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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● A Senate bill to allocate up to $50 million per year for transportation assistance to Olympic and FIFA World Cup events held in the U.S. had a House of Representatives companion introduced last week by Reps. Burgess Owens (R-Utah) and Rick Larsen (D-Washington).

The “Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Cities Act” is a mirror of the bill by the same name introduced last April in the U.S. Senate by Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Washington).

The impact of the bill would be to allocated up to $10 million per year to a host area or city – against a total annual allocation of $50 million – for financial assistance with transportation support or mitigation of transportation impacts related to the staging of an Olympic Games or FIFA World Cup.

The Senate bill was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and has not moved since introduction. The bill would assist with the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles and the 2034 Winter Games in Utah.

If passed, it will be helpful for the World Cup cities, but only a tiny assist for the Olympic and Paralympic organizing committees for 2028 and 2034.

¶

The Long Beach Post reported that the Port of Los Angeles is ending the lease with Greater Los Angeles Scouting for space at Cabrillo Beach that has been used for camping and Scout training for as much as 80 years.

The space is to be “repurposed as a training center for national and international sailing teams in the 2028 Olympics.” The Port will host the boating events in sailing.

The story stated “In 1982, the Scouts entered into a 30-year lease with the Port to construct and manage a youth camp facility,” raising $3.6 million “to construct the Cabrillo Beach Youth Center, which spans over 12 acres and includes waterfront access, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, campgrounds, an archery range, a crafts center, an amphitheater and a kitchen.”

After the lease ended in 2012, a month-to-month lease has been in effect, which will now be ended, with the facility forfeited to the Port. About 17,000 youngsters – not all Scouts – used the facility over the last year.

The Port will spend $5 million on a sailing training facility and a “newly formed nonprofit, Pathway to Podium LLC, with involvement from the Los Angeles and Cabrillo Beach Yacht Clubs, will operate the training facility under a new lease that will continue until sometime after the 2028 Olympics.”

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● A little more than half of the tickets for the 2026 Winter Games have been sold as the Olympic Torch Relay begins in Italy, but organizing committee chief Andrea Varnier expressed confidence:

“That’s normal. The local fans get interested closer, and I think the beginning of the torch relay will be a very important moment for people realizing that.”

He also noted that demand was strong for some opening ceremony tickets and ice hockey gold-medal game seats last week and that merchandise sales have picked up, which he sees as a good sign.

¶

Russia will now file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the International Biathlon Union, according to Russian sports minister Mikhail Degtyarev:

“We won in luge and cross-country skiing. We’re preparing a lawsuit against biathlon; we decided to fight it together with the federation.

“The cross-country skiing precedent is important for biathletes. The federation is also under the Scandinavian lobby, and we’ve seen the athletes’ reaction; it’s absolutely normal, no boycotts. Everyone will compete. We evaluate the risks and potential for a positive outcome in everything.”

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● The WADA Foundation Board approved the 2027 version of the World Anti-Doping Code as well as a 3% increase in annual contributions to the WADA budget for 2026-27-28.

The report of the meeting did not mention the continuing refusal of the U.S. to pay its 2024 dues of $3.625 million, or for 2025. The projected budgets are $54.5 million in 2026, $54.4 million in 2027 and $55.3 million in 2028.

● Basketball ● The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Central Board “decided to maintain the current status of Russia and Belarus until the FIBA Executive Committee meeting of mid-February 2026, following the IOC Session in Milan-Cortina.

“The Central Board also approved that, when the situation allows, FIBA will be ready to enact extraordinary competition measures to maintain players from the two federations on the pathway for the LA28 Olympic Games, considering that it is no longer possible to participate in major FIBA tournaments in 2026 and 2027, where the qualification is already underway.”

Translation: what will the International Olympic Committee do about Russian and Belarusian teams, and when?

● Boxing ● The International Testing Agency reported that Kazakh boxer Dulat Bekbauov, the 2023 IBA World Championships silver medalist at 67 kg (welterweight), was banned for two years for “whereabouts” failures. He will be eligible once again on 17 November 2027.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Archery ● The World Archery Indoor World Series Taipei Open saw a home winner as Yu-yang Su, the 2023 third-placer, won the men’s Recurve final with a 6-5 extra-end victory – 10-9 in the shoot-off – over France’s 2016 Olympic runner-up Jean-Charles Valladont. France’s Victoria Sebastian dominated the women’s Recurve final, winning 7-1 over Korea’s Eun-ah Lee.

Two-time World Champion Mike Schloesser (NED) won the men’s Compound, 150-147, over Yong-hee Choi (KOR), and Amanda Mlinaric (CRO) won the women’s final, 146-145, against Korea’s Hee-yeon Yu.

● Alpine Skiing ● The FIS men’s World Cup was in Beaver Creek, Colorado for speed racing, with Swiss superstar – and four-time World Cup winner – Marco Odermatt winning the first Downhill of the season on Thursday in 1:29.14, taking the lead from American Ryan Cochran-Siegle (1:30.14). Now 33, Cochran-Siegle won his fourth career World Cup medal and first in a year.

Saturday’s Super-G went to 2021 World Champion Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT), in 1:06.77, as the sixth starter. He was 0.56 up on Norway’s Fredrik Moeller (1:07.33) and 1.03 ahead of teammate Raphael Haaser (1:07.80). River Radamus (1:08.39) and Cochran-Siegle (1:08.45) finished 12-13 for the U.S.

The Giant Slalom on Sunday was another win for Odermatt, who led after the first run and won even through he finished 24th in the second run! His total time of 2:20.59 was enough to hold off Alex Vinatzer (ITA: 2:20.82) and Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen (2:20.93). Radamus was sixth at 2:21.19.

¶

At the FIS women’s World Cup in Tremblant (CAN), New Zealand’s Alice Robinson won her second Giant Slalom of the season, winning the first run by 0.33 and finishing third in the second run for a 2:16.18 total, ahead of Zrinka Ljutic (CRO: 2:17.12). American star Mikaela Shiffrin was sixth (2:17.83), standing third after the first run, but falling to 20th on the second; Nina O’Brien was 10th (2:18.41).

Sunday was the second World Cup win of the season – and her career – for Austria’s Julia Scheib, who was second on both runs and totaled 2:13:00. She won over Sara Hector (SWE: 2:13.57) and Robinson (2:13.78). Shiffrin, slowly regaining confidence in the Giant Slalom after being severely injured in a GS race in November 2024, was sixth and seventh in her two runs and tied for fourth (2:14.17). Fellow American Paula Moltzan was sixth (2:14.47).

● Athletics ● A brilliant duel between Kenyan stars Joyciline Jepkosgei and 2025 World Champion Peres Jepchirchir saw Jepkosgei pull away after 39 km to win the Maraton Valencia in Spain in a world-leading 2:14:00, moving her to no. 4 all-time, with the no. 4 performance.

The two separated from the field by the 10 km mark and were together at the half in 1:06:34. But while a Jepchirchir surge after 30 km failed, Jepkosgei powered away at about the 39 km mark and rolled to the finish with a 43-second win. Even so, Jepchirchir’s 2:14:43 is the no. 2 performance of 2025 and moves her to no. 6 all-time, with the no. 7 performance.

The men’s race was a runaway for Kenyan John Kipkosgei, who broke away from four others after 25 km and won easily in 2:02:24, the no. 3 performance of the year and he’s now no. 8 on the all-time list. German Amanal Petros was a distant second with a national record of 2:04:03.

¶

Futsum Zienasellassie won his second U.S. National Marathon Championship – and the California International Marathon in Sacramento, California – for the second time on Sunday, in a lifetime best of 2:09:29. Joseph Whelan was second in 2:09:41 and Christian Allen was third (2:09:57). Zienasellaisse had won previously in 2022.

Former Oklahoma State All-American Molly Born, in her marathon debut, won in 2:24:09, well ahead of Sara Hall (2:24:36) and Megan Sailor (2:25:16).

¶

Parker Wolfe and Weini Kelati took the U.S. National Cross Country Championships titles in Portland, Oregon, both over 10 km and in cool conditions.

Wolfe was in a pack of six at the 5 km mark but finally broke free after 8 km from NCAA runner-up Rocky Hansen and won in 29:16.4, with Hansen at 29:24.8 and Wesley Kiptoo third in 29:27.7. The top six are expected to qualify for the U.S. team for the World Championships in Tallahassee, Florida in January.

Veteran Kelati, the 2024 winner, was in a pack of three at the halfway mark, already five seconds up on the field. She took control from Katie Izzo and steadily built her lead for a clear-cut, 33:45.5 to 34:00.9 win. Ednah Kurgat finished third in 34:09.9.

There were separate races over 2 km for spots on the 4×2 km Mixed Relay at the Worlds. Ethan Strand and Wes Porter took the men’s spots in 5:25.8 and 5:26.5, and Gracie Morris (6:19.4) and the ultra-versatile Sage Hurta-Klecker (6:22.9) were the women’s 1-2.

¶

There were records galore at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener at Boston University on Saturday, with World Indoor men’s 800 m champ Josh Hoey blasting the world record in the 600 m in 1:12.84. He ran alone to the finish – he won by almost three seconds – and destroyed Donavan Brazier’s 2019 mark of 1:13.77.

BYU frosh Jane Hedengren made her indoor debut a memorable one with a 14:44.79 win in the women’s 5,000 m, setting a world U-20 indoor record and mauling the collegiate indoor mark of 14:52.57 by Alabama’s Doris Lemngole (KEN) in 2024. Hedengren now ranks no. 2 all-time U.S. and no. 11 all-time world … in her first collegiate race! She won by more than 14 seconds over BYU teammate Riley Chamberlain (14:58.97).

● Beach Volleyball ● The last Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 of 2025 was in Itapema (BRA) saw a surprise win – and first medals of the season – for no. 16 seeds Elouan Chouikh and Joadel Gardoque (FRA), who cruised to a 21-13, 21-19 victory over Martins Plavins and Kristians Folkerots (LAT).

The all-Brazilian bronze match-up was won by Evandro Oliveira Jr. and Arthur Lanci, 21-18, 21-17 over Andre Loyola Stein and Renato de Calvalho.

The women’s semis were all Brazilian and in the final, top-seeded Carol Solberg and Rebecca Cavalcante were trying for their third win of the season against Taiana Lima and Talita Antunes and got it, 231-10, 21-10.

Second-seeded Thamela Galil and Victoria Tosta won the bronze, 21-16, 21-8 against Thainara de Oliveira and Talita Simonetti.

● Biathlon ● New Norwegian star Johan-Olav Botn got his first wins on the IBU World Cup circuit over the weekend in Oestersund (SWE), winning the 20 km Individual in 46:49.4 (0 penalties) over teammate Uldal Martin (47:47.1/0). They were 1-2 again in the 10 km Sprint, with Botn at 24:26.3 (0) and Martin at 24:37.4 (0).

In Sunday’s 12.5 km Pursuit, double 2022 Olympic gold medalist Quentin Fillon Maillet (FRA) got the win, in 30:14.5 (2), beating Sweden’s Sebastian Samuelsson (30:21.2/2) and Botn third in 30:24.8 (2). American Campbell Wright was sixth in 30:39.5 (0).

Three different women’s winners, with four-time Worlds gold medalist Dorothea Wierer (ITA) winning the 15 km Individual in 43:08.0 (2) over Finn Sonja Leinamo (43:08.3/1), then Finland’s Suvi Minkkinen took the 7.5 km Sprint, 20:11.9/0 to 20:28.5/0) against Swede Anna Magnusson.

The 10 km Pursuit went to Lisa Theresa Hauser (AUT: 30:14.2/0), with Minkkinen second (30:16.7/1) and Magnusson third (30:46.0/1).

● Cross Country Skiing ● The second stop of the FIS World Cup season was in Trondheim (NOR), with Sweden’s women’s sprinters sweeping the Friday Classical Sprint with Johanna Hagstroem (3:30.97), Emma Ribom (+1.53) and Linn Svahn (+2.67) taking the medals

The 20 km Classical and Freestyle Skiathlon was the fifth race of the season, so it was time for a win by reigning World Cup champion Jessie Diggins of the U.S. It was close, but she edged Norway’s Heidi Weng, 50:29.5 to 50:30.5; teammate Julia Kern was 25th (52:16.9).

Sweden’s six-time Worlds gold medalist Ebba Andersson won Sunday’s 10 km Interval Mass Start in 26:05.3, ahead of teammate Moe Ilar (26:07.3) and Diggins, third in 26:21.8.

The Norwegian fans cheered the men’s Classical Sprint, with home favorites Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo getting his 100th career World Cup win in 2:59.89, chased by teammate Oskar Vike (+0.31). Klaebo got win no. 101 in the 20 km Skiathlon in 43:49.4, barely ahead of Harald Amundsen (43:50.1) and Emil Iversen (43:40.4) completing the Norwegian sweep. Gus Schumacher was the top American, in 21st (45:00.4).

Norway finished its men’s sweep in the 10 km Freestyle Interval Start, with Einar Hedegart winning in 23:02.1, followed by teammates Andreas Ree (23:02.5) and Martin Nyenget (23:12.2). Schumacher was 11th in 23:37.5.

● Fencing ● The FIE World Cup in men’s Foil in Fukuoka (JPN), with Hong Kong’s Chun Choi taking the final over Russian “neutral” Kirill Borodachev, 15-9. American Alex Massialas, the 2016 Olympic runner-up, won one of the bronzes as a semifinalist. Italy won the Team final over France, 44-43. Japan beat the U.S. for third, 45-43.

At the women’s Foil World Cup in Busan (KOR), 2014 Worlds silver medalist Martina Batini (ITA) won the final from Yuka Ueno (JPN), 15-3, while Lauren Scruggs of the U.S. was one of the two bronze winners. Italy won the Team final, 45-38, over the American squad of Scruggs. Lee Kiefer, Jaelyn Liu and Carolina Stutchbury.

At the Sabre Grand Prix in Orleans (FRA), Krisztian Rabb (HUN) took the men’s final from Frederic Kindler (GER), 15-14, for his first career Grand Prix medal. Italy’s Michela Battiston took the women’s gold, also 15-14, from Anna Spiesz (HUN).

In Vancouver (CAN) for Epee, Egypt’s Mohamed El Sayed defeated Israel’s Dov Ber Vilensky in the men’s final, 15-5 and Italy’s Giulia Rizzi took the women’s title over Marie-Florence Candassamy (FRA), 13-12.

● Figure Skating ● The U.S. won three World Championship golds on home ice in Boston, Massachusetts earlier this year. At the ISU Grand Prix Final in Nagoya (JPN), it repeated the feat with Ilia Malinin, Alysia Liu and Madison Chock and Evan Bates taking home wins once again, in an impressive display ahead of the 2026 Winter Games.

Malinin under-rotated two of his quadruple jumps in the Short Program and stood third, but completed seven quads (!) in his Free Skate and scored a staggering 238.24 points to win at 332.29. Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama, the Beijing 2022 Olympic runner-up, scored 302.41 points for second.

It’s the no. 5 total score in history for Malinin (he has three of the five) and his Free Skate was not just a world record, but smashed his own prior best 228.97 from the Skate Canada Internationale in November! Wow!

Liu was second in the Short Program behind Mone Chiba (JPN) and was third in the Free Skate, behind three-time Worlds winner Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) and teammate Ami Nakai, but her consistency gave her the win at 222.49. Nakai was second (220.89) and Sakamoto claimed the bronze (218.80). The U.S.’s Amber Glenn was fourth at 211.50.

There was no doubt in Ice Dance, as Chock and Bates won both segments and scored a total of 220.42 points. France’s Laurence Foumeri Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron finished second at 214.25, placing second in both segments. Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik of the U.S. finished sixth at 193.61.

Japan’s two-time World Champions, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara won Pairs at 225.21, edging Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii (ITA: 223.28).

● Freestyle Skiing ● At the FIS World Cup in Ruka (FIN), Olympic Aerials champ Mengtao Xu won at 89.29, beating Marion Thenault (CAN: 82.48); Americans Kyra Dossa and Dani Loeb went 4-5 (69.31 and 58.87).

The men’s title was the first career World Cup medal for 27-year-old Ukrainian Oleksander Okipniuk (130.56), way ahead of Worlds bronzer Pirmin Werner (SUI: 109.95) and 2021 Worlds unner-up Chris Lillis of the U.S. (109.45). American Quinn Dehlinger (101.36) was fourth.

Sunday’s men’s Moguls was won by Japan’s two-time World Champion Ikuma Horishima (83.48) over Olympic champion Walter Wallberg (SWE: 82.47) and American Nick Page (79.62). American Tess Johnson, the 2025 Worlds Dual Moguls runner-up, won with 78.86 points over 2018 Olympic champ Perrine Laffont (77.43) and Olivia Giaccio of the U.S. (74.35).

Monday will have another Moguls for men and women.

¶

At the FIS World Cup Big Air in Beijing (CHN), Norway’s Ulrik Samnoey claimed his first World Cup gold and first medal in five years, scoring 184.00 in the men’s final, over New Zealand’s 2025 World Champion Luca Harrington (182.50).

Finn Anni Karava, the 2025 Worlds bronzer, took the women’s gold, scoring 175.50 to 172.25 for China’s Mengting Liu.

● Handball ● The 27th IHF Women’s World Championship is in Germany and the Netherlands, with Main Round play continuing through 8 December.

So far, Denmark (5-0) and Hungary (3-1-1) advanced from Group I, and Germany (5-0) and Montenegro (3-2) are in from Group II. With one set of matches to go, defending champ France (4-0) leads Group III with The Netherlands also at 4-0; in Group IV – whose matches are complete – Norway advanced at 5-0 with Brazil at 4-1.

The top two in each group advance to the quarterfinals, on 9-10 December.

● Judo ● Japan dominated the IJF World Tour Tokyo Grand Slam, winning five men’s titles and six women’s golds. The men’s winners included Hayato Kondo (60 kg), Olympic champ Hifumi Abe (66 kg), Ryuga Tanaka (73 kg), Yuhei Ono (81 kg), and World Champion Samshiro Murao (90 kg).

The women’s gold medalists were three-time Worlds medalist Wakana Koga (48 kg), Olympic and World Champion Uta Abe (52 kg), Akari Omori (57 kg), World Champion Haruka Kaju (63 kg), World Champion Shiho Tanaka (70 kg), and Worlds bronze winner Kurena Ikeda (78 kg).

● Luge ● Home fans had plenty to cheer at the FIL World Cup opener, in Winterberg (GER), starting with two-time Olympic champ Felix Loch (GER) winning the men’s Singles at 1:43.60 over 2023 World Champion Jonas Mueller (AUT: 1:43.250) with Max Langenhan (GER: 1:43.428), the 2025 World Champion, in third.

The men’s Doubles went to Austrians Juri Gatt and Riccardo Schoepf (1:25.609) ahead of three-time Olympic champs Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt (GER: 1:25.717).

Austria’s Hannah Prock won the women’s Singles in 1:51.848, ahead of rising German star Merle Fraebel (1:51.678) and Dorothea Schwarz (1:51.857). Two-time World Champions Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal (GER) won the women’s Doubles in 1:26.881, beating current World Champions Selina Egle and Lara Kipp (AUT: 1:26.950).

Austria’s Mueller and Lisa Schulte won the Mixed Singles (1:41.510) over Loch and Julia Taubitz (GER: 1:41.633) and in the Mixed Doubles, Germany (1:34.470) edged Austria (1:34.541).

● Nordic Combined ● Austria stayed perfect with a fourth straight win in the men’s FIS World Cup in Trondheim (NOR), with Thomas Rettenegger getting the win in the 10 km Mass Start and jumping off the 102 m hill at 125.3 points, with Wendelin Thannheimer (GER: 121.0) second.

On Sunday, jumping was off the 138 m hill, then the 10 km race, with Austrian star  Johannes Lamparter winning for the third time this season in 23:30.6 over teammate Franz-Josef Rehrl (23:42.2) and German star Julian Schmid (23:57.9).

The women’s Gundersen 102 m jumping and 5 km race was a win for 2024 World Cup champ Ida Marie Hagen (NOR: 14:31.5), barely ahead of Nathalie Armbruster (GER: 14:31.6), and then a surprise bronze for improving American Alexa Brabec, 21, at 14:45.3. It’s her first career World Cup medal, and the first for the U.S. since Tara Geraghty-Moats won the inaugural women’s World Cup in 2020!

Said Brabec, “I have been working so hard this summer and without the Olympics on the plate for us, podiuming in a World Cup was my big goal. It feels so insane to have achieved it and at the first World Cup of the season too.”

In the women’s Mass Start 5 km and 102 m jumping, Austria’s Katharina Gruber won with 111.8 points to 103.5 for Hagen, 100.9 for Armbruster with Brabec fourth at 96.3.

● Rugby Sevens ● At the second HSBC Sevens Series tournament of the season, in Cape Town (RSA), South Africa and Argentina led the two men’s pools and New Zealand and Australia were both 3-0 in their women’s pool matches.

In the men’s playoffs, the host South African side eked out a 21-19 win over Argentina in the final, while Fiji defeated France, 26-19 for third.

Australia won the women’s gold, getting back at arch-rival New Zealand in the final, 26-12, while France edged the American women for third, 15-12.

● Shooting ● China and India have highlighted the ISSF World Cup Final in Doha (QAT), winning and eight and six medals, respectively, with one day to go.

China’s world’s silver winner Kai Hu capped a brilliant year in the men’s 10 m Air Pistol final, winning at 243.0 over 2016 Olympic Rapid-Fire Pistol gold medalist Christian Reitz (GER: 242.0). India went 1-2 in the women’s 10 m Air Pistol final, with Inder Singh Suruchi winning with a World Junior Record of 245.1 to 243.3 for Sainyam Sainyam.

Paris Olympic silver winner Victor Lindgren (SWE) won the men’s 10 m Air Rifle over Olympic champ Lihao Sheng (CHN: 252.6). World Junior champ Zifei Wang (CHN: 253.4) managed a tight victory in the women’s 10 m Air Rifle against Paris Olympic winner Hyojin Ban (KOR: 253.1)

In the 50 m Rifle/3 Positions, rising Czech star Jiri Privratsky was the winner with 414.2 points to 413.3 for Aishwary Tomar (IND). World Champion Jeanette Hegg Duestad (NOR) won the women’s final, 414.3 to 413.4 against Worlds bronze medalist Seonaid McIntosh (GBR).

The men’s 25 m Rapid-Fire Pistol was won by China’s Paris Olympic champ Yuehong Li, 33-31, over Indian Anish Anish. The women’s 25 m gold went to India’s Simranpreet Kaur, 41-36, against 2025 World Champion Qianxun Yao (CHN).

The Shotgun finals will be held on Monday.

● Ski Jumping ● It was a good tournament for the Slovenian Prevc family at the FIS World Cup in Wisla (POL), jumping off of the 134 m hill.

Domen Prevc, the 2025 World Champion, took Saturday’s men’s competition at 286.2, with Philipp Raimund (GER: 279.4) second. Jason Colby was the top American, in 19th (248.5). On Sunday, Prevc won again, coming from fourth after the first round and winning the second round to score 282.3 to edge Japan’s Ryoyu Kobayashi (281.4) and Raimund (276.8). Colby was 22nd (246.8).

The women’s jumping opener had Anna Odine Stroem (NOR: 246.0) winning on Thursday, over Abigail Strate (CAN: 240.9) and this season’s three-time winner Nozomi Maruyama (JPN: 236.9). Then it was the turn of younger sister Nika Prevc – 20 – and a double World Champion in 2025, to win on Saturday at 259.7 over countrywoman Nika Vodan (246.9).

● Ski Mountaineering ● At the opening ISMF World Cup of the season, held in Solitude, Utah, the U.S. got a win in the first race, the Mixed Relay, with Anna Gibson and Cameron Smith timing 32:17,6, ahead of Italy’s Alba de Silvesto and Michele Boscacci (33:08.7).

In the men’s Sprint, the Swiss celebrated a 1-2 finish for Jon Kistler (2:40.7) and Amo Lietha (2:45.9) in the final, while France’s Margot Ravinel (3:14.8) took the women’s race over Italian Giulia Murada (3:27.9).

● Snowboard ● The FIS World Cup Parallel Giant Slalom season began in Mylin (CHN), with Italian star Maurizio Bormolini taking the first race over 2022 Olympic champ Benjamin Karl (AUT). Italy won again on Sunday, with Mirko Felicetti winning over Stefan Baumeister (GER), the 2025 Worlds silver medalist.

The women’s Saturday final was all-Italian, with Lucia Dalmasso winning ahead of Elisa Caffont. On Sunday, two-time World Champion Tsubaki Miki (JPN) got the win in the final, ahead of two-time Parallel Slalom World Champion Julie Zogg (SUI).

¶

At the World Cup Big Air in Beijing (CHN), Olympic champ Yuming Su (CHN) won again after taking the opener at Secret Garden, scoring 181.0 points, edging Japan’s Kira Kimura (178.25). The women’s final went to 2023 World Champion Mia Brookes (GBR: 176.50) over Hanna Karrer (AUT: 146.75).

● Speed Skating ● The third of five ISU World Cups was in Heerenveen (NED), with a brilliant, three-win performance for American star Jordan Stolz.

He won the men’s 1,500 m on Friday in a track record of 1:42.55, ahead of 2022 Olympic champ Kjeld Nuis (NED: 1:43.31) and China’s 2024 World Sprint champ Zhongyan Ning (1:43.37). On Saturday, Stolz got another track record in the 1,000 m in 1:06.48, beating German Finn Sonnekalb (1:07.42).

Sunday was a third win and a third track record, in the 500 m in 33.90, ahead of 2025 World Champion Jenning De Boo (NED: 34.10). Wow!

Czech Metodej Jilek won the 10,000 m with a lifetime best of 12:29.63, ahead of World Champion Davide Ghiotto (ITA: 12:33.37) with American Casey Dawson in sixth (12:48.42). Dutch star Jorrit Bergsma, the 2014 Olympic 10,000 m champ, won the Mass Start in 7:24.96, ahead of Korea’s Jae-won Chung (7:25.56).

In the Team Sprint, the Dutch won in 1:17.22, ahead of the U.S. trio of Zach Stoppelmoor, Cooper Mcleod and Conor McDermott-Mostowy (1:18.16).

Dutch skaters dominated the women’s races, with World Champion Femke Kok taking the 500 m in 37.00, two-time World Champion Jutta Leerdam winning the 1,000 m in 1:14.17 and World Champion Joy Beune the victor in the 1,500 m in 1:53.10. American Brittany Bowe was fourth in the 1,500 m in 1:53.80.

Norway’s two-time Worlds 5,000 m silver winner Ragne Wiklund won that race in 6:49.016 over Isabelle Weidemann (CAN: 6:50.110). World Champion Marijke Groenewoud (NED) took the women’s Mass Start in 8:07.66, just ahead of American Mia Manganello (8:07.92). The Dutch also won the Team Sprint.

● Table Tennis ● China was once again the winner of the ITTF Mixed Team World Cup, held in Chengdu (CHN), for the third time in a row. The Chinese defeated South Korea, 8-3, in the semis and then rolled past Japan, 8-1, in the final.

The third-place match was a tight one, with Germany eventually beating Korea by 8-7.

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