#SpeedSkating

Six-time World Champion Brittany Bowe (USA) found herself back on top of the podium after a long title drought when she took her first ISU Four Continents Championships gold in the 1000m on Sunday. Ivanie Blondin (CAN) concluded the women’s competition in Hachinohe City (JPN), winning the Mass Start to take her second title and third medal of the weekend. Her teammates had earlier crashed to blow Canada’s chances of retaining the Team Pursuit title, China taking advantage to win the event.   

Bowe back on top 

With Friday’s 1500m champion Miho Takagi (JPN) already in Nagano ahead of next week’s World Cup, Brittany Bowe (USA) ran away with the 1000m gold. Racing in the penultimate pairing against Nadezhda Morozova (KAZ), she left no room for doubt. Chasing down her Kazakh opponent at the first back-stretch, Bowe finished in one minute and 15.65 seconds. Morozova crossed the line 1.51s later to take silver.  

Brittany Bowe (USA) stood on the top step of a international Speed Skating podium for the first time in three years after her comfortable victory in the 1000m © ISU

“It felt solid,” Bowe commented on her race. “I had a really nice chase on the first back-stretch, so I think that helped propel me to a pretty fast time for that first lap.”

The 36-year-old American was glad to finally be back on top of an international Speed Skating podium for the first time since 13 December 2021, when she won the 1500m at a World Cup event in Calgary. 

“It's nice. obviously we don't have all the top 1000m skaters out here but nonetheless it's nice to be back on top of the podium again. It's been a couple years since I've felt that, so I feel good about where my skating's at right now, and [I’m] looking forward to getting on the World Cup circuit next week.”

Bowe’s USA teammate Kimi Goetz (USA) took bronze in 1:17.23, but she was far from content. 

“This weekend's just been sh***y, kind of all around,” Goetz admitted. "I’m not sure if it's late travel or what's going on, but [there are] definitely some things to work out for next weekend. 

“I’m so glad we had this [Four Continents Championships] first. Hopefully that gets the bad ones out of the way now, and have a better weekend next weekend.”

Final blast hands Blondin gold 

The women’s Mass Start race was a little lackluster, with only Kyoko Nitta (JPN) making a brief effort to escape from the pack early on. The 25-year-old Japanese was kept under control by defending champion Ivanie Blondin (CAN), who could more or less sit out the rest of the race and rely on her fast legs to win the final sprint. 

Ivanie Blondin (CAN) expertly marshalled the field and monitored breakaways to successfully defend her Mass Start title © ISU

“There was just not much action,” Blondin concluded. “I knew that I would have the speed at the end, obviously. So I wanted to keep things together. Anyone who tried to break away, I would call them, I closed it, because I was just like, I'm not letting that happen.

“At the end, I started my sprint way earlier than I would normally, just because I felt good. Then I let off the gas, because I couldn't hear anyone behind me, breathing down my neck. You kind of have a feel for that. I kind of let off going into the last turn, and then powered my way through the finish line.”

Mia Manganello Kilburg (USA) managed to get close to Blondin, but had to settle for second place, with Park Ji Woo (KOR) taking the bronze medal.

Mia Manganello Kilburn (USA), left, took silver behind Blondin, Park Ji Woo (KOR), right, picking up the bronze medal © ISU

The American looked back on a solid weekend of racing after a rocky run-up to the season. 

“I've had kind of a difficult time coming into the racing season, physically, mentally, just a lot of personal stuff going on, kind of trickling into the ice skating side of things,” she explained.

“So [I’m] trying to work myself back into racing and excited to be on the circuit again.

“So it was nice to get an international race under my belt before we start the real season. [The silver medal] was a great way to finish the weekend.”

China captures Team Pursuit title

In the first event of the final day at the YS Arena, China (Yang Binyu, Adake Ahenaer, Jin Wenjing) won the women’s Team Pursuit in a new track record time of three minutes and 2.20 seconds. Yang, Adake and Jin took advantage of defending champions Canada crashing out of the race. 

China's Yang Binyu, Adake Ahenaer and Jin Wenjing took advantage of a tumble by defending champions Canada to snatch Team Pursuit gold © ISU

Isabelle Weidemann slipped away when Valérie Maltais handed the front position to Blondin after a lap and a half of the second and final heat. Canada had set the fastest split times so far, but with Maltais and Weidemann crashing into the boarding, Blondin could only look back and realize that the chances of retaining their title had vanished.

“I think Izzy [Weidemann] just clipped herself,” said Blondin. “It happens. She rarely ever falls, so it was just very strange,”

With Canada out of the way, Japan (Hana Noake, Nana Takahashi, Rin Kosaka) took silver in 3:04.02 and Korea (Park Ji Woo, Yoonji Kim, Yu-na Jeong) seized bronze in 3:12.28.

ISU Four Continents Championships Program

The ISU Four Continents tournament starts with the Team Sprint followed by the 1500m for both genders on Friday. The Saturday program features the 500m for both genders, the women’s 3000m and the men’s 5000m, and on Sunday both genders will compete in the Team Pursuit and 1000m before the Championships close off with the Mass Start. 

Schedule & Where to Watch:

• Friday, November 15 - 14:00-16:22: Team Sprint Women Team Sprint Men 1500m Women 1500m Men
• Saturday, November 16 - 14:00 -17:27: 500m Women  500m Men 3000m Women  5000m Men
• Sunday, November 17 - 14:00-17:15: Team Pursuit Women Team Pursuit Men  1000m Women  1000m Men  Mass Start Women Mass Start Men

Where to Watch

For schedules and results of the ISU Four Continents Speed Skating Championships, please visit the event’s webpage.