SPEED SKATING: Three medals for Bowe, one for Mantia in in Heerenveen

U.S. Speed Skating star Brittany Bowe

American Brittany Bowe scored three medals – one of each color – in the ISU World Cup in Heerenveen (NED), and American Joey Mantia won his first medal of the World Cup season.

Bowe already led the 1,000 m World Cup standings coming into the meet, but she extended it with a win in the race, paired against Japan’s triple PyeongChang medalist Miho Takagi, who finished second, 1:13.249-1:13.939. It was Bowe’s third World Cup gold of the season.

“That was one of the most perfect races I’ve skated this far and I couldn’t be happier to do it here in Thialf [Ice Stadion],” said Bowe afterwards. “Every stroke was right, no missteps, this was definitely one of the best races in my career. I already skated a great 500 m and a good 1,500 m, then it normally comes together in the 1,000 m.

“The pair was great, I had a great chase on the last straight and that makes the world of difference in the 1, 000 m. It was the perfect pair, the perfect execution and I skated six tenths off the track record.

“We’ve been on the road for seven weeks now. It’s good to go back to Salt Lake City, have a little rest and get another training block in, because the real show is in February (World Single Distance Championships in Inzell).”

Bowe finished third in the 500 m, where Nao Kodaira (JPN) left no doubt that she remains the best in the world, with a 37.171-39.239 win over Vanessa Herog (AUT) and Bowe (37.707). Bowe’s third medal of the meet was in the 1,500 m, where she claimed silver behind Ireen Wust (NED), 1:53.300-1:54.007.

For Mantia, the season had been a struggle so far, but he finished well to earn a silver in the 1,500 m in 1:44.092, just behind Thomas Krol of the Netherlands (1:43.782). “I knew coming into the World Cup season that things could be a little rocky and that it was going to be important to stay positive and focused on improving throughout each race, even marginally, no matter what.

“This week we were able to dial in some timing issues and get the skating feeling much better. For me, that’s everything.”

In the men’s sprints, Russia’s Pavel Kulizhkikov had an excellent meet, winning the 500 m and taking the silver in the 1,000 m. Summaries:

ISU Speed Skating World Cup
Heerenveen (NED) ~ 14-16 December 2018
(Full results here)

Men

500 m: 1. Pavel Kulizhnikov (RUS), 34.494; 2. Tsubasa Hasegawa (JPN), 34.521; 3. Yuma Murakami (JPN), 34.557.

1,000 m: 1. Kjeld Nuis (NED), 1:07.803; 2. Kulizhnikov (RUS), 1:07.930; 3. Denis Yuskov (RUS), 1:07.953. Also: 18. Kimani Griffin (USA), 1:09.982; 19. Joey Mantia (USA), 1:13.895.

1,500 m: 1. Thomas Krol (NED), 1:43.782; 2. Mantia (USA), 1:44.092; 3. Patrick Roest (NED), 1:44.128.

5,000 m: 1. Danila Semerikov (RUS), 6:08.960; 2. Roest (NED), 6:09.820; 3. Sven Kramer (NED), 6:10.614.

Mass Start (16 laps): 1. Cheonho Um (KOR), 8:11.20; 2. Jaewon Chung (KOR), 8:11.350; 3. Bart Swings (BEL), 8:11.770. Also: 13. Mantia (USA), 8:12.290.

Women

500 m: 1. Nao Kodaira (JPN), 37.171; 2. Vanessa Herzog (AUT), 37.239; 3. Brittany Bowe (USA), 37.707. Also: 9. Erin Jackson (USA), 38.035.

1,000 m: 1. Bowe (USA), 1:13.249; 2. Miho Takagi (JPN), 1:13.939; 3. Yekaterina Shikhova (RUS), 1:14.031.

1,500 m: 1. Ireen Wust (NED), 1:53.300; 2. Bowe (USA), 1:54.007; 3. Shikhova (RUS), 1:54.039.

3,000 m: 1. Antoinette de Jong (NED), 3:59.419; 2. Isabelle Weidemann (CAN), 4:00.129; 3. Martina Sabilkova (CZE), 4:00.337.

Mass Start (16 laps): 1. Nana Takagi (JPN), 8:50.15; 2. Irene Schouten (NED), 8:50.28; 3. Ayano Sato (JPN), 8:50.44. Also: 10. Mia Kilburg-Manganello (USA), 8:51.61.