7:07.02. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw my time”, said Sábliková. “The first 3000m were OK, but after that it was so hard!” With this win, Sábliková took over the lead in the ranking from Beckert. The Czech skater has 360, the German 355, and the stage is now set for Heerenveen. Third was Jilleanne Rookard (USA) with 276 points.
On Saturday the 1500m was on the ladies’ programme, and after winning all four previous races, Christine Nesbitt (CAN) could have secured the World Cup by winning again, but failed. Heather Richardson (USA) made a brave attempt, setting out at world-record pace, but only until 1100m, and then she had the slowest final lap, finishing at 1:54.25, just outside the podium. Last week’s winner Ireen Wüst started a bit more carefully, aiming for a NR, but to her dismay she lost her balance in the turn, and this cost her a lot of speed. She finished in 1:53.75, and was disappointed with her silver. In the final pair, Nesbitt started fast, but Marrit Leenstra (NED) was able to keep up with her and take over the lead with a 28.9 pre-last lap and a good finish. Her time of 1:53.38 brought her a first World Cup win, leaving a tired Nesbitt in third place with 1:54.16. Nesbitt still leads with 470 points, while Leenstra is second with 346, and Wüst has 310. Nesbitt only has to finish in Heerenveen to win the Cup.
